The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-01-18
DEBT OF
THE COUNTY
The inquiry Makes the commissioners
Case TireSOme.
COURT HOUSE AND JAIL hPP0lNTEES
The Only Change Made in the Selection Of
a Physician-Dr. Staub Will Succeed
the Present Incumbent on
April 1st-other Matters.
COURT HOUSE AND JAIL APPOINTEES
POttsVille. Jan. Is.

Pottsville, Jan. IS.
Clerk Reber was on the witness stand all Of
yesterday afternoon. The purpose of his
examination (reading from the original min
ute book of the Commissioners) was to show
the iucompleJeness of the minutes, and the
apparent careless manner in which they are
recorded.
The contract of Helms and Vol for paint
ing the exterior of the court house attracted
some attention. The witness said the con
tract says that Helms and Woll each shall re-
ceive $500 per day. The minutes however,
in this connection, calls for $35O per day
No. sir, there is nothing IN the contract
showing that Helms and VOL were to re-
ceive % cents extra for each carpenter and
plssterer. The bills for this work were
made up in the Commissioners office. Have
no recollection of Mr.. Helms painting
balloon in the basement of the court house
(laughterl. | saw Mr.. Helms down there
once or twice. can't say how much paint was
! there.
bill of John E. Wol for SEQ rs dated
August II, 1896, bearing the approval of
Allen and Martin, was shown witness. The
bill showed that $25 commission was allowed
for carpenters and plastering The defense
strenuously objected to this testimony, but as
the painting bills had already been admitted
the court held the examination was proper.
The witness was not aware that the S25
commission paid Woll was for use of brushes
and scaflolding by the plasterers and car
penters and had been afterwards taken off
their wages. The minutes in which the
Rinehart error of $4,000 was made were
written by Clerk Schmidt and not by Con-
nell
THE FUNDED DEBT
On January l, 1897, the outstanding tenn
pOrary loan was $149, 900. The SI42, 900
funded Indebtedness created in 1894 is still
unpaid; all temporary loans were wiped out;
the Controllers statement of January, 1897,
shows the above items; | know of no other
financial statements being filed previous to
issuing bonds, but those now before me.
Mr., Ryon cOntended that the Controller
was not required by law to furnish state
ments. The court did not agree with Mr..
Ryon.
To Mr.. MARI The amount of outstanding
temporary loans, January, 0, 1896 was $685.
900. There was in the treasury at that time
$2l, 352 so. The revenue due from all sources
was $1S7, ,21O.76; this, with the cash on hand
would make S20s, 563 ss, leaving a balance in
the treasury of over Sl3 600, after the tenn
pOrsry loans amounting to Sl95, 900 were paid
off. Mr.. Reber stated there would be a sur
plus in the treasury each year if the monies
due by tax collectors was promptly returned;
there would be no occasion for temporary
loans.
In answer to Mr. Scalck he said the assets
of SIP, 900 showed on the records January
lst 1894, were merely on paper and included
unpaid taxes dating back nine years. He
mentioned one item of S40O in 1855, and
others back to 1885. He thought if all these
balances were paid it would not be necessary
to have temporary loans.
The assets include moneys due from tax
collectors who have given bonds. The ex-
penses of the county, testified Mr.. Reber, have
increased perhaps one third in the past two
or three years.
Mr.. Mari referred to the Lyon-Dunn con
test court by way of illustration.
Clerk Reber could give no reason why the
surplus appearing in the treasury accounts
, was not used to pay off the loans except the
great increase in the expenses within the
past several years
This morning j. W. Geary, county sur.
veyor was on the stand. He superintended
. the excavations at the Almshouse. He
swore that some of the leaves of his original
time book got wet and fell out and he made
out a new time book from the old ono after
the work was done Unfortunately he de,
5 stToyed the old book.
Evidence was then produced showing the
wages paid Geary's two timekeepers Tn,
same kind of evidence was also produced
concerning Charles j. COnnor, the eIcavatinl
" contractor The latter paid his labOrers 81 ?,
per day and got 81 40 per day from the county
I for them. He paid 81 per day for teams anC
o got paid 4.5O by the county.
Deputy County Treasurer Samuel Deiber
. testified that he never got penny of ethel
of the So, 900 missing loans. He said he wal
clerk in the Treasurer's Office during 1885,
and 1896.
: This afternoon Morgan Jones' janitor o
; the court house, was called upon to designat,
places where plumbing had been done in tn,
building
Mr.. Schalck Do you know of any new
plumbing about the court house since yor
l. were elected on Jan. l, 1872
:, Objected to by Mr.. Ulrich and objection
u overruled.
q Yes, sir.
r Do you know of any new tank or basin il
is the County Surveyors Officer
IS If you will tell me where the County Sur
veyOr'S office is perhaps can tell you.
:; The witness then said there was some new
I plumDlng In lhe docket ana Gfand Jurl
room, and in other offices of the building.
On cross examination the witness read
list Of improvements.
When did you make up that list?
You might have me arrested if | told you
! Laughter
4 Mr., Wilhelm then explained that he ha,
z asked the witness to get up the list.
Thomas Lawrence and James Russell wer
called to testify as experts ON plumbing work
\ but nothing of importance was developed.
Ii is stated this afternoon that the Com
4 monwealth intends to close its case to-day.
4 MINOR NOTES.
The assignee of the Daniel McGurl estat
reported to court the sale of the West NoI
4 wegan street property to Joseph Shonder 70
\ 81, ,47070 the 9th street property to L.
N Meiswiukle for s. $40 the 4th street proI
II erty to John V. McGurl, attorney, for 81 OO'
\ All liens against tn, Sc properties are declare
n Off
Attorney Houghawout requested leave I
withdraw tho plea in the case Of John
Z Reynolds, administrator versus the u.
a Industrial Insurance Company,
i The Republican primaries will be hel
between aud o'clock next Friday evening