The Bad River news. [volume] (Philip, Stanley County, S.D.) 19??-1912, 1911-11-23
$258, 265.|8 NOW COUNTY DEBT
Stanley County's Liabilities In
crease $156,265.O4 in
Eight Years

= According to the SOuth Dakota
Legislative Manual, of 1911, the
entire indebtedness of Stanley
county at the close of the fiscal
year of 1910, amounts to the sum
of S25S, ,265. IS, of which S63 300
90 is in outstanding bonds, So. :
1885 borrowed from the school
fund and Sl39, 216.23 outstanding
warrants including those in the
hands of the county auditor ln
the year of 1902, the total indcbt-
edness of the county amounted to
$1O1 ,34S. IA, $63. 10000 in out
standing bonds. $1,000 borrowed
from the school fund and outstand-
warrants S37 ,Ool.l4.
In the past eight years the total
amount of taxes levied for all pur-
poses increased from 500, ,34S. OS
for the year 1901, to 1898. .635. 81
for the year of 1909. a difference
of some 1892. .2S7.29.
With the vast increase in the
amount of taxable land within the
county, railroad taxes amounting
to almost $20,OOO.OO, per year,
and the great increase in the
amount of taxable personal pro-
perty in the past eight years
brought about by the influx of new
settlers and the springing up of
new towns along the railroads,
those who have the management
of the county affairs in hand have
managed to increase the indebted
ness of the county S156. .26o. O4 in
eight years. At this rate, how
long will it be before the county
goes into the hands of the receiver
and becomes bankrupt.
We believe it is the duty of
every officer of the county, when
he takes his oath of office and af-
ter being intrusted with the coun-
tvs affairs by the voters. to con-
duct the business of the county
along the same conservative lines
and with the same Judgment that
he would use in conducting a pri-
vate business of his own. That
this has not been done in our coun-
ty is clearly shown by an increase
in the total indebtedness averag-
ing in round numbers for the past
eight years $40, 100000 for each
and every year of the county bust
ness transacted in that period.
Where this money is going to is
question being asked by a great
majority of the farmers and home
steaders all over the county.
While the taxpayers have been
pouring gold into the Golfers OF
the county for the past eight years
until the enormous total of S25S,
635.37 was reached for the year
1910, there has been constant
leakage, and those who have charge
of the business of the county, have
expended this amount plus 500.
10000 per year in keeping the
wheels of the county machinery
running.
Just one little illustration of the
way the county funds are being
handled is afforded in the paymen
of about 100000 for the services
of an expert to 60 over the book
of the county which resulted in th'
finding of about $50, 100000 excess
paid out by duplicate and erron
ously issued warrants. Out 0
this amount hardly a dollar ha
been recovered and it is beginning
to look as though the IS, 900. On
can be put on the debit side of TIN
ledger with perfect safety.
Another little item which cost
the county several thousand dollar
more than necessary, is the mo
dus operandi," of hiring the print
ing for the various officers, ballot
! for election, official matter an
legal work, which is given out t
the selected few at practically n
limit on the price. Some tim
Last crv;rr xpa roooivod notice thA