The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-08-28


vesiigaiion of the charges
in articles written by Paul
Marks. attorney for the Over
seas Road and Toll Bridge
District board. recently APP
pearing in The Citizen:
In response TO much inquiry on
the subject of the affairs of the
Overseas Road and Toll Bridge
District, especially in regard to
j the two articles printed in The
Citizen on dates of August 18 and
III, as prepared and signed by the
attorney Tor the District, Paul
Marks, The Citizen admits to its
columns an independent inveSti-
! cation of many of the accusations
| brought out in the articles.
/ At the outset, it is worthy OF
note that all should know that
the records of the District are
open to inspection. Amy person
/ or group that desires any official
knowledge concerning operation
tof the bridges will find ready CO.
operation from the staff of the
General Managers office, even to
delving into financial and letter
files of the District. The findings
tof the investigation are presented
herewith with this feature stress
ed: Only official confirmation or
/ the opposite of charges made was
sought No personal opinions
were to be discussed, nor will
Esuch appear in the following.
/ Ever since the 4th day of Janu-
airy, 1897, at which time check
number one to the amount OF
/ $500, 900 was made out to the
FEC. Railway Company, signed
by B. M. Duncan and b. d. Trev-
sor, general manager and chair
man of the board, respectively,
/ there has been constant call to
! stand inspection" of records and
acts of the District by various
agencies, and in response to va
rious and asserted charges from
either one person or a group,
seeking no one knows just what
! The first inspection was made by
the PWA, shortly following the
! above date, and after the office
had written but six checks and
the total record file amounted to
La batch OF correspondence and
other matter that one could carry
under ones arm.
/ Check, double check, triple
check has been, according to
records readily available. the
going thing in regard to every
thing that has transpired in the
| District. And yet, it is stated
that the District needs to be inves-
tigated. II will be seen, however
THAT in view of the close scrutiny
placed on the affairs of the Dis
trict and the manner in which all
business is transacted, that every
thing is in perfect order. The
records show that and the fol-
lowing will further bear the
statement out.
The manner in which all vouch-
ers are drawn proved interesting
A copy of each voucher, as drawn
is sent to Mr.. w. ". Knott, state
treasurer and treasurer ex-officio
iof the District, and one to George
M Nixon, auditor of the PWA,
who was headquartered in the
Post Office building in this city
up to six months ago.
Mr. Nixon made periodic
checks and audits of the District
i as the records show. final check
(although there will be more as
times goes on) being made q
short three weeks ago when Mr.
Nixon was here from the head
office in Atlanta.
On July 10, 1887, the following
| resolution appears in the minutes
of the Board:
| Resolved, that the firm 81
Abess and Costar, certified pub
lie accountants. be employed to
make complete audit of the
operations, both financial and
otherwise, of all the affairs and
business of the Overseas Road
land Toll Bridge District from its
inception to the present date and
that said firm be instructed to
advise this committee of its max
imum price as soon as possible,
preferably at the meeting Of this
committee this evening"
/ At the evening meeting, ssme
ldate. the minutes show that. on
motion of commissioner Boyden,
the audit be made at the firms
price of S350.00, plus travelling
expense. Commissioner AIbury