Newspaper Page Text
March 29, No Warrant —Hoard Engineer Koch 2.00
March 31, Warrant No. 43—J. M. Garrison, pork 10.00
March 31, Warrant No. 45—Rope, convicts 31.35
April 2, Warrant No. 46—J. H. Brown, guard 60.00
April 2, Warrant No. 47—Parker & Martin 33.45
April 3, Warrant No. 48—I’. M. Wood, guard 30.00
April 5, Warrant No. 54 —M. L. Shubert, guard 25.00
April 9, Warrant No. 60—Talmadge Bros., supplies 205.33
April 12, Warrant No. 73—Garnett Hill, dogs 22.50
April, No Warrant—Wood 1.00
April 19, Warrant No. 91—Hill & Brown, supplies 58.29
April 23, Warrant No. 94—Garrison & Sons, supplies. 49.21
April 30, Warrant No. 99—Van Faulkner 3.00
May 5, Warrant No. 106—G. C. Mason & Cos 4.85
May 5, Warrant No. 107—Koch, engineer 15.48
May 7, Warrant No. Ill—Saul & Cos., blankets 7.80
May 22, Warrant No. 123—Alonzo Thompson, hay 22.60
May 30, Warrant No. 126—P. M. Wood, guard 28.00
June 5, Warrant No. 128—M. L. Shubert, guard 25.00
June 13, Warrant No. 135—L. C. Ferguson, shop wood 4.10
June 25, Warrant No. 138—C. V. Hill, guard _ 28.40
June 26. Warrant No. 139—Hill & Brown, supplies 32.20
June 27, Warrant No. 143—M. L. Shubert, guard. 16.60
May 12, Warrant No. 143—F. M. Henderson, warden 143.32
May 12, Warrant No. 119—Henderson & Hill, reward 100.00
May 13, Warrant No. 120—M. L. Shubert, guard- 25.00
May. Warrant No. 118—John Turner, beef 5.53
May, Warrant No. 144—Frellie Hill, stationery 2.00
July 5, Warrant No. 149—N. L. Rucker, guard 25.00
July 24, Warrant No. 166—L. C. Ferguson 16.95
August 1, Warrant No. 171—John Turner - 6.66
August 1, Warrant No. 172—Clarence Pruitt, guard _ 31.00
August 1. Warrant No. 173—N. L. Rucker 50.00
total $2683.06
SUPPLIES BOUGHT AND NOT PAID FOR.
1913
From April 17 to August 1, Hill & Brown $ 290.00
Talmadge Bros. & Cos 416.00
S. S. Carter _ 1428.10
Total $2134.10
This does not include cost of piping put in road, nor the
$500.00 borrowed from S. S. Carter.
These figures are taken from the records and vouchers oi
Judge Hill's office and can be easily verified. Since January 1 to
August 1, according to statements made by Wardens Henderson
and Brown, the convicts have been used in working on the county
farm about five or six days; and on work on bridges, according to
statement of Judge Hill, as follows, viz.:
Saville bridge, 1 day with teams and 20 hands.
Furr bridge, 5 days with teams and hands.
Holbrook bridge, 3 days with teams and hands.
Cheek bridge, 1 1-2 days with teams and hands.
We visited the convict camp and found sixteen convicts and
sixteen mules. The equipment of the camp seemed to be in bad
c mdition and all the tools, wagons, etc., badly worn and not prop
erly taken care of. We are informed that the toots and imple
ments belonging to the county are scattered over the county and
exposed to the weather, and the authorities are negligent in
taking care of them. We recommend that the Ordinary be re
quired to get a suitable record and at once list all county property;
to keep in this record a complete statement of all property bought
for the county, of all property sold and to whom sold. This record
should be so kept that there can be no doubt of what disposition
is made of the county property.
