Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-11-03
Let's Figure Again.

I lne Reporter devoted some space
last week TO the late semi-annual state.
'ment of the Lincoln county officials.
Conceding the writer to have been hon
est in his intentions, TIE LEADER will
review the matter for the benefit of its
readers who appreciate facts. The Re.
porter says:
The semi-annual statements OF our county
officials are now before us and should be care
fully studied by every citizen They should
not be studied in a spirit OF criticism or fault.
finding, but with desire 10 correct the errors
If any have been made by our officials in the
past in the management OF our county affairs
The first question that naturally suggests IT,
self is the county debt decreasing. According
to the report of last April, the outstanding
warrants amounted to $jli7A3j There was
cash on hand 10 be applied OH the REDEMPTION
of these warrants Sl5l3l.67, leaving the total
Of outstanding warrants. less cash on hand,
SS63i2GS. According to the present report the
total of outstanding warrants is si4i3i.49. Cash
on hand 1886 leaving the total Of outstanding
warrants less cash on hand. fl2i7S.4g, or an in.
crease of the county debt for the six months
: 70 the amount Uf sGlGj9l.
Now it is apparent to every intelligent citi.
zen that we must begin to curtail expenses,
and the main question to be determined is
where shall the pruning knife be used. For
the Improvement of our highways the Com
missioners appropriated siS5.2G-not a large
sum. For bridges siOO; that Is a very moder-
ate outlay-less than $1,000 for highways and
bridges. 1t will not do to apply the pruning
knife there. We find that we pay in salaries
to the county officials for SIX months s3iSo.lS.
Could they not be trimmed little without
injury to the county or the officials?
! There is an item for Courthouse expense
! Cantor, light and fuel) of s69j3S That is
/ S295.Ss more than was paid for building and
repairing bridges for the same length of time.
II is s2l022 more than was expended on the
highways of the county for the same period.
we have been led to believe that our high
ways and bridges were the principle source of
expense, but we were mistaken The County
commissioners Court can do good service by
trimming down expenses within their PROV
ince. The Legislature might help us to a re.
duction of salaries. Let US hope that the
next showing will be better.
First let us take up that part of the
above article which deals with the out
standing warrants and figures an in.
crease in the county Indebtedness of
So, 1881 since last report. Now what
are the facts?
The semi-annual report of the County
Clerk on March 81, 1905, shows the
amount of outstanding warrants at
that time to have been $51,4747O. and
the amount of cash in the hands of the
treasurer belonging 10 the county fund
and applicable TO the payment of prin.
cipal and interest on county warrant;
/ Slo, ,l3l g. An examination of the
treasurer's books show that he received
received from all sources from April
to September 80, 1905, $6,162.17. which
makes the entire amout belonging 10
the county fund $2l, ,l2984. The clerks
report shows that this amount has been
paid out as follows:
Cancelled warrants (principal) 1884 sc
OF this amout SSl4S1 was paid out of
the road fund for warrants drawn on
that fund.
interest on cancelled warrants 100 o4
Last half of State tax. os1s n
Making in all s2O,152.65. Taking
from this the $Sl4.Sl paid out of the
road fund and adding 1886, the amount
OF cash in hands of treasurer, gives us
s2l ,293. total amount in hands of the
treasurer.
The amount of warrants paid since
last April is Sl4,534.s6, and the amouot
OF warrants drawn by the clerk 81, ,494.-
to, there being $I0402l more in war
rants paid than drawn.
The report shows clearly that the
amount OF outstanding warrants on the
3lst day of March, 1905. was SOL ,474. 70.
and the amount on the 30th dav of S.p.
mber, 1905, was $44,434 40, or. as
stated above, S7,O40 81 less outstanding
warrants on the 30th day OF September
than on March 81 There is interest
on comfy warrants to be paid out of
the county fund as well as the face of
the warrants.
The amount Of claims allowed by the
County Court and amount of warrants
drawn for the six months commencing
October l, 1904, and ending March 81
1905, was SS,o73 81. The amount of
claims allowed by the County Court
and warrants drawn for the six months
commencing April /, 1905, and ending
September 80, 1905, was S7,494.65, show
Ing the expenses of the last six months
to be $579.19 less than the preceding
six months. The item in the report,
Courthouse expenses CANTOR and
fuel)," has the following items included:
j. \. j. Fleming, painting courthouse. !