Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1913-02-06

The Emmons Cnunty Record beng
the only newspaper published at the
county seat of Emmons county and
being read generally in every part
OF the county. ii has been the policy
of its management to attempt as Tar
as lay within its power to give to
such readers the exact conditions OF
county official affairs as the same
came to our knowledge without fear
or favor. Possible withdrawal OF
patronage by those who might
from time to time be brought into
the limelight and their official acts
put before the people have at no
time influenced Us in remaining ST.
lent. For that reason the Record
has found it to be the duty to call
attention recently to certain condl-
tions existing IN the management OF
the county's affairs. We refer to
the meetings of county commissi0n-
ers and the public record of their
acts as set down in the official min
utes prepared by the county auditor
or in the county auditor office. We
have called attention to the manner
in which certain proceedings are IN
ACCURATELY REPOR TED, there
by allowing the readers of the pro-
ceedings to misunderstood or mis-
c0nstrue what was actually taking
place We have called attention to
omissions of objections raised by the
official advisor of the board, the
states attorney, when bills for clerk
hire were under cosideration. This
week we wish to bring to the atten.
ton of our readers matter petty in
itself but evidence of fragrant and
wilful misrepresentation. We do
not attempt to place the blame foc
several county officials and ex-county
officials may be entitled to that
blame. However, no sane-thinking
person can believe that the county
auditor, the chairman of the board
of county commissioners and the
deputy county auditor at that time
did not know of the matter winch
we now propose to set before the
public.
AT the early January meeting of
the county commissioners a bill for
$500 was presented by p. G. Rocks
for a small table which he had been
using in the clerk of courts office
during his years OF lncumbency. At
the time the bill was presented a
representative of this paper was
present, us result of our belief
that many matters came before the
commissioners which the general
public never became aware of and
in which they were nevertheless
vitality Interested. AT the time
the bill was presented some discus
sion regarding it came up. Klein.
the new member of the board, de-
cided that he wanted to see what the
table referred to looked like. Ac-
cordingly. he stepped INTO the clerk
of courts office, examined the table
and returned to the others with the
report that it was pretty cheap
looking table and that he personally
could not see any use for it in the
clerks office. After listening to his
report McConyille at once suggested
that the bill be disallowed. Klein,
however. moved it be allowed, stat.
ing that it was only small matter,
anyhow. Brant was not present but
McConvile voted against allowing
the bill. Nevertheless, it was passed.
So far SO good. But here is where
the system" showed up. When
he minutes Of the meeting for that
day arrived i'm the hands of the
printer no mention whatever was
made of the discussion or the allow
ing of the bill Neither did the
minutes show that MIR. C. b. Carley
appeared before the board in the in
terests of p. G. Rocks. That caused
some speculation on the part of the
writer, also of others present. All
this seemed to lead to the impression
that something was wrong some-
where. An investigation was quiet
ly instituted. This is the result. In
another place in the minutes. those
of the morning session of January
9th. appears bill for salary allowed
+. q. Rocks, clerk of court, amount
ing to $3.50 for January LIST to
January Sth, inclusive. Now the
clerk of courts salary is 500 per
month. Likewise, the states at
torney's salary is 500 per month.
Scott Cameron had presented bill
for salary from January lst to jan
uary 9TH, inclusive. amounting to
s23.3l. This was at the rate of
1888 a day and was as it should be.
Now Rocks secured s2S 65 for eight
days salary when it should have
been at the rate Of 1913 So 80 day also.
Eight days at So SO would amount to
s26.6i, His bill for salary showed
IN the minutes to be $3.50. Hence,
there was notwithstanding which
didn't show up in the minutes. In
vestigatlon of the sand bill for sal
ary' showed s26.65 for salary and
CD mn Gar 81,