The independent-reporter., 1918-02-14
County Commissioners Report

which was made public recently, the
financial condition of the county is
excellent with cash on hand and in
banks of $15 5,521.53 The statement of
resources includes Due from towns
and plantations, county tax, 1917,
S716073; due from State of Maine
county tax, unincorporated places,
$S9S2.71; due from Pleasant Ridge
Plantation, cash advanced for repairs
of highway, $1,000; due from land own
ers, road taxes in unorganized town
ships, $2320.9S; due from H. H Braz-
zell, fines, costs and fees, 1916 (paid
Jan. Is, 1873, $300.94, due from H II.
Brazzell, fines, cost and fees, 1917
(paid Jan. 18th, 1879, $59393; due
from Maine Central Railroad costs,
petition land damage, $2760 and cash
on hand and in banks, SIS, ,521.53. The
liabilities are: Inheritance deposits
(bequests and interesD, S431.90; court
house, 3A per cent coupon bonds,
$4,000; accrued interest on same,
$33250; H H. Brazzell, salary, $3.50;
due Somerset Law Library Assn, 1917,
$500; balance net resources SIS ,293.42
on Dec. 81, 1917 The net resources
December 30, 1916, were S6,59926 and
as a result there has been net gain
of SS.69416 during the year just past.
During the past year the county
commissioners have taken the follow
ing action relating to the highways in
the county:
Petition of selectmen of Athens for
alteration of highway in Athens, petit
tion dismissed; petition of Fred r.
Hill ct ais for alteration of highway
In Skowhegan, petition granted; pc
tition of Peter Cowett, Jr, ct ais for
alterations for location of way in
Skowhegan, petition denied; petition
of selectmen of Smithfeld to define
the limits of a way in Smithfield, pc
tition granted; petition of G. W. Nc
Clintock ct ais for location of high
ways ain Bingham; petition dismissed;
petition of l. l.. Brown ct ais for al
teration of highway in Solon, petition
granted; petition of Richard Holden
ct ais for location of highways in
Moose River Plantation, petition
granted.
The county tax authorized by the
Legislature for 1917 being 10000 was
apportioned as follows, being "a mills
on a dollar: Anson, amount, $1092.11;
Athens, $450.60; Bingham. $S56.2S, due
s40628; Cambridge, $1SS24; Canaan
s45S19; Concord. s16390; Cornville,
$45046, due, S450.46; Detroit, $2S3.41,
due, $11670; Embden, $373.45; Fair
field, $279398; Harmony, $43651. due
$43651; Hartland, s67101, due s671.-
Of; Madison, s325652; Mercer $234.01;
Moscow, $2S5S7, due $25S,S7; New
Portland $43216; Norridgewock
$1O4872; Palmyra, SCOOPS, due $500
25; Pittsfield, $238S.29, due $23S8.29;
Ripley. $23e91; ST. Adams, $5S5.62;
due $585.62; Skowhegan, $5772.62;
Smithfeld, $267O5; Solon. $609.24;
Starks, $227.23; Bigelow Pl.. $500;
Brighton Pl. S14113; Caratunk,
s19212; Dead River $17720; Dennis
town, $17720, due, $500; Flagstaff
$14472; Highland, $11813; Jackman
1924; Lexington S102.96. due
S102g6; Nayfield. $14070, due $1d0.7o;
Moose River $70043. due $70042;
Pleasant Ridge, $S4.S4; The Forks
S13290: West Forks, S1S060; Bong
Pond, $297.99 This gives total
amount of $27,47535 for towns and
organized plantations with $12,050.23
unincorporated; $450.37 for timber
and grass or total of $39,975.95.
The fines and costs paid into the
county treasury by trial justices and
others amounts of $991.41, while the
fees received from the county officers
are as follows: Philo Steward. reg
lister of probate, S27350; o II. Drake,
Judge of Pittsfeld municipal court,
$3459; J. W. Higgins, register of
deeds, $166216; W. T. Seekins, clerk
of courts. $705.92; II. l.. Goodrich.
sheriff. $5227, II. H. Brazzell, judge
of western municipal court from Jan.
to July /, 1917, $81.75 This gives
a total of $2,81019. The expenses of
the supreme judicial court have been
as follows for the year: January
term, $178055; April term, $1S63.56;
September term. $3429,06 or a total
expense for the year in suprece court
alone of $707317.
The salary of county officers for the
year totaled $13,01497 including
$3.50 for clerk hire. The salaries
paid these officials was as follows:
Harry L. Goodrich, sheriff, $1400 with
incidental expenses to December 81 of
$81497; c. o. Small judge of pro-
bate, 500; Philo Steward, register of
probate, $1,000: J. L. Lancaster coun-
ty treasurer. $500; w. r. Seekins,
clerk of courts, $500; John W Hig-
gins, register Of deeds, $500; W N.
Osborn, county commissioner, $3.50;
G. d. Perkins, county commissioner,
$3.50; f.. T. Goodrich, county com
missioner, $3.50; H. H. Brazzell,
judge of Western Somerset municipal
court $1400; o. H. Drake, judge of
Pittsfeld court, $500.
The expenses of the court house
janitor is 5000 and with other expen-
ses the Somerset county court house
for the year totals $2909.88 while the
Jail account totals. $2,605.21, of which
provisions are s866.1S and repairs are
$725.7S, with $117.55 for bedding. The
net profit for the wood yard is $5430.
For wood sold there has been receiv-
ed s592,25 and wood on hand Dec. 81,
1917, amounts to 1854, while wood on
hand, Jan. l, 1917, was valued at s625.
The excellent financial condition of