The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-10-27
THE SURVEYORS OFFICE
Is 1t a Graft Which the Vot-
ers Wish to Continue?

puse the 81, $50 was appropriated
in the county council in Septem-
Der for the comfy Surveyor?
Does the County Council know? ?
The taxpayers are required to
pay this money TO the county
treasurer to sbe paid to the county
surveyor for alloting bitches for
cleaning out purposes
No investig alton has ever been
made to ascertain whether this
money has been needed or wheth-
er the money appropriated in the
past has been earned.
The surveyor files his bills,
they are allowed and no questions
asked.
In 1890 the county council ap-
propriated for alloting bitches
the sum of $1,000 in 1900 it was
$1,000; in 1901, it was $1,000; in
1901 it was $1,000; in 1902 it was
$1,000; in 1903 it was 1880 and
this year it was $3.50. This
makes a total of $500, and yet,
during these six years there we're
only SO bitches allotted aggregat-
ing 9 So miles a year, this would
be a little over 5000 for each
ditch or S128 per mile.
During the year from Sept 49,
90 to Sept. 1899, there were only
six bitches allotted the Schultz 35
stations long; the Bradley, 66 1-2
stations; the Black, Sc 1-2 sta
tions; the Halt. 1913 stations; the
Deemer SO and the Tibbetts 81;
making 427 stations in all or a
few rods over eight miles.
The taxpayers paid the survey
or $500 for alloting these small
ditcnes, being 5000 each or $3.50
Pc. mile.
Now compare this with the 16e
miles allotted by Mr.. North dur
ing his two terms, AVERAGING
40 miles year or nearly
nearly as many in year as was
allotted in the six years mention
ed above. These bitches can all
be found in surveyors. Drain
age Record No. 1 in the survey
oi's Office.
This year there has been eight
bitches allotted and nearly all of
the appropriation used. ALI of
these appropriations may be
found in Auditors ledger page
112 and 251.
Evidently the rule followed
is: 1.-The more money appropriated
the fewer bitches allotted" The
reason is plain. Should the coun-
ty surveyor get busy and allot
all the bitches this year, there
would be nothing left for him to
do next year and consequently he
would be out of a job.
The plan is to allot just as few
bitches each year as possible,
so that there will always be a
few on hand. The County Coun-
Gil can then be asked to make a
donation at the taxpayers ex-
pense and the bigger the dona-
tion, the more deputies to exact
a tribute from.
''Oh" they say, 'they do that
way in orther counties" They
did things pretty much as they
pleased in st. Louis until Folk
got after them.
The fact is. there are very few
connties in the state in which
they do that way. Several max.
ing no appropriations at all.
But suppose there are a few
counties that do that way, is that
sufficient reason wh.v we should?
Because the taxpayers are fleeced
in other counties, should we per-
NIT it to be done ia this county?
Let US name some counties near
home that do not do that way
Elkhart county which is about
the size of Marshall county and
contains about the same mileage
of bitches appropriated this year
S105 for deputy surveyor hire.
st. Joseph county a larger coun-
ty than Marshall and containing
more miles of bitches appropriates
$3.50 for the same purpose.
How does that compare with the
$3.50 appropriated by Marshall
county? A $110 level and $500
was asked for in the surveyors
Office this year but the council
knowing a campaign was on
hand, cut it down a little.
Is this thing to continue in
deinitely-year after year? $1,000
for alloting six bitches. Evident
ly it is no use to look to the
County Council for relief
The best, the safest and the
most feasible plan is to elect
David E. Vanvactor county sur
veyor.
Mr.. Vanvactor is not only an
able man but an honest man and
pledges himself that if elected,
he will not ask the County Coun
Gil to appropriate one dollar for
deputy hire.
He proposes that the survey
or's offic shall no longer be a
kindergarten school to teach
$1,000. - -, l<>rr~ - <>.~.-~~>~~ - A.,