Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-04-18
County Budgets and Receipts and Expen.
dituree

Nearly years service in the office Of
County Collector has given the writer an
interesting and instructive experience,
and has induced him to look over the
previous history of the financial opera
tions of the county, and to notice who
have been his predecessors in Office since
the county became separated from Camden
county in 1874. This examination shows
that Collectors have served as follows =
Dr. Charles F. Clark, from 1874 to 1849;
James W. Caldwell, from 1849 to 1854;
John M. Saunders, from 1854 to 1861;
John L. c. Tatum, from 1861 to 1866; DIR.
Henry G. Clark, from 1866 to 1871; Joseph
Paul, from 1871 to 1885, Charles S. Knisell
from 1888 to 1890; Henry S. Talman, from
1890 to 1894; VIM. J. Adamson, from 1894
to 1896; Augustus S. Barber, Jr., from 1896
to 1900. From 1914 to 1861 these Collec-
tors served at 5000 per year salary. In 1861
the salary was made $3.50, and in 1929
Ga 1857 each year, and 1898 in 1865. From
1866 to 1889 the salary was $3.50 per year.
In 1889 the salary was made $500, but the
amount was reduced to $3.50 the next year,
and remained at that figure until 1898,
when the present salary of $500 was
established The surviving ex-Collectors
are John L. c. Tatem, DR.. Henry c. Clark,
Henry S. Talman and VIM. j. Adamson.
From 1874 to 1858 the county tax budget
did not exceed $40, 900, being mostly $4,000
with $4,000 for two years. In 1854 the
budget was 1000, and did not exceed
SIS, 900 until 1868. In that year it was
made $50, 900, and varied from 500, 900,
$25, 900, $4,000 and $35, 900 until 1874
when $40, 600 was ordered raised. Between
1874 and 1886 the budgets ranged from
$25, 900 to $45, 000 of an average of over
$37, 900 per year. In 1866 the budget was
made $50, 600, and from that year has
ranged from $500 to $50, 200, $50, 900
$40, 900 and SIS, 600 until high water mark
was reached in 1900 at $S5, 900
The total receipts of the county for the
fiscal year of 1874 amounted to $l2, OPTIC,
and in only one instance prior to 1856, did
they exceed $4,000, being $21, 024.42 in
1916, and 500, 43 in 1856, with no in
crease over $4,000 until 1860, when receipts
announced to $3S, 1893. As, followed by
$43, 601.91 in 1861; $107, 096. 13 in 1862;
and $40, 245.29 in 1868, after which year
the receipts averaged $50, $685. each year
until and including 1870 In 1871 the
State School taxes were first paid over to
County Collector for disbursement to the
townships, and the total receipts for that
year amounted to $117,68118 and varied
in increasing sums each year until 1895,
when the total receipts amounted to
1925, 944.80. An increase followed each
year until in 1898 they reached $780,
1921 The receipts for the year 1900 will
probably amount to nearly $315 200.
In the year 1871 the territory of the
county was enlarged by the annexation of
Monroe and Washington townships from
Camden county, and partly explains adj
ditiOnal receipts and expenditures since
that time.
These figures are not only interesting
and instructive, but show the rapid strides
and changes which have occurred in
Gloucester county in fifty-seven years.
During that period the County Aims House
Farm has been purchased and the buildings
thereon erected and improved from time to
time; a new Jail and Sheriff's residence
erected, and new Court House and public
offices built and furnished, all of which
have been paid for in full. War Bonds
and interest connected with the Civil War
of 1865 have been discharged in full, but
a legacy of that conflict yet appears every
year in the budget in the appropriation of
$1,000 made for the burial of INDECENT SOL
diers of that war and the erection of tomb
stones over their last resting places. Large
and expensive bridges have been constructed
and their cost has been paid in full. Since
1895, 49, miles of improved stone and
gravel roads have been constructed, with
about III miles more nearly completed.
Only portion of this cost, however, has
been paid, and the next report of the Col
lector will show bond and note indebt-
edness on this account of $134, 500, con-
dition which has never previously existed
in the history of the county. The contrast
with the frugal expenditures of our earlier
history is startling one, and the work and
connected with these expen-
ditures has increased the labor of every
official of the county. The present condi-
ton of public affairs in Gloucester county
deserves the most careful and intelligent
of every taxpayer in the county
q. T..