The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-01-28
COUNTY'S FINANCES.

| So much has been s:, publicly and pri-
yately about the county's finances that it
was thought 70 be uf interest TO place the
| real facts b"fnr,' the public. Such facts as
are here given were obtained from the
Clerk of tile Board, and they are believed
| to be accurate in the main. ~ -
Abi,nviiic Comfy ran short last year ap-
prOXin;steiy twenty thousand dollars on a
levy of six mills. Added to this is an ad-
ditional past indebtedness Of S11, 500, for
which levy of three-fourths of one mill
was5smade to run Tor three years, begin
ming January 1st, 1918. Funds are in hand
for retiring about 81, 500 Of the Sl1 5000,
which will leave balance Of $1,000 to be
paid by the ~three-fourth mill levy in the
next two years. So the present indebted
ness Of the county may be said to be
$4,000, with provision already made for
paying The $1,000. 1t is proposed to pay
of the $40, coo by a one mill levy for four
years which will raise about $4,000 to pay
principal and interest and leave small
balance. .....-.' ~. -. s..-..;
But why have these shortages in the
county's finances2 The clerk Of the Board
has furnished the following figures to
show what are practically fixed charges
on the county. These charges are made
up of salaries of county officers, magis-
trates, constables, lunacy, inquests, print
ing, insurance, interest on borrowed mon=
ey premiums on officers bonds, court ex-
penses, pensions, stationery, janitor, and
jail fees, and they aggregate s2I91525.
These are charges over which the county
supervisor practically has no control. :,
Six mills, the levy for 1918 would raise
approximately $4,000 The road tax would
amount Ito say s5,ODO making total of
Sal 900. Deduct, the fixed charges s21, ,9l5
and we have left st9,OS5 with which to
build bridges, construct roads, and pay for
hire and maintenance Of conYiets. =. -.
The information is that the chain gang
cost about $4,000 ast.year, while $4,000
were spent on roads and bridges. AZ!
Mr.. Stevenson, .contemplates putting all
his convicts Into one gang instead Of two
as heretofore, and he may employ four free
laborers, with white foreman, as a sort
of flying squadron. This smaller force
vii! repair bridges. ill ,holesin the roads
and do such light, work as will keep the
roads in condition until the grading force
can reach them. r This, 1T would seem
would reduce the cost ofroad working and
bridge building to the lowest possible fig
ure, but it, is not believed that the roads
and bridges can be passably maintained
IN $4,000, if the actual cost for this branch
of work was $4,000 in 1888: " Z, ;.l :,
What is the. logical conclusion tthen?, It
Is, that "a levy of more than six mills is
necessary for, the annual maintenance OF
the affairs Of the county. -: =:
It is far from our purpose to defend ex-
travagance in any: form, but, it is we'll to
inquire first if the county. has been extra
vagant?s ; A great deal of widening and
throwing up Of main roads has been ac-
complished. Since the advent Of the auto
mobile ahigher standard Of road working
has become. necessary. Expensive work
has. been done on the main roads to Me-
Cormick, Mt. Carmel, Lowndesvifle, An
vile, Level Land. and Due West. Whether
less important roads have been neglected,
we are not prepared to- say, but the fact
remains that once travel reaches the main
roads they are found to be in excellent
condition, Everybody gets the benefit Of
the roads and il the taxes are not. high
enough to keep them up to- the: proper
standard without a deficiency then the
taxes should be increased. -: =, -. .s
1t is an unusual, almost an unReard Of
thing, fur, Abbeyille county not to pay cash
for. everything. 1t is respectfully SUBJ
mitted.; that while it is. the duty of every
good citizen to keep watchful eye on the
finances of the county and to discourage
extravaganza in any form. in no event
should the credit of the county be weaken
ed by having its claims discounted on the
streets. s- :. -, yj;a -
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