Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-02-03
namely IS DAYS at 81 per day.

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have made no estimate for sdayssSr
for mileage for committee work, but
the sums are ample and will no
doubt average fully with the per
diem reports. There are few reports
that include livery hire. l cannot
understand why this is, as the mile
age should cover all travelling ex-
penses.
The following is taken from the
county auditors annual report for
1911:
w. D. Bonner
Per diem and mileage. S 1887
Committee work ........ 574.1O
Livery hire .............. 1.25
.
The number of days allowed by
law for per diem and committee
work is ninety-five, at 81 per day,
$3.50, which substracted from
$749.57 would leave $369.57 for
mileage, making 1891 miles travel
ed.
For 1912 we have, county fund
per diem and mileage $426.15, COM
mittee work, $416, making a total
of $S42.15. Difference in per diem
$46.15 making mileage 900 miles.
Report 1911: H. T. Wilson per
diem and mileage, s569.72, commit
tee work, SAT-, livery hire, $1.25.
Total, $1,O1S. IS days at 81 per
day, $3.50, difference in per diem al
lowed, $189.75. Miles travelled, 81
1875.
Report 1912: Per diem and mile
age $677.15, county fund, committee
work, 1924. Total, S1,2O1.15. $3.50
taken from $677.15 leaves s297.15
or miles Travelled 5,943.
Report 1911: N. H. Bawden per
diem and mileage $416.O5, commit
tee work, $685., livery, 81. Total,
$1,O72.O5. $3.50 from $416.O5 leaves
$36.05. Miles Travelled, 720.
Report 1912: Per diem and mile
age $56S.65, committee work, $94O.
Total, $1,5OS.65. $3.50 from $56S.65
leaves $1SS.65, making 3,773 miles
Travelled.
At the foot of the auditors report
for 1912 is the following notice,
which / do not understand: "Includ-
ing the month of December, 1911.
total $685."
In Mr.. Bawden's report of 1912
we have $940 for committee work
and his total amount is $1,5OS.65.
Assuming that Mr.. Bawden worked
500 days, which is about the most
that could be expected of any labor
ing man, he would have earned at
81 per day $1,000, leaving a balance
Of $308 for travelling expenses,
which at five cents a mile would
have enabled him to travel 6,160
miles. The question may be asked:
as there any way that can be devils
ed that will make any employee re-
port the exact time he works, so
that the public may be fully salts
fed as to days worked, expenses,
etc.?' l answer most emphatically,
yes, but l shall not discuss that mat
ter here. For several years in my
humble capacity as janitor of the
court house at salary so meager as
to scarcely allow a decent livelihood
there was an apparent discrepancy
in the reports of the supervisors in
the fact that there was not enough
publicity. / know full we'll this
statement will bring down upon my
head the fierce anathemas of some of
those persons interested. Before the
law I believe all men are considered
honest until there is proof to the
contrary. I do not say that these
men are dishonest, but l do say that
they have followed precedent pos
sibly not known to themselves. The
last general assembly enacted some
laws governing the actions of county
one of which requires
a $1,000 bond, which went into eff
feet on July fourth last. With these
precautions it is hoped the people
may be more fully and officially
served. Very respectfully,
James Kephart