The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-12
MARION COUNTY'S MONEY
A GOOD DEAL OF 1T IS USED In CAR
ING FOR THE POOR.
State Statistician Conner Has About
Completed His Biennial Report
Figures Of Interest.

State Statistician Conner has nearly COM
pleted his biennial report for the years
1895 and 1899. The work involves endless
labor, as it embraces all the expenditures
of all the many different funds of each
county, besides an accurate statement of
the indebtedness Of every county, etc. A
great many of the counties were slow
in reporting to the statistician and as
consequence the completion of the WORK
has been considerably delayed.
Yesterday all the counties had reported
with the exception of Vigo county. Moth
ing definite, however, has been learned
from Shelby county, as both the auditor s
and treasurer's books Of that county have
mysteriously disappeared. The report will
show that a number Of counties in the
State are absolutely free of all bonded iE-
debtedness and a large reduction has been
made by many other counties in their in
debtedness. The total amount of Vermil-
lion county's liabilities reaches the enor-
nous sum Of 81.
The recapitulation of the debts OF the
various counties will show that Marion
county leads all the rest with bonded
indebtedness of 100000, which. added to her
floating debt Of s3O5,O0O. makes total net
debt of 81 600. But the report will fur
Their show that there is some excuse for
Marion county standing in the front rank
with her indebtedness, for there is not a
single account Of expenditure in which the
county does not overtop her sister coun-
ties in just as great proportion rs in that
of her debts. The courts alone cost Marion
county the net sum of SAC, 114.14 for the
"a ri
to 1,96050 and other court expenses
amounted to SA 1854.
The county expended on account of GRIM
1874 ia, of which amount SIS. IS is charge
able directly to criminals and Sl36S3.42 was
expended on the insane. Benevolent insti-
tutions, the Deaf and Dumb Institute, ETC.,
received ST., 0l6e1 and s, 555.96 was expended
on coroner's inqueSts.
1t will be seen that Marion county is
exceedingly good to her poor, when 1t is
known that in the year 1899 she expended
amount the township trustees of the vari-
Gus townships in the county expended for
outdoor relief the sum of s447 .0S. The
cost of the poor asylum, including the
salaries of the superintendent, was $23,-
9S5.41, and the administration and mainte-
nance of the orphans home was $4,77107.
There are many other accounts of ex-
pense which are as yet uncompleted by
all the expenditures will present start
ling array of figures to the taxpayer who
is unfamiliar with the administration of
county affairs. While the report will show
that Marion county is carrying a debt of
81. 205, 900, 1t will also show that she is maxi
ing great strides in the reduction OF her
debt, having paid in the year 1899 more
than one-tenth of it. The total amount ex-
pended on the redemption of bonds. inter-
est ETC., in 1899 was $179,331 IL and $59, 334 IL
of this amount was paid as interest on
the outstanding debt. The remainder was
expended in the redemption of bonds, from
which fact the taxpayer may safely infer
that he has no cause for alarm, as, If moth
ing happens, the present outstanding debt
of Marion county, with the present rate
of taxation, may easily be hquidated in
less than ten years.