Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1913-08-20
Report of Grand Jury.
Edg-6eld, S. c., July %, 'ls.
70 the grand jury of Edgeheld

We the committee appointed by
your. foreman at the March Term Of
court this year to examine the book
and accounts of the county officers
of our county have examined the
same and make the following re-
port:
In the Auditors Office we found
everything in goo! order. The
books neatly kept aud accounts IN
good form. We find that there ID
on the Auditors books a total re-
turn of property for taxation valued
at s4,4l5,653, composed of items as
follows:
Farm lands valued at S2,o10,s3O
Town real estate S465,350
Corporations Ss7,O23
Personal property sl,042,45o
The total amount of taxes as
sessed for all purposes on this
property is s7l,754.36.
We found that there had been
returned in our county, for this
year for taxation $3.50 dogs which
pay tax of so cents each and also
are assessed on valuation of $500
each at 16 IA mills as personal
property. We also noticed that on
ly 971 head of sheep and goats were
returned for taxation at valuation
of S115.0O, only about one fourth of
a goat or sheep for each dog. The
only comforting compensation from
the dogs being the fact they are as
sessed per capita at SO cents and al
80 taxed again at $500 each as per-
sonal property.
There are returned for taxation
in our county 434l mules at an av-
erage valuation of s56.s0 per head,
and 215l horses at a valuation of
s52.s per head. So you see that
there are more dogs in the county
than there are horses, very nearly
two dogs for each horse and almost
as many dogs as there are mules.
We also note that the total
aggregate valuation of merchandise
returned in our county for taxation
is SI54, 1890.
In the Treasurer's office we found
the books, accounts and vouchers in
proper shape and that the Treasurer
had closed his accounts for the fiscal
year endiug g July lst, and was ready
to make settlement as required by
law. This settlement sheet we
checked with the vouchers in his
Office and with his books and found
the same practically correct, and
proper amount of funds on hand to
his credit as Treasurer in bank.
We found the Office of Superin-
tendent of Education in proper
shape. with books and accounts
neatly and well kept. From his Of
fee we noticed that there are in the
county supported by public funds
81 white schools, with al enroll
ment of 2Q49< pupils, 73 colored
schools with an enrolment of 53s7
pupils.
From the office of clerk Of court
W. found that ali fines licenses col
lected by this officer up to July lst,
1913 bad been paid over to the coun-
ty treasurer and that the books and
records of his Office were in proper
shape and we'll kept.
The offices of Judge of Probate,
Master and Sheriff were examined
and all public funds in the hands of
these officers had been properly en-
tered. The public funds in hand
by these officers, as shown by their
records, were found to their credit
as such officers in the banks of our
county.
In the Office of the county super
visor and county commissioners we
were glad to note an improvement
in the administration of said office
so far as the form of claims made
against the county. We were very
glad to note that the common GUS
tom of most claims being attested
by the supervisor himself individu-
ally when the law requires that each
claim must be attested by the per-
son making the claim, has been al
NEST entirely discontinued. The
supervisor should follow the law in
this matter though it sometimes
caused a little trouble to some
claimant who lives in the country.
From the books in this office we
found that claims against the gener-
al county fund amounting to $751;
s4O.9 had been approved from the
lst of July 1912 to the lst of July
1918. We noted that the supervi-
sor and county commissioners bor-
e.