Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-01-02

Business Methods Applied to the Elk.
penditure Of County Funds and
the Results.
Some Interesting Facts and Figures
from the Reports Of Hardin
County Officers.
Valuable Farm House Burns Near
Ida Grove-Fire at Iowa
City.
Special to Times Republican.

n,
Eldora, Jan. 2.-As this is the time of
year when everyone is supposed to In
vestigate their financial and moral.
standing, and as the question of public
expenditures is one about which the
Taxpayers, and especially those who do
not pay any taxes. never grow weary
of discussing, your correspondent co-
lected few statistics from the county
records at the close of the year which
may be of some interest TO officials and
taxpayers generally.
On the 18th OF last April the board
of supervisors passed a resolution that
no trustee in the county should be all
lowed to eXpend more than So ON any
one pauper without the consent and au-
thority of a member of the board OF
supervisors vas first had and obtained.
Up to the time of passing this resolu-
ton it had been the custom OF the trus
tees of the different townships TO exer-
else their own discretion in the amount
expended for paupers. County Auditor
Welch at the close of his annual state
of the poor expenses of the county FOR
the first five months of 1898 and 1899.
being the time before said resolution
went into effect, and for The last seven
months Of 1898 and 1899, being the com
parative time after said resolution
went into effect, as follows:
Poor farm expenses first five
months 1898. 1880. ........$ 1920
Poor farm expenses first five
months 1Sg9.... $500. 49,. >. 6S6.93
Outside assistance first five
months 1S9S.... $500. ........ S,O15.T0
Outside assistance first five
months 1S99.... ....- 80. S596.52
Poor farm expenses last seven
months 1898. 80. ........ 400. 90
Poor farm expenses last seven
months 1ss9.... -. 49,. ~. 1,05l.s0
Outside assistance last seven
months 1885,. 80. 4,14S.40
Outside assistance last seven
months 1872. ~. -. -. 1,925S6
1t Will be seen that the total poor
fund expense for 1899 was an increase
of about $500 over 1898. but that under
the new regime the total poor expense
for the last seven months OF 1929 is;
about $4,000 less than for 1895, which
is a clear saving of that amour. to the
county, thanks to the good business
management of the board of supervis-
ors.
a look through the sheriff's and
\ recorders offices affords poor comfort
| for the calamity howlers. The total re-
jsceipts of the recorders office for 1895
were s2.113. and for 1899 they were
s2,1557. In 1898 there We're 756 deeds
| filed and in 1899 there We're 931 deeds
| filed and County Recorder Ryan says
there We're about one-third less mort
cages filed in 1899 than in 1898 and the
number of releases filed in 1899 is
double the number filed in 1898.
A great deal has been said about the
Exaggerated statements have been
made as to the amount of such fees.
For the purpose of satisfying a large
number of inquirers throughout the
lcounty Your correspondent run through
the sheriff's cash register and obtained
| the average yearly amount of the total
fees collected. as follows: For the last
three years of W. Y. Wilcox's admins
l5tration the average for each year Yves
S3.693.1. Allen Meadel's average for six
years, GS2,932.ol; john Boyian's average
for four years, s2,95O.4s; A. w. Nit
terers average for four years. s2.25o.l1.
The total fees received by Sheriff Nit
terer for 1899 We're but 81 ,959.79 which
is the smallest amount of fees collected
in any one year for the past twenty
years.
County Clerk Crockett reports zoo
marriage licenses issued during the
year 1899, which is the largest number
in many years.
The new law firm Of Ward & Hays.
composed of George w. Ward and
Charles S. Hays, hung out their shingle
yesterday at the old stand of Mr.. Ward
in the Wisner opera house block. Both
of these gentlemen are well known
practitioners.
FINE FARM HOUSE BURNS.