The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-01

The final report of the December Grand
Jury, returned to Judge Ryan yesterday.
deals almost entirely with its investigation
of city offices. With the report the Grand
Jury returned thirty-one indictments on
routine cases. four of which were withheld
by order of the court. the defendants not
being In custody.
The Grand Jury found that the time for
investigating the affairs of city officers is
inopportune. for the reasons that in num-
Der of the offices new officials had just TAX
en- charge and they were unable to lend the
was just investigating the affairs Of two OF
the offices, which made 1t impracticable for
the Grand Jury to enter an Independent
search of the records.
Jury's report was not properly made and
Judge Ryan sent the Grand Jurors back to
their room to amend It, 1t took more than
an hour to make the changes suggested by
the court. ~,-..
The first three offices to which the Grand
Jury gave its attention We're those. CT the
Comptroller. Auditor and Treasurer. In
reference to these offices. the report states
that they really constitute one machine,
which neither collects nor disburses money.
ABUNDANCE OF CASH HoARDED.
Referring briefly to the Comptroler's and
Treasurer's accounts. the report says:
The Comptreller's and TrGasurers summary on
January ~ showed ,diIo ap nnwontsd abundance OF
Municipal revenue ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. .65s 543 y
WaterwoIks revenue -...........-. .Ss 0ss 3,
Harbor fund .......-................-.-. lS3Sl SO
Other funds 1.67S Sfa13
Or total Of 81, 39s l2S %
This immense volume of cash. amounting to
distributed for. safe keeping, among eleven
ssns cf the city IN portions
The report says in relation to the tnvest!-
CATION OF the affairs of the office of the Col
lector of Revenue that the Grand Jury was
6o1f Cd NTH nfI
and appalled, at the thought of how much
the city lost In the past.
al Allowing , for increase n, in assessments the re,
s s ss s to the .xe.ss on f :s., AM fees
on rsrs 5 sp nos much II mss
wantSn sspend snies. has turned back to the
''' ~ oUTLAwhD it5iji Law Sie''r TAN BILLS.
The Grand Jury found that the Collectors
off, office was encumbered With With large num-
about s750.0oo. The report suggests that the
bill about to be introduced in the Legisla-
for the of these
passed. A bill providing that when property
Is sold for taxes It cannot be sold for an
amount less than the tax bill is also rec
commended.
Referring to the License Commissioners
office. the report in part says:
The office of the License Commissioner pre-
trast between the old and the new that has
sssn n'9 cd II the es % of tss The tt S
o In a the 1902 G ssy Tss to
feature Of the present method Of administration
Is not simply that more money has been col
ing any citizens tax rate nearly quarter of
a million has been added to the city's revenue
contribute his share Of public expenses.
SHERIFF'S OFFICE OVERLAND.
The investigation of the Sherifr's office.
according to the report, showed that Sher-
If Dckmann shares with others of current
administration the distinction of having to
his credit an excess of collections over all
Of his predecessors. The report says:
There is still connlsint in scrne cf the office.
tion that there Ia not sufficient severity In tne
collection work-too much kindliness, in fact.
The report refers briefly to the Office of
the Assessor and Collector of Water Rates,
saying:
-, In the office, Of the Assessor and Collector Of
instance Of improved administrator. The total
collections In this office in 1899 ST. 49, 0e1 Is
ST. S. and in isos caieuisted at " the ei old ID
rates. TO s., ,84S s0s .Oi. The checking system for
preventing imposition by either water nsers or
degree perfect
DEPARTMENT OF SUPPLIES.
Referring to the office of Commissioner of
Supplies. the report says in brief:
This office handles money. but its function
in the award Of contracts for the sity's supplies
line with ordinance requirements. Some Of the
picion. but the eGommissioner has no conTse 10
pursue. but to accept the lowest bid on ap-
81 the respectys institutions 10 A see to /, that
they get goods UP to sample and In quantity