The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-07-07
AUDITOR SLATE SCORES
HIGHWAY DEPARTMEN
HE CHARGES EXTRAVAGANCE,
NEGLECT, IRREGULARITIES,
IN CONDUCTING AFFAIRS.

IN CONDUCTING AFFAIRS.
ATLANTA, Ga.-Lack OF organiza
ton. extravaganza in the use OF auto
mobiles by employees, the duplication
of much work and that expenses Ia
in excess OF the amount required have
been paid TO officials making trips arr
some of the charges made against th'
operation OF the state highway de
partment in the audit submitted tC
Governor Walker by Sam J. Slate
state auditor.
Declaring that we need an organiza
ton that will build and maintain
roads" Mr.. Slate, in his lengthy com
ment in connection with the report
makes the suggestion that the high
way board needs an executive ofh-
GER" in some states referred to as the
state highway commissioner.
There is no accurate record OF mil
lions of dollars OF surplus war mate
rial turned over to the department by
the government. The department has
been so inexcusably careless" that il
would cost from $4,000 to $4,000 to
check it accurately, he says.
Too Much Travel Expense.
Travel expense is an item which
needs special supervision and control,
the auditor says, criticising 'unneces-
airy travel and extravaganza"
Expense accounts at the state
highway department are larger than l
have found elsewhere in the state gov
eminent" Attention is called TO two
trips taken in 1924" which he uses as
illustrations OF what he deems un-
necessary expense" one OF them be-
ing trip to Chicago by six officials
OF the department, to attend good
roads convention, and the other trip to
California by six employees. In the lat
ter he criticises the payment OF GER
tain funeral expenses, which he says
were illegal, and which were returned
on June % OF this year.
Many officials OF the department
ran up travel expense accounts, total
ing many thousands OF dollars. Some
OF them listed in the audit are: John
N. Holder, $3,79081; w. T. Anderson,
$1,671.46; Stanley Bennett, $801.56;
w. R. Neel, state, highway engineer,
$5.243.71: Seward NJ. Smith attorney
for board, $76543; B. c. Miller, as
sistant state highway engineer, 3d.
212; H. c. Spahr, secretary treasurer,
$3,760.07 H. G. Smith, construction
engineer, S2,359lS; H. S. Culpepper,
maintenance engineer, $l,942; Searcy
S. Black, bridge engineer, $1,78695;
E. E. Clayton, maintenance assistant,
$L0785S; H. E. Newton, assistant
bridge engineer, $l,6S8.23.
He objects also to lump sum ex-
pense" allotments, and refers to a fiat
allowance Of $500 a month for w. R.
Neel and SIPS a month for H. g.
Spahr This is bad practice and is il
legal" he says, and refers to an opin-
ion from the attorney general in DC
tober, 1924, so holding. "A study Of
the expense accounts of these officials
discloses that not only were they paid
this definite amount, but expenses lar
in excess of this amount were paid
this extra expense being allowed to
pay cost OF certain special trips"
Unnecessary junkets" were con-
demned
Mr.. Slate recommends that the
highway engineer and the secretary
and treasurer be required to pay back
into the treasury OF the state the
lump sums for expenditures that have
been given them.
Too Many Automobiles.
The provision OF high-priced auto
mobiles for officials and employees is
severely criticised, and the elimination
Of many are suggested Il do not APP
prove" says the auditor, "the pur-
chase OF Cadillac car for the chair
man, although it stands approved on
the minutes OF the board dated Oct
10. 1924, and the the requistion for
this purchase was signed both by w
R. Neel, state highway engineer, and
H. g. Spahr. secretary and treasurer
| also do not approve the purchase OF
Franklin sedans and coupes, Wyllis-
Knight sedan. Wills-St Claire, Stude-
bakers and Bucks for other officials
and employees"
The practice OF purchasing automo-
biles out OF money allotted to expense
accounts is criticised
Painfully impressed" Mr.. Slate eX-
pressed himself, with the "scant re-
turns" that are being obtained from
an expenditure OF $1,300,000 or more
or $500 a mile, in 1924 for mainten-
ance
The rock quarry at Oglesby is ;
losing proposition and has cost $780,,
0C0.
Overhead Uncertain.
Overhead expenses are over 6 pei
cent, although they are so "detoured'
il would require months to arrive a
the actual overhead expense.
The advance system OF money Il
both officials and employees has beer
$3.50 THIS WEEK ONLY.