The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-06-20
Served For $3.50 a Day.

i'm general, in and about Monroe
county, this State, were surpris-
ed by the announcement that one
of the county commissioners had
returned to the county treasurer
$40 of his salary.
When Mr.. Pipher was an Jude
pendent candidate for county
commissioner, he was asked by
several if he would serve in the
Office for $3.50 per day and he
agreed to do it.
AT that time Mr.. Pipher was
not aware of the law on the sub
iect of commissioners compen-
sation which makes it $3.50 per
day-no more or no less.
There was no help for it and
Commissioner Pipher had to take
$3.50 for each of the days served
in the office by him. He could
not accept any less but he has
presented the county with $40
of his own free will. Mr.. Pipher
is said by those who are familiar
with him, to have made an excel
official, being economical and con-
scientious in his duties to the
county.
County Commissioner Pipher
not only turned into the county
treasury the extra dollar for ev
cry day he was in office-117--
but his travelling expenses as
well, S23. This made the $40
check.
This action of My. Pipher has
caused much criticism, but most
| ly of favorable sort.
Replying to question from a
representative of the Hawkeye,
Mr.. Pipher, who owns and man.
ages an extensive Touring mill at
Minsi, and who is looked upon as
one of the solid business men of
the county, said: 1t has been the
habit in our county for candi-
date to spend more or very near
the amount of his salary in order
to secnre the office desired.
When my friends took me up
and asked me to run independ-
ent, | did not go over the county
( spending a lot of cash for cigars
and whiskey and then cheat the
county or some one else out of it
to get it back again. And | want
to tell you right here that my
election did not cost me one pen
ny. was running independent
of all of them.
Our county has debt of from
| $50, 900 to S67, 900 and there is no
necessity for owing a dollar of in.
debtedness, for a careful and con.
certed management would have
lifted it out of debt long ago.
Our county is full of poor iron
bridges that have cost the tax
payers one-third to one-half more
than they are worth.
AS to our former commission
ers accepting Doodle, | cannot
say, but all the same ] do know
they were very keen to let out the
contracts for poor bridges at very
high prices.
Now I'll go further and say
this much that it is common prac-
tice for bridge agents, land l sup
pose it is the same with all job
bers) to offer big bonus to the
commissioners as bribe to Sc
cure the contracts.
| have had bridge agents ap
proach me in just this manner
and explain carefully and thor.
oughly to me just how to lift q
good fat sum out of the taxpay,
ers pockets for my own. This in
return for a contract. They
want the commissioners to give
them a bridge at big figure and
when the bridge is built and paid
for by the county commissioners
each will get 500 or 200, just ac
cording to the size of the bridge
and the amount paid.
Mr. friends know that | am not
the sort of man to sell my hon
or and that is just why they elect
ed me. AS l told you l am indie
pendent of everything and every
body. L have never taken dol
lar nor made questionable dea