The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1912-03-08
Those Bend Issues.
To The Taxpayers of Prince George S
County;

ing been clerk to the county commits
sioners of this county for said years, |
deem it my duty to explain same, and
shall endeavor as far as lies in my
power, to do so in clear and impartial
manner. The bonds of 1888 were sold
in June, 1888, and the money received
from the sale, was deposited in the
National Bank, of Washington, d. c.,
to the credit of the county commission
ers of Prince Georges county, Md, by
Thomas Ferry, president, and myself as
clerk to the county commissioners OF
Prince Georges county. The law of
1888 provided that the money should
first be applied to the payment of the
Jurors, bailiffs and witnesses attending
the circuit court for said county; and in
the second place, for work hereafter to
be done upon the public roads; and in
the third place in the settlement of all
other county indebtedness in the order
in which the county commissioners in
their discretion may determine to settle.
In March, 1888, there was severe
snow storm and blizzard and great
damage was done to the roads and
bridges throughout the county, and the
levy for 1888 having been made and the
county commissioners being called upon
at every meeting and urged by the
people to repair the roads and bridges
and clear up the fallen trees and OBJ
struetions which were scattered over
the roads in consequence of the severe
blizzard, found that they were unable
to do said work without using the
money realized from the sale of the
bonds of 1888 then in their hands,
and they consulted with their
attorney, the late William Stanley,
and he advised them that they could use
said money as the law gave them the
right to use same in their discretion,
but he told them that this money must
be levied the next year in order to re-
imburse the money used. The county
commissioners accordingly did use said
money for the repair of roads, bridges
and other claims paid by them to the
extent of $14, 202.50 exclusive of the
amount paid jurors, bailiffs and wit
nesses, of about 2,0OOsas provided by
said law and did pass orders to levy
same in March, 1889, to reimburse said
bond money used. In the spring of
1889 the county was again visited by
terrific storms and rains, known as the
Johnstown flood, and roads were badly
washed and bridges completely destroy
ed, the three bridges at Laurel being en-
tirely wrecked. The county commission
ers again consulted with their counsel
the late William Stanley and he gave
them the samel advice as in 1888, and
they proceeded to repair the roads and
replace the bridges throughout the
county, and in most instances replaced
the wooden bridges with substantial
iron bridges, having to build three iron
bridges, over the Patuxent river at
Laurel, which are still there in good
condition and reflect much credit on. the
county commissioners who had them
placed there. The county commissioners
expended out of thiss bond money in
1889sabout 500. 900, and passed orders
that the same.be levied in. March, 1890
to reimburse. said bond, money. In 1892
the county sold $4,000 in bonds, and
the money received from. same, was to
be..applied, first, to. the payment of the
outstanding indebtedness. of. the. county
from 1874 to 1881, which when paid
by the county amounted to
5S,O5O.65. They bought and paid $40,
900 for the District of Columbia and
UpperlM turnpike which they
were. required by. a law of 1892 to buy
out.of said bond money, and the residue,
S12, 900, "shall be used for the.payment
of the current expenses of said county
as provided by the annual levy
of 1892, and the expenses of said county
thereafter. 1t will be. seen by the
wording of both the law of 1883 and
1892, in providing the S25, 900 and $12,
900, making..a total of $37, 900, to put
the county on cash basis, that they
contemplated that this money when
spent in said year should be relieved for
future years. Otherwise how could the
county be placed on a cash basis? If
the money was spent one year to Fay
jurors, bailiffs, witnesses and for roads
and bridges and no provisions made the
next year to pay the same claims, the
county would remain in the same finan-
cial position as it was before the money
raised by the sale of the bonds was used
to aid it for the year the bonds were
sold AS the bonds of 1888 have been
paid for in full and provision made
yearly for the redemption of the bonds
of 1892, l do not think this money
levied by the county commissioners
should be called bond money, but it
should be called CASH SURPLUS, a fact
which have tried to impress upon the
clerks of the county commissioners for
some years. l am informed by the
clerk of the county commissioners that
he now has $685. in bank to the
credit of this bond money as he called
it and $4,000 has been paid out of same
in 1911, making S31, 900. find that in
1903 the county commissioners having
failed to levy SIS, 900 to redeem the bonds
of 1888. John T. Fisher then clerk to
the county commissioners on June 49,
1903, paid S., 200 out of the bond money
to redeem said bonds during the year
as required by law, making $4,000 of
this bond money accounted for and
showing that it has not been improper
ly used, but has been duly taken care
of by the county commissioners of the
and the difference between the
s36, 900 and $37, 900 is tied up in I'M