The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-01-29

additions to equipment amounted to
$l24o84, to which item we also take
exception, not being a proper main
tenance charge.
I We are submitting a comparative
statement of expenses for the entire
period (marked Exhibit Az, from
which it appears that the principal
items of expenses that show reduce
ton in 1914 as compared with 1913
are as follows:
Payroll Observation-Disclosures. $4,688.86
Fuel ...................... o,983.8Z
Supplies OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 672.6S
Such items as light and power and
telephone appear to be about normal.
Look Into Purchase.
The public building maintenance
fund is appropriated in lump sum,
no distribution beisg made as between
labor, fuel, supplies and other items
as shown in our Exhibit A. The ex-
penditures are kept by the accounting
| division in the same manner, and
vouchers are passed on the o. X. of
employees, approved by the state board
of examiner, for anything from a
| sponge to street paving, until the fund
| is exhausted. This method follows
through the entire biennial budget
with the exception of certain depart
ments in the statehouse who are re-
required to give little detail of their
expenditures.
1t is plain even to the layman that
there was expended, unnecessarily,
out Of this fund i'll tht year 1912 the
sum of $l2,308.90. If the building can
be maintaised properly in 1914 for
$25,764l5, why was it necessary to
spend $38,O70,l3 in 1918? We direct
your attention particularly to the item
of fuel, covered by our Exhibits B and
c, the cost being $l0,63867 in 1913,
as against $4654.75 in 1914 or an ex-
cess of $5S93.82; or 2077 tons in 1913
as against 997 tons in 1914. We
recommend a thorough investigation
of this item
Time to Stop Leak.
We also direct your attention to the |
item of payroll being $19,59375 in
1918 as against $l4904.89 inl9l4 or
a decrease of $4688.86. This serves
to show what can be done when
fund is depleted.
The public building maintenance
fund is only a small item compared |
with many of the 137 funds under
scrutiny, and if in administering this
fund the state has lost twelve thou
sand dollars it is high time that steps
should be taken to stop the leak.
The expenses shown in exhibit A do
not include some items charged to the
public building endowment fund that
should have been charged to mainten-
ance and are undergoing adjustment
by the capitol building commission.
Whole System Wrong.
The pertunctory duties of the board
of examiners defeats its purposes, the
authority being given after the harm
is done. The whole system is simply
absurd and the officials and employees
should be pittied rather than censured
The accounting methods of the state
need immediate revision the greater
part of which can be ACCOMPLISHED
without legislative enactment, and in
view of the enormous losses which
are being suffered currently we think
action in this direction
quite as important as investigating
past performances.
Respectfully,
The Audit Company of Illinois
By WILLIAM H. GLEASON, Mgr
Attaches Tables.
Attached to the report are tables
showing the expenditures from the
iund tor the past two years. Ordi-
narily expenses for the state building
by years were as follows: In 1911, :;
81 1902; 1912, $l6,l6964; 1913, $37,- !!
J4|o5; 1914, $25,537.4l. During the !
hrst two years only the old capitol
building was used. Extraordinary cx {
Denses for the four years included the i,
paving OF Jefferson street in 1911, to i
he amount of $l74625, and the pur-
,hase OF furniture and equipment as
ollows: In 1911, $ll85.25; 1912, $l42-
q; 1913, $lO23.l0; 1914, $226.74 The
otals OF all expenses taken from the
und were: In 1911, $18,687.99; 1912 =
Slo,3ll.92; 1913. $38O7O13; 1914, $25,-
During the year 1913 there were ii
.O//.5oo tons of coal purchased for
he use of the state house at a total
ost Of $lO63S67. The price Der Ton n
anged all the way from 500 to 81 Il
VI ost OF the contracts were made at !,
4.o5 though all of the large ones q
oSt more per ton, most of them 81 so =,
n i9l+ there were but o97.355 tons +
sed; The greater part Of this was
urchascd at a cost Of $4.63 per ton u
ut on August Is the price was raised m
S4.9O ton. The total cost for the
ear was $4654.75. ~ '"e b'
Salaries of employees during 1913 d;
mounted to $l9,393.75: in l0l4 the
st was $l4,9O8. "a. wy h'
OR ppEcTDDA,r or