The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-15
FOUND BY COMMITTEE
It's Official Report Made to the Legis'
lature.
HOW THE SPOILS WERE DIVIDED OUT
The [xirayagarce Characterizing ,he Agricul-
turaI Department Only Surpassed BY The
Etcklessness Found in The Mana
rr,,,an. of Tho Pap
cement of the Pen.


The report of the special commit
tee appointed by the Legislature. at
its session in 1892 to investigate the
conduct and management Of the Pen
itentiary and Agricultural Depart
ment. was presented to the House and
Senate Yesterday. together with the
evidence taken by the committee and
on which the report is based.
The committee consisted OF Sena-
tor Brown, of Columbus, and Repre-
sentatives Gattis, OF Orange, and Pat
terson. Of Robson. Their report is a
carefully prepared document and con-
tains facts that make it worthy of
careful reading.
1T is as follows:
To the Senate and House of Representa-
tiyes.
We, the undersigned members of the
committee appointed by the General AS
sembly, chapter 60 Laws of 1899, to in
vestigate the affairs OF the North Carolina
Department of Agriculture and the State
Prison, beg to submit the following re-
port with copies of the evidence taken
in the investigation:
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
In the act authorizing the investigation
of the institutions you instructed your
committee to make an investigation of
the books, records and management for
the past four years We have examined
the books of the Agricultural Department
. since June 1st 1895, and in addition there
to have examined a number of witnesses
as to the general management of this in
stituton, with the following general re-
suits:
We find the expenditures of the Depart
ment were reasonably economical up to
June 1, and do not find a single instance
of extraordinary extravaganza up to that
time. We do find, however, that from
June /, 1898, to June l, 1899. the expenses
of the department were increased very
largely, and so far as your committee is
able to ascertain, without any apparent
reason other than to give employment to
the friends of those in authority, or with
the avowed purpose of spending what
money was at the command OF the de-
partment
The fiscal year of the department be-
gins June l. and ends May 81, and we beg
to submit the following report of the
expenditures for the two years from
June 1895 to June 1897, and from June.
1897 to June 1899. making comparison be-
tween the two periods
The accounts of the expenditures Of
the department have been kept practically
under the following heads
Gas, Water, Telephones, Paper, Print
ing, etc.
Postage, Express, Freight, kilograms,
and incdentals.
Board and Committee Meetings.
Inspection Account.
Special Appropriations.
Under the last head is included all APP
preparations for the Experiment Station
analytical work, improvements and build
ings and repairs, heating plant. and other
miscellaneous matters. We find that the
Department spent for meetings of the
Board of Agriculture and Committee
meetings during the years 1895 and 1897.
$3,67495; and for the same purpose during
the years 1897 and 1899, $5,279S5, an in
crease for the last two years of 81 .694 go.
For the inspec' ion account (for the inspec-
ton of fertilizers the expenditures from
June 1895 to June 1897 were $S,44604 and
for the same purpose from June 1897 10
June 1899, $2l 1888, being an increase for
the two years ending June, 1899, of $12,-
G92 -. OF this enormous increase we find
that $10450.22 was incurred between June
1898, and June. 1899.
Under the head of special appropria-
tions we find that the department spent
from June, 1895, to June, 1897, $5S, 765. 30
but out of this amount $31 900 was spent
in the construction of new annex build
ing, the publication of North Carolina
and It's Resources the installation of a
new heating plant, purchase of real estate
adjoining the Agricultural building, We
pairs on State Museum. all of which may
be entitled permanent improvements. AL
lowing this amount as spent for perma
nent Improvements, only $27,165.30 was
expended for the ordinary running ex-
penses of the department. including the
analytical work etc. which might be term
ed general expense Under this same
head from June, 1897 to June 1899. the
expenditures amounted to $37, $50 "a, MAX
ing an increase OF $10394. 81, with no per-
manent improvements being made. We
find that considerable portion of this ex-
penditure was for increased salaries of
employees in the analytical department,
and in putting on extra force. From the
above figures it will be seen that the
total increase in expenditures of the de-
partment for the fiscal year ending June
1, 1899. amounted to $24,7S1.S3, under the
heads above enumerated. We believe
that the expenditure of this $4,000 was
unnecessary, and was caused by reckless
extravaganza and incompetency. The most
reckless extravaganza in the expenditure
of money probably occurred in the ap-
pointment of an excessive number of fer
tilizer inspectors, employed with large
expense accounts. The salaries of en-
ployes and extra employees were increasd
so as to about absorb the extra appropria-
1ion for the department.
Members of the Board of Agriculture
took employment in the department in
different capacities. and among others
your committee find that one man, en-
3loyed as mailing clerk at a salary of
81 200 per year, being also a member of
the Board of Agriculture, and his work
beng in the Agricultural building, attend
ed the meetings of the Board and charged
81 per diem and 81 per diem for expenses,