New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-14
GOING TO WORK TO THE LAST.
THE WESTMINSTER SUPERVISORS WILL ADJOURN AS q
BODY BUT CONTINUE COMMITTEE SESSIONS


more than $1,000 was made to The Tribune by
a well known Republican of Westchester, who is
in position obtain much information coIi-
corning county affairs. 1t is said that some OF
the amounts charged to this supervisor IN the
printed proceedings represent claims purchaseu
by him. and that he did not get as much as
would appear paid to him 1t IS not lnui-
Gated, however, in the book that any DIS were
so assigned.
PRIZE FOR A MEMBER OF THE BOARD
The board, it is charged. has frequently voted
money to its own members. One hundred dol
lars if is said was voted to one member re-
Gently in A competition for set of plans. 1t Is
also alleged that former employees OF super
visors have painted armories. done WORK Oh
county buildings and furnished printing aggre
eating thousands of dollars. 1t is reported tndl
the report of the committee on repairs ana sup
plies. which has just been adopted, SHOWS olneI
expensive methods. small laVatory III t-.
of the SUPERVISORS ROOM IL Is clldi Seu' '
about $4,000 - ,,,
But one of the most luxurious things which
the county is paying for. according 10 an IN eA
SUPERVISOR is directory index which is pelns
made under the supervision Of a committee OF
Supervisors for the County Registers ONCE ii,
White Plains. This index. while 1t is soou
thing it is thought should not cost NOR
than 100000. One man in White rams oiieieu
to make ii for that amount. II IS reporter. anu
estimated that he would make So,Nb pront at
that price. hut the supervisors ignored him. Inc
resolution for the index was adopted IN 1917
and the work began in April of that year. III
work is still going on and the cost is ALREADY
nearly 100000 Of the staff of from fourteen
10 eighteen working on the index at nrst
quite number were said to be related 10 super
visors The work pays from So to 81 day At
the rate the work has gone on 1t is thought
that it cannot be finished for another year or
two. and the cost is expected to be nearly
100000
Mr. Barrett. the present County Register has
been in office only few months. lie told
Tribune reporter Saturday that he did not
prior
he took office, but he understood that 1t had
been going on for about five years. since ne
had been I'm office he had been trying to carry
it on as economically as possible. and had cur
the force Of men to six. The work was not en-
tirely in his hands, but was being conducted by
a committee of the supervisors.
SUPERVISORS DEFENDED.
Thomas r. Hodge ex- Register. inclined
to defend the supervisors against the charge of
extravaganza though he admitted that the work
might have gone along little more expedi-
tously if it had mad connection with poll
tics. He said that the index was A huge I'M
dertaking as it required the examination and
comparison of nearly 1.o0O000 documents dat
ing back two centuries or more. He added
that it was never thought that the work could
be completed in a year and a half, and similar
induces had been made in other counties in the
State at cost greater than that of the
one now being made in Westminster County.
The reference in The Tribune to the expensive
system of administering justice in some of the
towns in Westminster County has brought out
the information that there were three hundred
tramps and Migrants arrested last year In Rye,
The justices of the peace and constabes receive
a fee for each tramp committed, and expenses
for taking them to the county jail 1t is alleged
that the cOnstabes frequently offer inducements
to the Migrants to visit the town by treating
them to tobacco and drinks. Some of the con-
stables. it is said have regular clients among
the tramps, by whom they are hunted up every
winter when the tramps get ready for rest in
Jail In this way Rye. which is one of the most
peaceable towns in the State. pays out much
money which might go for better purposes.