Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1903-01-14


OF this sum 81, 1,4S2.er appears
as a double audit, he same
being for borrowed money
with which debts were paid $11 ,4S2 65
is left $500. ....... ss7, 100 so
as legitimate audit for
the years work.
or this amount. 49,. s18,84e 81
.Sfiad been paid prior to Oo-
tober 81, 1902, on which
date the annual settlement
was had with the Comp
troller General, leaving a---------
balance due of .......... .s23,513 6S
On October 81, 1902, settle
ment showed cash on hand
as follows:
Communication road tax. .....$ 512 40
Ordinary county tax. $3.50. 2,021 81
Total cash on hand 8 1858 81
There ought to be collected
from the Al mills levied for
ordinary county taxes. $14, 107 45
Add this to the cash on hand
and wo have .$18,84l o6
This would leave an unpaid
balance on the audited ac-
counts of. ......... ..$ 6,s72 81
There must be added to this
sum the cost of the road
machines, engines, etc.. 5,5o5 95
Note due Sinking Fund paya.
able May 1st, next ....... 4,40 90
One-half of cost of steel bridge
over Keowee river, near w.
e. Nimmons's ........ 1875 90
Chairs for Court House. ...... 1868 40
Total ........ ...... $1s, $40 92
which represents the in
debtedness of the county
January lst, 1903.
Uuder the item of Poor House and
Poor is included the cost of new build
ing erected on the poor farm last year,
approximately S400.
Under the head of contingent were
audited salaries for the County Superin-
tendent of Education and Treasurer, ex-
penses post mortem examinations and
lunacy proceedings, also borrowed money
OF the audit for public buildings $3.50
was for the erection of steps at the west
end of the Court House, contracted for
by building committee, appointed by an
act of the Legislature, $500 for pay of
Building Committee, and also freight on
chairs and insurance on public buildings.
The greatest amount ever audited for
any previous year was about $4,000.
The increase of the audit for last year is
partially accounted for by acts of the
Legislature, and these amounts were, of
course, not under the control of the
County Commissioners. Such, for in
stance, we're the increase of salaries of
certain of the officers of the county.
Another item increasing the audit was
due to an act of the Legislature provid-
ing help to INDECENT soldiers by the
Board of County Commissioners.
Again, the building of the steel bridge
over Keowee river, near w. E. MINI
mons's, was directed by an act of the
Legislature, which deprived the County
Commissioners of any discretion in the
matter. The cost of this bridge is to be
borne equally by Oconee and Plckens
counties. There are certain other items
which were also authorized by acts of
the Legislature tending to increase the
audit. 1t is fair that the old Board of
County Commissioners should have the
benefit of these considerations. The
deficit is also accounted for by the COM
mutation road tax having been reduced
from So to 81 by an act of the Lcgisla-
ture in February, 1902, after the Commits
sioners had made requisition for taxes.
The audit of $24, ,867.69 for roads and
bridges and chain gang is by far the
greatest in the history of the county; in
fact, greater than the whole expenses of
the county government for any previous
year. This is rather surprising, and it
should have been otherwise. The for
mer Board may have spent too much
money in opening new roads where they
were not absolutely necessary. Several
thousand dollars were spent in working
new roads. 1t is also probable that the
chain gang cost too much and did too
little.
Again. it is claimed that the expenses
of the poor house and poor were nearly
double that of any prior year. 1t is for
the expenditures under these two heads
that the former Board of Commissioners
are charged with being remiss in their
dnties. That they were is the popular
belief, and it appears there is some
ground for this state of the public mind.
If there Is to be any reduction of ex-
penses for the present year by the new
Board of Commissioners it is readily seen
that it must be made under these two
heads. The other matters are practi-
cally fixed charges, and there can be
very little reduction, if any, in them.
Unfortunately both the State and
county governments cost more and more
year by year. There is deficit of about
$350.OOO in the State Treasury, and it is
pretty sure the State levy this year will
be 81 mills, the highest in many years
1t will require at least mills for our
ordinary county expenses for this year,
and then there is the above debt of $I8,.
$40. 92 to be taken care of somehow or
somehow else.
It seems that the money can be raised
In only one of two ways, to wit: Issue
county bonds for term of years, or get
a loan from the Sinking Fund Commits
sion. III the latter cannot be had, then
we are shut up to the former as the only
alternative. -.
Let the Legislature In it's wisdom pro-
vide some means of obtaining the money.
Some Of the creditors are importunate,
and all ought to have their money, we
reckon. At any rate we see ho way out
except to pay out.