The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-02-13
o keep il in sanitary shane.

me expenditure under tho head of
salaries, amounting to $21,473.T9. car
ries in addition TO the salaries of the
regular county officials. those of the
superintendent and guards of the
chingang. overseer floating gang, over
seer or scraper gang, county attorney.
county board of education, county
and township boards of assessors ana
equalization and ianitor of court
house. This expense has gradually in
creased during the past few years as
the cost OF living has Increased.
The contingent expense OF the coun-
ty amounted to S7,773.99 in 1914. This
amount includes the payments for
books, stationery. printing, publishing
and all office supplies. including that
for magistrates. Transportation of
prisoners and lunatics proceedings in
lunacy, post mortem examinations,
etc.
The expense attached to public
buildings. amounting to $2,294.S9, car
ries lights. water rates, coal. disin-
fectants, repairs to buildings, tele-
phone service, insurance on court
house, work on court house grounds,
etc.
The court expense during the year
1914 amounted to. S4,351.20. This
money has been used in payment of
jurors. witnesses, bailiffs, etc.
In closing. we respectfully call your
honors attention and the attention of
the whole citizenship of the county to
the fact that the revenue of the coun-
ty has not kept pace with the expen-
ditures in the last few years. We
realize fully the financial condition of
our people and we do not desire just
now TO request from our delegation
an increase in the tax levy, but we de-
sire for the information of all. TO
state i'm this report the condition which
confronts us. In 1910 we received
the proceeds Of a 6 mill levy for cur
rent expenses, but this levy was re-
duced in 1912 TO 8 3-4 mills, the Ia
mill taken off to provide a sinking
fund to take care OF road bonds and
court house bonds at their maturity,
this latter levy was later increased to
l-2 mill. thus reducing again the cur
rent expense levy. until at the present
time We are receiving for county or
dinary expenses the proceeds of a 5 1-2
mill levy. The assessment of prop
erty has increased to some extent. but
not enough to overbalance the reduc-
tion of the levy and the great increase
in the necessary expenditures. This
increase has been caused by many
reasons, some of which are as fol-
lows, the steady increase Of salaries
OF county officials, a chaingang of al
most twice the size of few years ago.
the extra amount of overhead expense
caused by the larger gang, the great
increase in the cost Of food supplies
and an increase in amount Of court
expense that we are forced to pay. On
account of this state OF affairs in our
county. we were forced to borrow, for
q short length of time, a small amount
or money in 1914 until taxes were
available. as foreign hostilties caus-
ed the taxpayers to be somewhat
backward i'm settlement. We do not
expect to be obliged to borrow any
money in 1915, as we sold the opera
house property during the past year,
under authority of the legislature, and
the balance due on this transaction
amounting to $4,000. we hope will
supply the shortage
The bonded indebtedness of the
county amounts TO $4,000, covering
$4,000 worth of new court house
bonds and $4,000 road Improvement
bonds, both bearing interest at 1-2
per cent. annually.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) p. NJ. PITTS,
Supervisor and Chairman County
Board