The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-06-16
STATE OWNS
USELESS JUNK.
LUND REPORTS
Highway Department Invests
100000 in Worthless
Material, Auditor Says

The state Of North Dakota has in
vested 100000 in material, much of
which is described as worthless,
useless and Incomplete in an audit
report compiled by o. b. Lund Of the
state auditing department from Nov.
/, 1928, to Dec. 81, 1924.
The material ranges from pick
handles and spades to equipment for
the manufacture of airplanes and
motion picture machines. OF course,
there is much material that can be
used but, the auditing department
says, a great deal cannot be sold for
even junk.
Counties Not Buying
Beginning in 1919 the equipment
department of the state highway
commission began receiving surplus
war material from the federal gov
eminent. The original plan was to
use such material as could be used
by the highway commission and to
sell the remainder to counties within
the state. The counties, however, are
not overlooking for the material and
the auditors record shows that an
account for l3-ton Holt tractor in
the hands Of Bottineau county IS
still unsettled. The value of the
tractor is placed at $825.75.
According to official records the
cost of the surplus war material to
the state is nothing except as to
handling and freight expense. This
method Of dumping surplus material
onto the state has already cost the
state 100000, a large part of which
can never be retrieved, Mr.. Lund
declares.
Freight Cost High
The government has circuitous
way of shipping surplus material
Most of the supplies received are
shipped long and unnecessary dis
tances before they reach their des-
tinaton. Thus great deal Of the
material received here may travel
hundreds and hundreds of miles, the
cost Of handling and shipping be-
ing charged to the receiver.
A large shipment of material may
be consigned to the state of North
Dakota from Maryland. The ship
ment starts at Maryland, is carried
with other shipments to Texas, then
to Oklahoma, then possibly to an
other stopping place, land finally
reaches its destination. BY the time
the shipment reaches the state high
way commission the charges have
amounted to a sum which may be
far above the amount that can be
realized on the material.
Furt hermore, the highway COM
mission has no choice as to the kind
of material il shall receive. Surplus
material is sent in unassorted ship
ments and every shipment contains
material which can not be used or
even sold for junk, according to the
auditing department.
Items Not in Books
The equipment department Of the
highway commission was originally
created for the purpose Of receiving
and distributing surplus war mater
ial offered by the federal govern
ment for use in construction and
maintenance; Of highways. Funds
for the financing of the department
are used from the 10 per cent fund
and earnings and sales are turned
into this fund.
Many of the items received from
the government are not accounted
for, says the auditors report. 1.-The
item of tents is one of the largest,
showing a shortage of 80. These
tents are being sold at from $l5 to
$25 a piece. This would mean a
shortage of approximately $1,000 for
tents, based on the selling price.
1.-The sales records are so incom-
plete that an attempt to trace many
of the small err articles was found
impossible.
while the minutes of the high
way commission for April "a record
resolution passed by the commits
sion reducing the employees Of the
equipment department to one book
keeper. one store room salesman, one
mechanic and one night Waterman,
said change to become effective
June /, 1924, this reduction was not
put into effect and with funds ex-
pended for the maintenance of the
equipment department the transac-
tions of same should be more COM
plete." continues the renort.
There are no officers or en-
ployees of the equipment depart
ment bonded. although they have
charge Of the selling Of the surplus
war materials, collect considerable
cash, buy and exchange automobiles
and other property apparently with
out consulting anyone.
Tax Methods
GAS a whole we consider the busi-
ness methods of the equipment de-
partment handled in a lax manner
the report concludes.
The other two departments Of the
highway commission, the highway
operating department and the motor
vehicle registration department
were given Lund's o. X.
A legislative committee, appointed
at the recent session to investigate
the buying Of surplus material, re.
ported that the material held now
by the highway commission should
be closed out before other materia
is accepted.
Chief Engineer Black of the high
way commission said today: 1--WE ar.
expecting more surplus material, in
Guiding many trucks and tractor!
which we can use in our own work
OF course, much of the material W,
receive is used by the commission
while some is sold to counties ant
other material is useless. Since We
pay only the freight on the materia
we receive l believe that the trans
action is good thing for u.s."
Material on Hand
The auditors report shows % gov
eminent cars on hand having an es
timated value of $2,307.S6; four gov
eminent tractors estimated at 1892.
So: one lotion road roller, $4,000
and 80 government trucks, $7,793. 81
re hu'rHIOfS VI equipment wa
taken by the 10th legislative assem-
bly, this year.
1T is impossible to arrive at tn
cost price or any actual value o
these items at this time from tn
records and the amount set up il
the statements Is Conservative es
innate OF the present value" tn
auditors report declares.
Ten government cars and truck
were sold for 1920 and II govern
ment tractors were sold for 81 $50.
The inventory of the miscellane
.ous government equipment, beside
automobile equipment, fills 48 page
IF the reDOft