The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1922-03-30
HOMEBUILDERS'
MUDDLE GROWS
More Than Third Of Money spen,
Cannot Be Traced to Any Par
ticular Building
MATERIAL NOT ACCOUNTED FOR

MATERIAL NOT ACCOUNTED FOR
Likely that Quarter of Million Dollars
Will Be Lost By State
More than third of the money ex-
pended by the BODYBUILDING associa-
tion in building houses cannot be de-
finitely traced to any one building, &C.
cording to the audit report made by
Bishop, Brissman & Co.
The association spent $16O,882.57 on
the houses, for which there is no rec
ord. The auditors were able to trace
the expenditure of s274,707.65.
The deficit may reach beyond the
previously estimated figure of $780,
900 should the persons for whom the
homes were built win the lawsuits
which have been instituted against
them to compel them to pay the full
cost Of the houses.
The Bishop, Brisman & Co. audit
confirms many statements made Of the
associations activities in previous au-
dts. Some of the irregularities are:
On four cars Of lumber and one car
of shingles shipped to Hazen there 10
$2,740.39 Of the purchase price unac-
counted for in sales or other DISPOSE
ton.
No adequate record of cash sales Of
materials were kept. Receipts for
sales amounting to $3,30s.S7 were in
the form Of cash entries and it was
the form Of cash entries.
Three carloads of plaster were or
dered shipped to the North Dakota
Farmers' Lumber Co., and then the
association bought the plaster Of the
lumber company at profit to the
lumber company Of $346.S0. Pollard
endorsed the check paid to the lpm-
Der firm.
Correspondence indicates that four
additional cars were shipped to. the
farmers lumber company, and the as
sociation 10 asked to pay for this ma
teriak
Records Of the secretary of states
Office show that the North Dakota
Lumber company, Of Fargo, was In
corporated Sept. 13, 1920, for $50, 900.
The charter has been cancelledl for
failure to file report, s'9l'
]. A. Painter was paid $145 for. exx-
Namining titles. At that timerhe WIS
employed in the farm loan department
Of the Bank Of North Dakota.
Under the caption Of travelling ex-
pense it appears that D. E. Stewart,
accountant, was advanced 5000 cash.
No record was found Of this money
being refunded or vouchers covering
any expenditures.
Travel expense of $84.28 was paid
Spurgeon O'Dell and $3.50 to K. C.
Arness. Their names were not on the
salary list.
The Consumers United Stores COM
pany was paid $500 for a bookkeeping
machine, but all of the bookkeeping
was done by hand.
Railroad mileage books were pur-
chased in the amount Of $500. No
record of individual users was found.
A total Of $2,s90.47 paid for plaster
now on hand was written off owing to
it's poor condition, and materials found
in warehouses were in depforable con-
dition, according to the report.
Showing how contracts were paid
more money than was shown due by
contracts on hand the audit report
cites the following instances:
Baker Heating & Plumbing COM
pany, contracts found in amount Of
$13,209. Total payments to company,
$14,919.11.
H. A. Thompson's plumbing and
heating contracts amounted to $7,269.
Payments made totalled $10,4OS.63.
The report confirms previous state
ments to the effect that the associa-
tion obtained no contracts with the
persons for whom homes were built.
The report, which is lengthy docu-
ment, from beginning to end is an in
dictment Of the hap-hazard methods
pursued by officials in charge Of the
BODYBUILDING association.
Perhaps under efficient management
much good might have resulted from
this branch Of the states business ac-
tivities, but all the people Of the state
know about it is that business and
politics will not mix except at the
expense Of the tax payers.
Signs Of Spring
A,1o,1st Erdmonn corno ;r%o %I,a -