The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-01-14
Tobacco Warehouses.

The following is an extract from Coy
Gowndes message to the Legislature
| AT the beginning of the 1896 there
wee three tobacco warehouses in opera.
I tion-Nos. /, , and ). The odd Sugar
Warehouse" was leased to Eugene
Blake at an annual rental Of $4,000. No.
warehouse was leased to the Northern
Central Railway Company at an annual
rental of $500. No. 4 was leased to the
American Tobacco Company at a rental
of $500. Owiag to the large crop OF
tobacco in 1895 the three warehouses in
operation were crowded, and it became
necessary to provide outside storage.
During the year there was paid for
storage, including hauling and insurance,
$1,120.16. In order to avoid the unneces-
sary expenditures for storage and to at
ford sufficient accommodations for the
tobacco the cold Sugar Warehouse and
warehouse No. 1 were, upon the eX-
piration of the leases, in January, 1897,
opened for storage purposes, and have
since been used as Il part of the ware
house system.
No warehouse has been consolidated
with warehouse No. >, as authorized by
the act of 1896 The lease of warehouse
No. . expired on January 81, 1897. Be-
lieving that the warehouses then in oper-
alton, with the addition of the two houses
restored to the trade, would be sufficient
to accommodate all Maryland tobacco,
by virtue of the authority contained in
chapter $50 of the laws of 1896, on Febru-
airy 1, 1897, l renewed the lease of said
warehouse to the Northern Central Rail
way Company for a period of four years
at an annual rental Of 800. The wharf
adjacent to said warehouse, which had
heretofore been leased at rental Of ST.
500, was again leased to the same CON-
pany at an annual renta! of 81 200, there
being thus secured an additional annual
revenue to the State from this warehouse
and wharf of the sum of 81 900
Early in 1897, being convinced that the
method of accounting and general admin
istration of the warehouses was bad and
wholly devoid of business principles, |
employed an expert accountant and in
structed him to thoroughly investigate
the mana cement and to report to me, with
his recommendations.
The investigation has been completed,
and the report shows tie management of
the warehouses to have been both ineffi
cient and corrupt. Inspections have been
faulty; an unnecessary number of en-
ployes has been carried on the pay-rolls :;
money had been paid to persons who per-
formed no duties at the warehouses, and
other unauthorized expenditures have
been made of funds which should have
been turned into the treasury Prompt
and vigorous measures were taken by me
to correct these abuses, and so far as pos
sible by executive action a better admins
tration has been inaugurated.
An efficient and business management
of the warehouses cannot be reached,
however. without substantial amendment
of existing law.
l shall, at another time, submit to you
a detailed scheme of reorganization of
this branch of the State service, which l
hope will meet with your approval.
Under proper management these ware
houses can produce for the State a fair
return for the capital invested in them.
The receipts from leased ware
houses for the years 1896 ard
1897 were. ................S 81 ,i99.92
There was paid out dur
ing the same period for
storage, insurance and
drayage of tobacco
stored in outside ware
whouses. s., 120..G
For new elevator in No.
warehouse. ..... 1,2S0.90
For repairs and insur-
ance. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 341799
- ,SIS. -
Leaving net revenue for the
wv ycdl tsp,'ci.l
| Ill.