The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-12-21
At WORK ON THE BOOKS AND PAPERS
Prosecutor Day the Auditors Office Making Examination Of Records
Concerning County Matters

tioning the court to appoint experts to
examine the books. Here is the law
on that question:
Section 1881 r. S. O.-On the writ
ten application of at least twenty-six
taxpayers of any county, to the court
o" common pleas, the court shall ap-
point a committee of three persons, to
examine the books and papers belong
ing to the offices of the county auditor
and county treasurer, and make report
of their proceedings and the result of
their examination. Before such COM
mittee Is appointed, one or more of such
taxpayers shall enter into bond to the
state, in sum and with sureties to the
satisfaction of the court, conditioned
that the obligors will pay all the costs
and expenses of such examination, IL
the court does not, on the coming in
OF such report, certify that there was
reasonable ground for the application;
and, before entering upon their duties,
the members of said committee shall,
respectively, take an oath to perform
the same faithfully: and in the dis
charge of said duties, they shall have
all the powers given in the preceding
section to examiners of the county
treasury"
The powers referred to are conferred
upon examiners of the county treasury
in section 1929, which reads: "'* and
the county treasurer and county audi
tor shall submit the offices, books, safes,
r1oneys, papers and effects thereto be-
longing, to the inspection of such eX-
aminer or examiners on demand; any
officer violating any of the provisions of
this section shall be fined in any sum
not exceeding one thousand nor less
than one hundred dollars, or imprisoned
in the penitentiary not more than five
years, or both, at the discretion of the
court"
Citizens have the opportunity to see
that Investigations are had, but as the
prosecutor is undertaking the work
there will be no occasion for citizens to
act at present, If at all. The statute,
il will be observed, provides that one
of the citizens gievs a bond, so as to
reimburse the county in the event prob
able cause is not shown. In this in
stance the probable cause is already
shown. The report of the examiners
practically makes an examination of
the workhouse matters compulsory.
That the prosecuting attorney has al
ready commenced on the work, fearless
ly and in the light of his duty in the
premises, is to his credit.
MORE ABOUT THAT BRIDGE.
County Surveyor John S. Hoover was
seen by News Democrat reporter
Tuesday and asked about the Canal
Fmlton bridge, which, 1t is claimed, so
far exceeded his original estimates.
Mr.. Hoover said:
II made the original estimate of the
cost of the Canal Fulton bridge. My
figures for the work were about $500.
do not know what amount IL has cost,
other than what was published in the
News Democrat.
II will say this, however, that I think
the extra stone work reported is all
there. The original plan. as / staked IL
Ollt has hppn changed n1Dtlrially The
arch has been made two and one-half
feet thick, instead of two feet, the wing
walls were extended to twenty-siX feet
instead of sixteen, and back of the
arches large eexcavationshave been made
which were filled with grouting to keep
the arches from spreading. This was
not in the original plan.
II staked out the foundations and
was there once with Architect Tilden,
but have had nothing to do with the
measurements of the work done"
Mr.. Hoover was asked whether II was
not true that the commissioners did all
their own measuring, not only of the
Fulton bridge, but all bridge work. On
this matter he refused to be inter-
viewed or talk for publication.
However, II is known that on this
very matter the examiners appointed
by the court one year ago to examine
the commissioners detailed report, con-
uring stone work themselves instead of
having it done by the county surveyor,
whose duty II Is and who is competent
to make such measurements and es-
innate the number of perches in a piece
Of stonework.
No attention, however, was paid to
this recommendation, and ii is known
that the commissioners go out with a
tape-line and make all the measure
ments of work done on the contracts
they themselves let. This keeps the
matter wholly within their own hands,
and gives opportunity for collusion be-
tween the contractors and those who
are supposed to look after the inter
ests of the tax payers 1t is not here
claimed that there has been collusion,
but the opportunity for collusion is
apparent.
Mr.. Hoover Is of the opinion that II
his original plans had been followed,
as he estimated them, the Fulton bridge
would not have cost beyond the esti-
mates. He says his estimates did not
ft the situation, because of the fact
that plans, on which he made estimates,
were changed afterwards.
AN ELECTRICAL PLANT.
1t is reported at the court house that
there is a plan on foot to construct an
electrical plant at the workhouse, II
being claimed that light and power for
the institution would thus be cheapened.
IlAa tI. H. -.