The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-07-26
County Borrowed Money for Running
Expenses Twice In 1887.

Reference to the report of the board
of supervisors shows that in 1887 the
county treasurer, Ezra Mason, was in
structed twice by the board, without
opposition, to make loans to meet con-
tingent expenses. The first time this
was done at a special session in March,
when the finance committee, Austin
Trowbridge, Willoughby Matlock and
B. f. Ram, reported that the contin-
gent fund is exhausted, or nearly so,
and we would recommend that the
board authorize the county treasurer to
borrow the sum Of $4, 900, payable Feb
ruary 1, 1888, this being the amount
necessary to defray the expenses for the
balance of the year"
The supervisors who were present
when the resolution was adopted were
Austin Trowbridge, l.. G. Cooper, A. e.
Richards, d. b. Reed, E. w. Washburn,
L. 81. Barrett, L. J. Kenney, c. S. Dick
inson, e. W. Mason, B. F. Ram, A. 3.
Crane, T. H. Potter, Hiram Johnson,
H. s. Myers, r. F. Kay, G J. Gale, S.
s. Miner, j. NJ Goodell, w. Matlock, G.
A. Baldwin, .. S. Smith. Not one of
these gentlemen is recorded as voting
against the adoption of the resolution.
The men were all undoubtedly sincere
in the belief that they were acting with
in their rights and that it was their
duty to provide the money to meet ex.
penses County Treasurer Mason made
the loan as directed and it was repaid
in due time.
At the October session of the board
in the same year, a resolution was in
troduced by E. o. Dewey authorizing
the county treasurer to borrow 81, 900
to meet expenses. This resolution was
adopted by a unanimous vote, the sup
ervisors being; A. Trowbridge, A. E.
Richards, D. B. Reed E. w. Washburn,
W. E. Jacobs, L. J. Kenney, G. S.
Dickinson, E. w. Mason. c. H. Calkins,
A. B. Crane, Rudolph Colby, J. G.
Vert, Hiram johnson, H. s. Myers, s.
F. Warner, G. J. Gale, s. s. Miner, Jas,
M. Goodell G. A. Baldwin o. s. Smith,
E. o. Dewey.
Again the loan was made and repaid
and not word of protest from anyone.
At the October session, 1890, the
County treasurer was authorized to
borrow sufficient amount to meet
drafts upon the county treasury until
such necessity no longer exists.
On the list of supervisors who voted
for the resolution will be found a num-
Der of new names but the vote was
unanimous
Supervisors: James l.. Jared, p. V.
M. Botsford, A. E. Richards, ID. c.
Cooper, A. E. Shannon, w. f. Jacobs,
d. B. Green, J. E. Chamberlain, Elihu
w. Mason, G. T. Wing, John Hender-
son, E. b. Putnam, Rudolph Colby,
Hiram Johnson, H. S. Myers, VIM. L.
Colby, A. w. Green, Geo. O. Shattuck,
J. M. Goodell, T. j. Horsman, c. A.
Baldwin. M. Osburn.
Loans were made under the authority
given and paid together with the inter
est. Corporations and individuals will
ingly loaned the amounts needed from
time to time believing that the county
of Shiawassee would meet the obliga-
tions made by its duly elected officers.
The legality of the loans was never
questioned and it is doubtful if single
supervisor who voted to borrow money
for county expenses knew that the
board did not have authority to secure
money in this manner. Until after the
calling of the grand j Try in 1905 it was
the general belief of the supervisors
and the people of the county that loans
could be lawfully made. This being so,
it was not difficult to find persons will
ing to loan their money to the county.
They knew others had received payment
for borrowed money and thought there
was no question as the precedent of
the past being followed. That part of
| the present county Indebtedness was
incurred in building the court house
and part to meet running expenses is
m oney loaned the county in the full be-
| lief that it would be returned just as it
always had been. We cannot see a
single reason for treating the present