Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-01-12
SERIOUS OVERSIGHT TIES
UP COUNTY SSiONERs

|
sioners are confronted by situation
OF which they had not dreamed TIL,
old board failed to make the neces
sary appropriations for paying tn,
county expenses during the year 1906
AT least the clerks records do MOI
show any such transaction.
The law is explicit in stating thai
the appropriations for the ensuing
year must have been previously made
been made was discovered yesterday
Commissioner Thompson. the remain
| ing member of the old board. claimed
| that the appropriations had been
| made. and felt sure that he had a
copy of the paper at his ranch. which
he promised TO get II necessary This
| morning when the commissioners met
he produced copy of the paper.
which purported to be II COPY of the
resolution fixing the levy and appro.
priations. The appropriations footed
up s33.9S4.
Mr. Thompson was asked by re-
porter where he got the paper, and
he answered that he got it here in
town"
Immediately upon the board OF com
missioners being called to order this
morning. Mr. Thompson produced the
paper and Mr. Charlton moved that
ii be not accepted, saving that 1t
could not be, for the present board
had no way of knowing whether 1t
was genuine document or not Mr..
Thompson admitted that it could not
be legally accepted. but said that he
offered il merely as evidence that the
old board had not neglected its duty.
Mr.. II. c. Schroeder, the retiring
chairman. was called up at BAYFIELD,
this morning and he stated that the
appropriations had been made. and
that if il was not recorded 1t was
merely an oversight for which he
could not account in any way except
that the paper containing the resolu.
tions got mixed in with some other
papers and was misplaced.
j. c. Bradley was seen about the
matter and he stated that the appro-
priations was passed on the llth of
November that each Of th,, three
the resolution by Attorney C. T. Nor
gan; thai one copy was signed with
pen and ink and that copy was intend
ed for record; that Mr.. Schroeder must
have put the copy In his pocket for
he has 1t now.
Mr.. Bradley further states that he
filled in his copy with lead pencil for
future reference and took it home
with him, He says the whole trouble
is caused by Mr.. Schroeder putting the
paper in his pocket.
c. 7. Morgan. the outgoing county
attorney, says the appropriation was
passed He said he drew three copies
one for each commissioner. and he
knows the resolution passed. but does
not know how 1t came to be unrecord-
ed on the commissioners proceed.
ings.
Mr.. Eddy, clerk of the board of com
the pencil copy over the phone today
with the one held by Mr. Schroeder and
the two tailed exactly
The commissioners after mature
and upon the advice OF
their attorney, decided that they
would issue no warrants, pay no bills
or authorize the contracting of no
debts until they were backed up by
an order from the district court. They
feared that otherwise they might be
held liable for all the money paid
out on county expenses and they
wanted protection. So the county OF.
fcers were called in and informed OF
the boards decision and the matter
was thoroughly discussed and 1t was
finally decided that the county Off.
GERS should all go in together and
bring mandamus proceedings to com
pei the commissioners to make the
necessary appropriations, and after
this is done the commissioner will
proceed to business as usual. In the
meantime they will be tied up.
The ditrict court does not meet
until the 9Th day Of February, and
there was some doubt in the mind
Of the attorney as to whether the
Judge would make the order during
vacation or not
The boards refusal to issue war.
rhnls VIII not dHect the SaldTirs Oh
school teachers. because the commits
sioners have nothing to do with such
warrants.
The fact that the appropriations
was not on record was discovered
when th, commissioners called for
the appropriation.
This forenoon the commissioners
took recess till 3 o'clock this after.
noon.
AT 3:45 the commissioners were In
the commissioners room and stated
that they were now merely await.
ing action Of the court before trying
10 transact any business. They stated
the papers for mandamus were being
drawn and understood the matter
would be acted upon by Judge Russell