The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-30

| their not having already done so other than the fact that those in charge of ! this work are incompetent and do not understand their business in relation to , the premises. or are dishonest in the se- lection of material, the kind of road and the specifications for road construc- ] ton, and are manipulating the same to | their best advantage for their personal aggrandizement.
 | "It has been shown that in many in- stances the surveys made by the engineer 1 for the construction of public roads speci- 1 fled many sharp curves and grades, when straight lines and slight fills, with proper
 drainage, would have save the county many thousands of dollars. and also made the roads much shorter and Safer l for public travel We further find that , the county engineer has permitted con tractors to build dry culyerts Of the 1 most flimsy construction. instead of using proper material for substantial endur-
 ance, when it is shown by expert tes- tinony that these culverts are inferior 1 in point of construction.
 1 "We also find that Jere Gwin, pres | ident of the board of revenue, and $. R. | Batson, accepted courteses from agents and contractors. which likely obligated them to such parties, namely giving long
 and expensive trips in the east ana
 north supposedly for the purpose of in specting pavements and materials for I which they were promoters for the sale of, at the entire expense of said pro
 moters
 1 We also find that $. R. Batson has been allowed by the board of revenue 10
 disregard the county's contract with the Pittsburg Testing Laboratory, and has repeatedly refused to approve the bills submitted for payment by the Pittsburs Testing Laboratory for services rendered to the county, and has endeavored to es- ! tablish testing laboratory at great expense to the county. We heartily con demn such action by the board Of rev. enue and S. R. Batson.
 "we further find that the board or revenue has not required s. R. Batson to devote his entire time to the engineering department of Jefferson county, but has | allowed him to accept contract wlth ! the city of Bessemer.
 | "We also find that s. R. Batson has employed a large number Of young men, without sufficient technical tranmg ana | ability, on county road pre]ects, anu | no- required those employed m ms. de partment to give the maximum of theH services to the county. It has been shown ' that the employees in this department often leave the courthouse as late as ! 2 or 10 a. m., and return from worK 1 from 1 to p. m
 .sThis grand jury has been forcibly l struck with the great need or system | by which the county supplies could De purchased by a purchasing agent anu | at all times by competitive olds. IL IS ! true that some of the supplies are pur- | chased now by competitive plds, put they are purchased by anybody and ev- l arvhodv that is employed in the most ;nsipnificant position, as well as py | the different members of the poaro or revenue, We here furnish some strlk- | in1 inllustrations of the reckless way l which the supplies are purchased. reuuisition is made for supplies py d | foreman. and no investigation IS made l as to whether the supplies are actually needed. or whether the amount asked 1 for is actually needed or not, but they l are usually purchased and sent out to 1 him.
 "A truck is driven up to an auto shop by the driver, who gives an oroef to nut d new set of tires on it. The auto shop usually sets to worK. piac- inp the tires on the truck and then calls the clerk of the board of reve- nue for an order of requisition for the tires In this case there can be no competitive bids, when the matter IS handled in this form.
 eve find that the president of the board. Jere Gwin. purchased set or pneumatic tires for truck, when was an experiment and that said tires were placed on said truck for $l,osh Within thirty days these tires were worn out and it was necessary to re- equip the car. Another instance, car load of road machinery was purchased 1 by him for about $1,S00. In these cases, it seems from our investigation, that | no one knew other than MT. Gwin that 1 these items were purchased or were i; needed Both of which were of such I nature as should have been. by all means submitted to the entire board | and the amount of money expended | required the action of the board. ana, 1 by being an experiment, was another l reason why the same should not have been purchased on the individual Judg- l ,ueSlt and action of the president ol | the board of revenue or any other 1 member thereof. But these are only l two illustrations of the way and man l ner of the reckless. wanton and negh- | gent expenditure of the countys s money. We submit that the sooner the 1 board of revenue sees to it that no one member can. of his volition. assume the l authority to dictate. manipulate ana usurp the power that the people have 1 granted to the entire board, the sooner | the peoples money will be properly | l. 1 plies the county will receive dollar for l dollar in value. We call attention to l another instance of unwarranted as sumption of power and right to expend 1 the countys money according to the | dictates of the judgment and action of l the president of the board of revenue l in the matter of some of the printing I of the county. Tn the printing or the 1 tax receipts for the years 1919 and 1 1920 an item of expense, which would l justify the judgment and the entire | action and opinion of the board of 1 revenue and on competitive bids never | was submitted to the board, but that l this printing was dor< on the ok. Of l the president of the board of revenue | Why he or any other member should l desire to assume such ungranted pow | CTS and to expend the money that be- longs to the peopI of this county in such a reckless. grossly and wanton manner if unconceivable. There must 1 be a reason why he deserves to so dictate /! and to dominate the expenditure of ! the county's funds. Can the county get 1 value received for money spent in this way and what guarantee has the | county that this money is properly 1 spent or that the county receives value received for each dollar spent? We do I not hesitate to say that this grand jury l does not feel that the countys funds are safe in the hands of a man. who will so wantonly and recklessly dom- 1 nate and control in the matter of the l expenditure of the funds of the coun- | ty; and when you take into considera- l fiOn way and man of tho 1attip,