Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1910-03-04
Taxpayers Comments.
Taxpayer Asks More Questions, and Wants
to Know What Has Become Of the Road
Funds? And How the County 0bllga-
tiOnS Will Be Net?


tiOnS Will Be Net?
Gerardstown, w. Va, Mar. 2, 1910.
TO the Editor of the Statesman:
On February 10Th In letter to the
Statesman, asked Mr.. Gardner, the
ex-Sheriff of the County, for clear
and comprehensive statement of his
connection with the sheriff7s Office in
general and the much talked of s22,-
All 90 of County paper transferred to
Sheriff Ketterng in particular.
Mr.. Gardeners statement as PUBLISH
ed February 22nd is before the public,
and / must say that more courteous,
business-like, straightforward state.
ment of facts and figures in the ease
could scarcely be asked for. He has
met every street rumor; every inuendo,
each insinuation so completely and
show how unfuunded these rumors,
mostly issuing from one place) were,
that l am sure that the people of the
City and County who favor "square
dealp have formed their opinion as to
who has told the truth. [ had hoped
that the County Court would present
their side of the matter, as there are
usually two sides to all controversies.
At this time the matter of most con-
Germ to the country people, is our road
system. During this winter the roads
in all sections of the County hs We been
blocked with snow and ice gerges, and
the Court refusing to give any aid to
open them. In the past ten days the
Court has said that they have no
money to do anything on the roads,
that the levy for 1909 is ENTIRELY Ex-
RAUsTED. The people, the Taxpayers
of the County, want to know where
the levy for 1909, Qast year. was spent;
everybody knows that there has been
no work done on the roads in any sec
ton of the County for nearly twelve
months | wish to qualify this re-
mark by saying, COMPARATIVELY
NONE. The funds from the Road Levy
was not, scarcely think, SPENT on
the rehabilitation of the old COURT
House, although it is reported from
an authoritative source that the idea
was suggested by the Court of charg-
ing Off FoUR OR FIVE THOUSAND DOL
LARS from The Roads and charging to
the COURT HOUSE IMPROVEMENT
FUND.
Taxes for 1910 are due December 1st
next. The sheriff is not expected under
the law to pay out money before the
taxes are due. 1t looks as if we will
practically have no work on tie roads
before 1911. 1t is possible that the
Court will borrow some money as IN
DIvIDUAI.s to be used on the roads?
We hope so. do not think that they
can, as a COUNTY COURT borrow TEN
DOLLARS. Every banking institution,
and every intelligent man iwho may
have money that he desires to loan,
KNOWS that the Court CANNOT LEGAL
LY BORROW A ,LLAR. (See Chap. 10,
having any authority to LEGALLY bor-
row money, what must become of the
condition of our County Credit? Shall
we drift back to the regime of 1888 and
'05? When a room of a hotel in Mar
tinsburg was turned into pawnshop
for Shaving" county orders of all
kinds on Republican sheriff. In this
case we should be duly thankful that
the County Court could not issue or
ders against the SCHOOL FUNDS, or
quite number of pretty maidens who
teach in the public schools would be
begging "Papa for sufficient cash to
get an Easter hat
On Saturday last / learned that the
County owes the Corporation of Mar
tinsburg $500. That the debt is a
matter of record, for paving the public
square. Well, this MAY BE GOOD, but
would rather have an order endorsed
by the Government of the Island of
Monaco, which maintains a standing
army of twenty-three men. The
chances of payment would be better.
And we are to have all the difficulties
unraveled when Mr.. Townsend ap-
pears on the 18th of this month. 1t no
doubt cost the Taxpayers fifty to
seventy-five dollars tor MI. Hobbs to
see that gentleman in Charleston, but
we can be reasonably certain that Mr.,
Townsend has NO BUSINESS here, at
this time, BUT If THOSE WHO ARE IN
POWER ARE NOT AFRAID OF THE AT
rERMATH, WE ASK THE TAXPAYERS
TOWNSEND AND THE COUNTY ASSES
soRs THIS SPRING. We shave been
,,.a.,l J..