Arizona republican., 1904-07-07
TAXPAYERS UNION
The Report of P. K. Hickey
 Submitted Yesterday
A Conference in Relation to the Af- fairs of the Office ofthe County Re- COrder.

The report which F. K. Hickey has
 been preparing at the instance of the
 citizens committee which has been in- vestigating the affairs of the county officers was submitted to the. board of supervisors yesterday morning. It is understood that this is not a final re- port and that the investigation has rot yet been concluded. The report is a very long one and abounds in figures and recommendations for the improve ment of the public service. Ii is moi sensational document as rumor had led citizens to believe it would be. It contains no accusation of fraud and no recommendations for criminal prose, cutions
 A considerable part of the report is devoted to the office of the county re- corder in which there appears 10 be, by reason of the retention by the recorder of the sO-called disputed fees, short age of Si,474.50. Of this sum S1, ,992 S5 is the bslance of a judgment rendered against the recorder two years go when the subject of the disputed fees was passed upon in the district court. The rest of the shortage has accumulated since.
 When the report was presented to the board of supervisors yesterday morn- ing there was conference of members of the committee, Mir. Hickey and MT. M'Fan and his attorney Walter Ben nett. District Attorney Baker was also present. The members of the commit tee insisted upon a formal demand by the board upon MT. M'Fall to turn into the county treasury today the sum of S2,4S1.75. That sum and the unpaid balance of the old Judgment make up the shortage. MT. MFall and his at torney did not indicate what would be done in response to the demand and at the suggestion of a membe Of the committee the matter was allowed to go over until ten o'clock this morning. It is understood that if payment is re- fused steps will be taken to institute a suit.
 The only county office which in the opinion of the investigators does not need fixing is that of the county treas urer. No fault is directly found with the office of the board of supervisors. On the contrary is is stated that in that department the affairs of the county have been we'll cared for but in allusion to the shortcomings of some of the other aficers it is hinted that there has been neglect. Fault is found with the number and variety Of the fees of the sheriff's office. It is sug- Eested that the expenses or tle office of probate judge might be reduced by tine elimination of the clerk of the court It is also thought by the inves- tigators that in the office of the county Gchool superintendent there should have been a closer inspection of vouchers. There is severe criticism of the high school board not only on account of the present unfortunate condition of the school. the late alleged misappropria- tion of the funds of that school for un- wise if not worse, real estate invest ments, but also for the original pur- chase of the school site. Figures are given showing how the money set apart for the education of the youth of the joint high school district has been recklessly thrown at the birds.
 Under the head of "The Water Stor- age Commission" there is given his- tory of that organization and there Is a general commendation of the objects of the commission and the work that has been performed by it, but occasion is taken in the report to critieise al- legged improper influences exerted by the board of trade in the disposition of the funds set apart for the work of the commission and especial allusion Is made to an inner circle of the board of trade described as fThe Big Forty"
 The board of trade is further criti- cised on account of it's activity in try ing to encourage immigrat tion at a pe- culiarly inopportune time and on &C., count of it's connection with the oper- ations of the immigration commits sioner in wasting the public money in trying to bring more people to the val ley in a time of drouth when there is no reason why there should be a lar> ger population.
 Speaking of the latest effort in this direction. the issuance of a pamphlet to which allusion was made in these columns yesterday morning the report says. From information obtained and the bills filed by Frank King, partner of Dunbar (the commissioner of immi- GratioO this seems to be an 'odorous affair." The whole thing was unneces- saTy. The work was job. The ma nipulation grab, graft, it seems plain" The words grab" and graft" are written in capital letters.
 The following observations are made in the summary of the report: "We have found the recorders office to be corrupt. The school trustees have been and are wasting the school monies lavishly and misusing them. The coun- ty roads are getting big money in a dry season when it is a poor policy to blow them and Tenair theun without ra in The office of the commissioner of im- migration is a sinecure. The school