The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-02-07
SURPLUS VANISHES.
County Funds Exhausted and Bills
AggregatIng Thousands Of
Dollars Unpaid.
Increase Of Tax KilIaRs Said to be thu on,y
Way ost Of the Dinsulty.
BAD EOUsEKEEPIxa IN coxnrssroS.
ERy OFFICE.

ne new board of Commissioners are
confronted with a serious and perplex-
ing question at the ootstzrt Of their ad-
ministration.
They find that they viii be compelled
to either advances the rate Of taxation
IRON four and one-half to five Or five and
one half mills or issue county bonds to
the amount Of from $4,000 70 $1,000 in
order 70 meet the present Indebtedness
Of the county.
To say that the Commissioners do not
relish the responsibility placed upon
them Of providing for deficit Of several
thousand dollars and claims aSsregating
$1,000 additional. Is putting it very
mildly indeed. in view Of the fact that the
county treasury is without sufficient
funds n defray the current county ex-
penses. and creditors are ciamoring for
the amounts due them.
careful perusal Of the county receipts
and expenditures for Is29, published
elsewhere in the HERALD, viii disclose
where the enormous sum of $4,000 dis
appeared daring the time mentioned,
and will also disclose 10 the thoughtful
reader where eurtAilments in expendi-
lures could have been safely made with
Out preiudies to the taxpayers.
The report OF the Auditors does not
show the indebtedness Of the county for
the simple reason that neither 5he Audi
tons nor Commissioners were able TO ascer-
tain the exact amount. but Commission
er's Clerk, John r. Bose, has gone to
the pains Of making an approximate es-
innate Of the county Indebtedness. which
all must agree Is a most conservative one
Clerk BOOse finds that on January 1.
le09 the county was obligated to pay
debts amounting to more than $4,000, at
least s. 900 Of which were contracted by
the Commissioners as late as December
p, 1899. 20 meet which the treasury had
cash available u the amount Of S2579 50.
and unavailable assets in the shape Of
outstanding taxes, less commissions and
% the amount Of SO sII 81 !
How can the people OF the county con-
done the negligencs OF officials in thus |
piling up debts without first having
N pde provision for their payment when |
due9
In order 70 more clearly illustrate the |
careless housekeeping which character
lied the Commissioners office during the |
year just closed, it is proper that the |
Commissioners report Of the receipts /
and expenditures Of the county for the |
year ls9s be quoted
From it We learn that on January 2. 4
1899, there was SIG, ,295 y cash in the eoun-
y treasury. and outstanding taxes due
and payable to the amount of S207617e, or 4
total available sssests OF s.. .O63-o7. against
which stood a total county Indebtedness
Of S9j3L4j. leaving a balance Of s17I3l- 81
in fsvor OF the county. On January l.
1890, this magnificent balance together
with so, 600 additional county funds had
and the eounty's liabilities
are now greatly in excess Of its available
assets.
The total county expenditures in 1898
were s6OOl9 . As against S7795s.02 in 1899
a difference equas to the assets of the
county on January ,, lS93.
The taxpayers will place the blame for
this uuwsrrsnted state OF affairs where
il properly belongs and viii d0u btless
agree with Us that the regime who have
had control Of the Commissions rs Office
for the past nine years were not retired
any too soon for the good Of the county.
As said az the Outstart. the present Com
nissiOners are perplexed as TO the best
way out OF the difficulty in which they
ind themselves, but they will have TO
grasp the situation eOurageOusly, and with
au eye single to the best interests of the
.axpAyers. If it is absolutely necessary
% raise the tax millage in order to dis
;harge a county Indebtedness which they
lad no hand in creating. the taxpayers
will absolve them from responsibility; or.
4 it appears thar the best interests Of the
.sxpayers can be protected by an issue of
sounty bonds. let the bonds be ptaced a
he lowest Iate Of interest Obtsinable.
The people have aad enough Of dark
autsrn 6naneierink-