The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1914-12-24

w T jSu w Je ellUIttIy lhIl ~ enc
proposition of county division and
not to mislead any of our readers,
and the comparisons following are
taken from the last financial state
ment and the costs of n new seventh
class county. 1t will be remembered
that Valley county as it now sta nds
is in the fifth class and the salaries
of the various officers higher than
they would be in a seventh-class.
Offices Valley Co. Phillips Go.
Treasurer x250OOO SlSOOOO
Clerk and Recorder 2OOO.OO 100000
Clerk Of Court 100000 100000
Sheriff :I.O.00 100000
County Attorney 100000 10000
County Supt. 1900 90 10000
Assessor 10000 12DOUD
IhiS shows a reduction i'm salaries
$50, and Oh those who have a stated
salary a saving Of 81 $50 90, more than
enough to pay the two highest sala-
ripd officers Of the new county. Now
we wish to show the expense con-
npcted with some offices at the count v
seat in Valley county and the figures
shown here do not include the sal
les Of the officers us shown above.
The three county commissioners
u Valley county have expended
Turing the past year in their offices
s3,324, so. The greater part of this
>owever, is for mileage and travelling
expenses, which, in the new county
would be less than one half Of that
amount. and with q county as large
Us Valley it is an impossibi Iity for
commissioners, 10 matter how good
III official they may be, to cover the
county and get the best results for
the taxpayers. The salaries for this
oIlice remain the same i'm both conn-
ties, but as they are in session such
j. short time it will amount to very
little in the course of a year.
In the office of Clerk and Recorder
turing the year just closed the ex-
penditure for that office WAS $50, ,2OO. %,
ind out of that amount the sum Of
,l2,95o.32 was paid out for deputy
md clerk hire. The expenditure for
.lerk and deputy hire in this office
.lone is $2,o40.32, more than would
'e paid to the entire set of officers
or the new county of Phillips that
ave regular salary. The office of
'lerk and Recorder in Valley county
Turing the past year has employed at
liti'erent times as high as twelve or
hirteen deputies and clerks. while
II the new comfy the Deputies and
Jerks would not exceed more than
one or two, and possibly not that, as
III Blaine comfy the Clerk and Re-
.urder does all the work of that office
himself. In this office the county
could and would make a big saving.
In the Treasurer's Office the clerk
AID deputy hire for the year was
$3.625.O 90. while in the new county a
deputy or clerk would not he
needed. 1t is thus all down The line
VI offices where the county is so large.
1t takes a small army of men and
women to attend to the business and
10 persons care to work unless thew
ne properly paid for their time and
We wish to call yonr attention to
mt one more office in particular. and
hat is the office of sheriff. This is
he most expensive office in the
county and during the year lust
closed the cost Of conducting that
office to the taxpayers of Valley
county was the sum of $2l, ,O37.5I.
Out Of this amount the sum Sl2, ,6S3, ,G5
Nas paid for deputies and wages and
= ,SoS.04 was paid out in mileage. In
he new proposed county of phjlljps
t Will not be necessary to have eight
" ten deputies. We are doubtful if
there would be more than one or two
AND at the outside not more than
four The expense OF the officers in
9he discharge of their duties would
De far less in the new proposed county
# Phillips than in old Valley county.
Tor the reason that in mileage there
would be saving of about two thirds
II what was expended during the
past year III Valley. The criminals.
II there should be any, would have
hard tim" in getting far enough away