The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-02-14

Rev E. P. Wise Is conducting a series
Of meetings this week in the Christian
Church from 7:so TO $50 D. m All will
be welcome.
Reserved seats for the big Gus Cohan
benefit performance viii be placsd on
sale Thursday morning at Nen & Case
beers The prices will be, gallery, I5e.;
general admission. 25c-; reserved seats,
35 cents.
Postmaster General Smith and Third
Assistant Postmaster General Madden
have been perfecting a plan 10 sell po.-
tage stamps in book form. Il il proposed
to offer for sale two-cents stamps in books
OF twelve stamps at a cost Of . cents
each The books will be Of size con-
venient 70 slip into the vest pocket, with
wax paper between the stamps, and with
the division q mail matter into classes,
the rates OF postage and other kindred in
formation printed on the outside. The
one cent charged for the binding and wax
paper will net the government profit Of
50 for each 81 600 OF books sold. II one
eighth of the twO-cent stamps used are
sold IN such books the net profits TO the
department wo3ld be no. less than S2S0,-
oO0 annually.
Somerset County is perplexsd over the
Auditors Developments that the old
board Of Commissioners managed affairs
loosely last year. The boasted financial
surplus OF twelve months ago has van
ished. and now the local government is
in debt. On January /. 1899. there was
$1,000 cash in the county treasury and
outstanding taxes TO the amount Of 3d.
coo. - total available assets of SO. .oO0.
Against this was only an Indebtedness of
$4,000. leaving balance OF 81, 200 in favor
Of the county To-day there is a deficit
Of several thousand dollars. besides un-
paid bills aggregating SIS 900 additional
Commenting on such al administration
Of a trust, the Auditors say: The Com
InissiOners' minutes contain little lucid
information; they held unnecessary and
prOntless sessions. where their salaries
amounted TO more than the business
transacted; they supplied useless blanks
for the PrafnOnOtary, Of some kinds to
last "a generation; charged for time speBt
in approving bills where the eompensa-
ton is fixed by law, and employed zs-
sistant counsel when they had already
solicitor al stated Philadelphia
Press.
Moses Trent. one Of the best known
and most popular. citizens Of the county.
died Friday evening at his late residence
on Main street. aged 81 years. 9 months
and 3 days. He had been I'll for long
time and was confined 10 his home for
six months. Death was caused by a
complication of stomach disorders. He
j. survived by his wife and by one son.
The funeral. which was largely attended.
took place 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon,
conducted by r. p Cummins post 6. a
r. Mr.. Trent was a member of the late
Colonel Yutzy's command, Company c,
54thRegimenf, Pa Vols, and served three
years in the Union army. Following the
war be engaged in driving a passenger
coach between Somerset and Johnstown,
making alternate daily trips. When the
coaches were superseded by the B. & o.
railroad, Mr.. Trent turned his attention
70 numbering. in which business he con-
tinued up until a year before his death.
A man Of amiable disposition and pleas
ant manners, ''Moss'' Trent enjoyed the
friendship and esteem Of all y ho knew
him, and the announcement of his death
will be received with profound sorrow by
thousands.
Cambria county attorneys have turned
up bad state Of affairs in connection
with the recent sales by the county com
missioneFs Of that county. of lands sold
TO them for the non on-payment Of taxes.
The county commissioners about month
ago advertised and sold between three
and four Thousand tracts Of land, the title
TO which became vested in the county at
the various trea$urers' sales held during
the past tfteen years-and the amount of
the taxes not being bid. the county under
the law was required to buy them The
county commissioners having aceumu-
lated sufficient number 20 justify them
in having & sale, advertised and sold
them under the provisions Of the act Of
1874. made deeds therefor, and received
the purchase money-the latter in some
instances amounting 10 considerable. II
now turns out that there is an act of as
sembly of 1901. which requires that be-
fore county commissioners may make
sale Of "lsnds which may in any manner
become possessed Off they shall first
present their petition 10 the court asking
leave TO do 50. and the court shall FIX q
day for a hearing, etc. These 0rmslities
were not complied with, and attorneys
here say that for this reason the sales are
Illegal and void Tbs legality of the
sales will probably be tested in an action
Of ejectmsnt a. an early date, as q num-
ber Of purchasers AZ the sales are deter
mined 20 hold - 10 their tax titles il
they can.