The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1916-09-15
MISUSE OF FUNDS IS CHAR GED
Irregularities Cost City Of HIbblns
Nearly se2, 900 In Five Years, Says
Report Filed With Governor by
State Public Examiner.

men in each regiment were compelled
to fall out. There was some difficulty
in getting these men back to camp as
each regiment took only one ambu-
lance and some of the men had to
wait on the road.
With three companies of the First
Minnesota on border patrol duty on
the Rio Grande south OF camp, the
First regiment made its weekly hike"
somewhat short In numbers. The men
marched through Mercedes and con-
tinued about two and one-haH miles
east.
n 10 Banner Company.
H company, the smallest company
in the regiment, was the banner COM
pany on the march, only losing one
man.
The First Minnesota was given a
thorough inspection and for the first
time had a practice at pitching pup"
tents. The inspection was on regi-
mental parade ground.
When Captain Percy McClay led G
company Of Minneapolis out Of camp
to do garrison and patrol duty at
Champions store on the Rio Grande
eight miles southwest Of camp, the
men of the other companies lined up
and cheered. This is the third COM
pany Of the First to go on border duty.
A company is at Mercedes pumping
station and B company at Progreso.
No Ice Cooled Water.
Second Lieutenant David Moore, F
company, First Minnesota, has been
refused q commission under the work
ings Of the new army bill and will
return to Minneapolis.
Second Lieutenant Walter r. Ora
ham of e company, who has been with
the Twenty-eighth at Fort Ringold, will
60 with the regiment to Fort Sam
Fordyce, Texas.
The Second Minnesota misses ice
water which has been supplied until
recently. Big canvas bags have re-
placed the water barrels and air-cool-
ed water has supplanted ice-cooled
water. Chloride of lime is being used
in the Second Minnesota water and
the water Is no longer boiled.
A Spanish class which meets twice
week is feature of the schedule
in Mollison hall.
When it comes to model kitchens D
company, Second Minnesota, North
field, can hold up its head with any
of them. The kitchen accommodations
include not only large icebox, but
vegetable cellars.
Misuse Of Funds Charged.
Shortages and overcharges have
cost the village of Hibbing nearly $62,-
600 in the last five years, says a re-
port filed with Governor ]. A. A. Burn
quist by Andrew e. Fritz, state public
examiner. The legality of other trans
actions involving $4s,25o additional vii
lage funds is questioned.
How the village receipts ran up from
$333,850 in 1910 to more than 5000, 900
in 1914, is shown, also an increase in
village expenditures from 100000 in
1910 to $1,233,700 in 1914. Another
comparison discloses that In March,
1915, 1926 persons were on the vii
lage payrolls and LILO voters cast bal
lots for candidates for mayor of the
village. c. s.ES 10 st2
Few Officials Named. ;g
Mayor Victor L. Powers is mention.
ed but once in the, report. and then
as one of several officials criticized
for accepting claims for collections
against village employees. This is in
connection with q statement that Inn
proper methods are permitted in in
dorsing payroll vouchers and orders,
and leave nothing to indicate that the
right parties receive the orders. ac-
cording to the examiner. Raw 70
Village officials are criticized for
lack Of proper accounting in some de-
partments, but few are named in the
report. Supplementary reports are to
follow, it is explained, the examine
ton being continued, and state off
cials said that further disclosures or
irregularities and questionable expen-
ditures of village funds will be made.
The present report fills 26S pages.
* r. ~
Favors Ditch improvements.
The state drainage board has voted
to recommend to the next Legislature
the appropriation of special fund for
ditch improvements to prevent further
floods in Wilkin county. G. w. Bur-
rows, r. e. Johnson and ]. A. Jorgen-
son made up a commission that urged
action to that end. They explained
that the cutoff in Ottertail river Is of
no practical value under existing con-
ditions and that a rebuilding of its
mouth Is necessary to make 1t ade-
auately serve the purpose for which
it was built.
X X X
Soldiers Fight Fire.
Artillerymen from Camp Bobleter
were among those who extinguished
a fire with buckets at the farm of
Keough brothers, near Fort Smelling.
The fire started in a small barn and
spread rapidly to another. When st.
Paul fire companies arrived the flames,
due to the efficient work on the part
OF the bucket brigade, were nearly OK.
tinguished. A taxicab belonging to the
Twin City Taxicab company caught
fre from the backire of the engine
as the ca was passing Engine House
No. 4