The Wilmington daily Republican., 1902-03-25
COUNCIL MUST
HAVE MONEY.

Bookkeeping on scale os their
own has caused City Councils f.
nance committee to yet Auditor
Boughman to 60 over the books OF
the tax collectors.
According 10 the examin alton Of
the tax books by the auditor, the
system ot bookkeeping is bad. In
some years the collectors deuosjted
more money than they collected for
lakes, While in some other wears
the amounts are not quite eqaal to
the money collected according to
the cash books. The collectors
were all right in the aggregate, but
system that would make such u
condition ol affairs possible ap.
peared to be bad.
Rumors are many and varied in
nature According 10 the cash
books OF the collectors, they have
received abou: $1,000 which they
have not yetturned over % the city.
When the auditor was asked con-
cerning this report he admitted that
he had sorepor.ed to the committee
bat The matter was in progress of
settlement, In order TO learn the
exact amount collected lor any
year 1t is necessary to count up The
cash books OF the collectors, com.
pare It with the assessn mi to find
II the correct amounts were collect
ed, then count The deposits made,
allow Tor errors and rebates, aud
finally calculate the amount due.
IhIs is a cum persone way in which
to arrive al a result and it took
time.
Anotherthing concerning which
there have been rumors is that one
o, the orifiiual assessment looks ot
the city cannot be found. Wien
spoken TO last night in reference to
the matter, both the auditor and
the finance committed admitted that
the book containing the original
assessment OF lS9S could not be
found When the books were being
examined it was found that some
mistakes had been made in the du.
pllca.c Tor the northern district OF
the city 10 some cases figures
had been erased. as though an er-
rcr had been corrected, and It was
desired TO compare it with the orig
lpa, supposed 10 be in :he oilite OF
City Council, but II could not be
found. The book has not been in
the possession ut the present clerk.
Collector Lewis, however, came to
the rescnc OF The committee and by
means OF his cash book and bls
knowledge OF what the assessments
should be on account of havluy
made them, was able to tell the
comm lice what hey should be and |
settlement Will be made according
to the proper figures, and net upon
tie ones where mistakes have been |
made, This natter IS now being /
aG inslcd.
Inc question Of where The orlyi- ,
nal assessment book has gone has
not yet leen answered., bat the |
members OF thc finance cumwlltec
and lnc collectors Will trv to To-
cate Il. SO that the assessment on
the books upon which collections
are made, and .he original figures
may be compared when Il is found
necessary 10 compare them. There
has also. been some que stion over
the collection OF horse and mule
taxes. as the auditor did not think
they had been collected as clio sely
as they should have been, but this
matter IS also beng adjusted aud
will be fixed IN d lew DAYS.
The most serious phase OF TIE en-
lire matter is that the city, with a
large amonnt outstanding ia taxes
will be compelled TO borrow sos. 900
IN order 10 tide it over the present
fiscal year. This sum will have 10
be pad out ot the taxes collected |
n The future. All OF this amount
may no, DC borrowed at once. but
at least $50 900 must Dc obtained
before The first OF the coming month.
Ii ali the taXos outstanding
against the city could be collected
here would bs surplus at the
md ct the hscal year. instead OF a
le elicit oi the size stated The
members oil Council themselves do
lot know how much there is out !
!andns IN taxes against the city.
JndCr the present miserable svs.
EN- ol bookkeeping, it is Impossi-
lie to talI without having the audit
OF 80 over the books OF the coi!cc.
ors aud ,hclr receipts 10 discover
he amount.