Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-09-05

In the report for the year ending
January I'd, 1901, we called attention
to the fact that no interest had been
paid on The bonds for the refunding OF
the Court House loan, which interest
is payable since July LIST, 1899. We
have gained no further information
since that report, and the amount of
interest above noted, was 81, $50 on
June 30th of this year.
The allowances by the Levy Court for
the year ending June Both, 1901, taken
from the table Of the comptroller e gem
eral statement, were 1911, 100, IS, from
which, il we deduct $40, 1919. 80 rebates
on taxes and $50, 1894. 81 errors in ASSESS
menta (which were not actual cash
payments) we have net allowance Of
1901, 526 10, as denoting approximately
the claims incurred during the fiscal
year then, if we add to this amount
the unpaid indebtedness of $50, Oti7. IA
outstanding ON June 3Oth, 1901, We
have total of 1887, 593. 81 as denoting
approximately the amount necessary to
have paid all claims during the fiscal
year, although it is true that portion
of this sum was for claims contracted
during the preceding year and remain
ing unpaid on July lst, 1900, but as no
report was made at that time, the
amount OF the outstanding claims on
July 1st, 1900, is difficult to ascertain
at this late day.
With the increase in the tax rate for
the fiscal year beginning July LIST, 1901,
the estimated receipts to the credit Of
the general fund will be Increased ap-
proxI mately $50, 600, making total re-
ceipts, approximately, for that year Of
S39. 600.
We have examined the bills and
vouchers corresponding with the war
rants drawn, and we find a great many
that are not on the file. We found u
few which were paid, but not approved
in the regular and proper manner. We
also found few bills which had been
overpaid, but which will be corrected
in the next payment to those people, a
the comptroller knew of these oyerpay
ments.
We think 1t very probable that the
missing bills are correct, but we deem
II proper to suggest that all bills should
be folded, and endorsed on the back
with the name Of the puyee and the
amount of the bill, and then placed to-
gether In package form.
We also submit list of warrants
|
bearer" We accept these warrants as
vouchers for the bills, as we have no
means OF ascertaining or knowing
whether the money was received by the
person in whose name the warrant was
drawn.
1t is not within our province of our
| duty under the law to Investigate the
circumstances surrounding actions of
the Levy Court or any Of the county
| officials, whose accounts we audit, but
We can only compare and prove that the
amounts paid and received are true and
correct as they appear, allowing the
public to draw such conclusions as
these figures demonstrate.
The system of issuing orders, war
rants, cheogs and SO forth, on the
treasurer of the county is faulty, and
ia our opinien is badly in need of re-
vision. The comptroller is not required
to affix his signature to orders, war
rants and checks issued by the judges,
the clerk of the peace, prothonotary and
county treasurer, and consequently, he
has not such full supervision and
knowledge of the county's finances as
he should have. Under the present
system there is no one who can tell
what Is the actual cash balance in bank
to the credit of the county at any par