West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-02-25
rscREAsrseG ExrRAvAeAscK
Develops NJ Investigation Proceeds In
State Offices Departments Of Audi
tor and Archives and History Toss
Coin Of Realm About

tor and Archives and History Toss
Coin Of Realm About
Next to the sensational develop
mentsi connection with the arrest
and indictment OF A. Leo We'll. the
question OF extravaganza in the ex-
penditure OF the state moneys contin-
ues to receive the largest share OF at
tention from the press throughout
West Virginia.
Following the demand OF the Hunt
ington Herald Dispatch. the leading
Republican newspaper OF the com
monwealth, for an investigation by the
legislature OF this extravaganza. there
has been considerable probing OF the
records and consequent uncovering
OF the loose methods employed in the
disbursing OF the peoples money.
The Argus some time ago showed
the apparently useless expenditure of
$1,000 for a Chicago Land Show
Later II took up the matter OF the
double compensations (and In one
case triple paid to the state en-
ployees. who also served as military
officers during the Paint and Cabin
Creek upheavals. The figures given
In all OF the cases cited were taken
from the comprehensive audit OF the
states books made by the office OF the
Tax Commissioner.
The comparison figures as shown by
this audit with the figures of cores
ponding departments under Glass
cocks administration show an all
round increase, In many cases appar-
emily unnecessary. For instance, the
expenditures for the Auditors office
for the fiscal year 1911, totalled SAL
$3.50. comprised as follows:
Salaries .................... $1S,911.
Insurance Department .. $685.
Contingent expenses ... 2.i28.59
Cost certifying and publish
ing delinquent taxes ..... 3,43O.4O
Fire marshal tax ........ 6,795.37
Auditors salary .... 100000
lotai ................. $4l ,S23.59
A still more amazing difference,
considering the character and guam
tity Of work to be done, is shown by
comparison OF the same two fs-
cal years in the department of Ar
chives and History For the fiscal
year OF 1911, the disbursements for
this department totall.d $1l,199.77
This was under the administrative di-
rection OF the lamented Virgil A.
Lewis, admittedly an able historian
| archiyist and administrator.
Although the clerical work i'm this
department is not regarded as heavy
the audit for the last fiscal year shows
a total expenditure of S21, 5255S, max.
ing the enormous increase of $40
| 325.76.
According to authentic information
the salaries for the force employed al
present i'm this department run as fol-
lows:
Two heads OF dept. $3.50 per month
Clerk No. 1............ 125 per month
Clerk No. 2............ 125 per month
Clerk No. 3d.. 125 per month
Clerk No. 4............ 100 per month
Clerk No. 5........... rs per month
| clerk NO. 6........... GO per. month
| Clerk No. 7............ rs per month
This makes a total of S13.62O pel
| year for salaries alone. and the Argus
Is betraying no secret when 1t lets the
peoplek now that the employees i'm the
department of Archives and History
do not have to summer at the Springs
in order to recuperate i'll health i'm
posed by overwork.
| The apparently unnecessary expen-
| diture OF money in this department is
the subject of current gossip around
the city of Charleston, no less among
Republicans than among Democrats
| Thu people are beginning to realize
the situation and are saying that the
thing needed is investigation of ex-
| travagance rather than the increasing
OF the burden of taxation by the find
ing of new sources of impost
-#
An Appeal to the Public.
Are we to continue the winters Ly-