Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-10-26
STOP PAYMENT
ON ALL CLAIMS
AGAINST COUNTY
Bonds To Cover Expenses
Have Reached Limit
OF Indebtedness.

WILL BE COMPELLED
TO WAIT UNTIL MARCH
Because Wapello county has reached
its legal limit of indebtedness no morn
warrants will be issued against any
fund except those few which are not ct
this time overdrawn.
From present indications this condi-
ton will. exist, to great extent, until
the first half Of next years taxes begin
coming in. March, 1918.
Excessive court expenses, additional
burdens to drain the poor fund and the
statewide movement for better roads
and extensive bridge building are
given by County Auditor Bissell and
County Treasurer Warren as the cause
for this condition, which they say, has
been approaching for years.
$685. 700 IN DEBT.
The bonded indebtedness Of the
county today is 100000. OF this
amount $41S,00O is in bonds and the re-
mainder in outstanding warrants.
The state law provides that the
county shall not be indebted for more
than 1.25 per cent more than the
actual valuation. Wapello county's
valuations total $40,54S,7O1. Moneys
and credits amount to $3,181, 2S1,f lands
and property, $37,367,420.
A contract for $4,000 worth Of
bonds was signed by the supervisors
a few days ago and they will be here
CT % h. Ga
overdrawn warrants and can not be
touched for current expenses.
TAX SALE MAY HELP.
According to County Treasurer War
rem the annual December tax sale
usually brings in from $4,000 to
$4,000.
This may temporarily relieve the sit
uation but it is the general belief Of
the treasurer and auditor, in confer
ence with the county attorney, that
there will be but few bills paid by
Wapello county until after the first IN.
stallment Of next years taxes is paid.
SOLDIERS CAN RUN MONTH.
There is about $500 in the soldiers
relief fund. This is enough to carry
its expenses for month. The motor
vehicle fund, created for road drag
gfng, crowning and the building OF
permanent culverts, has about $4,000.
but it can only be used for these three
items. $50
MITCHELL GIVES RULING,
In compliance with County Auditor
Bisselps request. E. R. Mitchell, coun-
ty attorney, handed his ruling to the
board Of supervisors in special session
at the court house today, in which he
hn% vUo @
issued against any fund except those
which are not overdrawn.
MANY ARE AFFECTED.
The ruling and the condition of the
financial affairs Of the county strikes
home in many places, county officials,
employees in their offices, widows on
the social service bureaus pension list
groceries, coal dealers and other sup
DIV houses which afe on the countyH
pay roll.
lEvlES INADEQUATE.
According to Auditor BisseH ana
Treasurer Warren all expenses IN
managing the countys business have
during the past few years
while the levies have been more or iese
stationary and consequently have be
come Inadequate to meet the de-
mands.
they cited several cases today
this condition. The most
glaring is the cost Of running the dis
trict court.
Two mills is the legal limit on the
levy for court expenses. That as
sessment brought in $4,000 last year.
$1,000 for grand jury work
and 1926 for justice court expenses
it cost the county $4,000 to manage
it's courts last year, an overdr2w1ng
of $23, 300.
The county poor fund, which In
cludes the expenses of managing the
county home the handling Of widow
pensions and tuberculosis treatment
carried a levy of two mills producing
about $4,000. 1t is estimated by the
treasurer that 1t would require about
five mills to carry this fund without
getting into debt.
The bridge fund Of five mills brings
in about $4,000 to the mill. Last year
the county ran behind $4,000 on this
part of the work and about the same
condition prevailed the year before.
The condition seems to be that the
board is compelled to build bridges
faster than the levy will provide the
expenses. Scores of wooden bridges
have been replaced with modern steel
and concrete structures during the
past two or three years and there are
now two which need immediate 70
placement.
Funding bonds, to take care OF ont
standing warrants against the bridge
fund. have already been issued up to
the legal limit.
The state insane fund is another
which has run ahead of its levfes.
1t produces about $4,000 q year ana
has never more than broken even
Now the state institutions have IN
creased their fee 81 month for each
patient. This will mean further
drain on this fund.