We have examined the records of the Ordinary’s office; the
records of bonds of all county officers seem to be amply and sulli
ciently kept. We find the bond of J. T. Brock, L. C., for 1580th
district recorded twice. We find the record of marriage licenses
not properly indexed. We find three or four important records in
the Ordinary’s office that binding has come off, and we recommend
that the Ordinary have them rebound and if necessary to preserve
the records the same be transcribed to another book, as these
books are very valuable to the county and the citizens thereof, as
the title of property in many instances would be seriously effected
if not defaced by the destroying of these records.
We recommend Hurt the tax levy be made according to law as
required in section 513; that in making this levy that the Ordinary
designate for what purpose each amount is levied and the fundi
be kept separate by the Treasurer for each purpose enumerated
in the above section; that in issuing county warrants each war
rant state the fund drawn on and that the Treasurer pay no war
rant that does not specifically state for what purpose drawn and
out of what fund said warrant shall be paid. We call your atten
tion to Voucher No. 76:5, paying to Owega Bridge Company
$600.00, paid April 1, 1910, on Rylee bridge. We are informed
that the original cost of this bridge was $1,800.00. Attorneys for
creditors now hold claims for $1,860.00 and accrued interest as
shown on Exhibit A. Judge Perkins informs us tnat there is a
balance due on this bridge of $600.00 only. We find that the
newspaper files are not being kept in the Ordinary’s office as re
quired by law. We find at the March term of court, 1913, the sum
of $91.50 was paid to thirteen riding bailiffs, in addition to the
regular court bailiffs, who were paid $32.00, making a total of
$123.50. In our opinion this is an extravagant expenditure of the
county funds. We refer you to Vouchers Nos. 2,3, 4,5, 6,7, 9,
36, 55 et al. We recommend that Ordinary discontinue the prac
tice of paying these bailiffs promiscuously and the sheriff draw
one voucher and pay these bailiffs as required by law.
We find the following property in the hands of Ordinary T.
F. Hill:
Two cars, 22 bunks and bedding, 10 chairs, 1 cook stove, 1 table
and cupboard, 2 large tents, 2 small tents, 4 heating stoves, 1
square, 1 brace and 6 bits, 2 hammers, 3 shotguns, 1 pistol, 2 pair
handcuffs, 3 two-horse wagons, 1 one-horse wagon, 1 dinner
wagon, 1 buggy and harness, 2 road machines, 5 wheelers in run
ning shape, 3 out of order, 3 truning plows, 1 gravel plow, 8
double-trees, 8 breast yokes, 2 log chains, 2 pair stretchers, 6 sin
gle-trees, 1 grind stone, 1 mail box and lock, 1 set of blacksmith
tools, consisting of anvil, tongs, hammer, drawing knives, chisels',
forge and vice, 50 pounds nails, 2 wheelbarrows, 2 tape lines, 8
bunches of fuse, 300 dynamite caps, 16 mules, bridle and harness
for same, 15 picks, 12 shovels. 4 mattocks, 3 wrenches, 1 oil tank,
1 five-gallon oil can, 6 axes, 1 night lock, one-half interest in 1 sow
and 8 pigs.
County farm known as the Hardy place, 105 acres, winter
BANKS COUNTY JOURNAL HOMER, GA.. OCTOBER 2 1913
camp for convicts, 8 1-2 acres.
We find the convict equipment in bad condition and we are
satisfied if put on the market at this time would not bring 40 per
cent of the original cost.
At the time Judge Perkins assumed office the bridges were in
bad condition. He has built a few good bridges, but the county
bridges as a whole are in a deplorable condition. Of the amount
of taxes due the county for 1912, $18,632.16, we find the sum of
$7,072.84 was collected and turned over to the Treasurer before
Judge Perkins’ retirement from office; that the sum of $11,000.00
has been collected and turned over to the Treasurer since Judge
Hill assumed office, leaving a balance of $559.32 insolvent tax not
on digest and errors.
SHERIFF’S OFFICE.
P. M. HENDERSON, SHERIFF.
Marion Henderson, while Sheriff, was known far and wide as
a terror to evil doers. We find the books and records in fairly
good shape and very well kept, and all fees seeming to be regular
and right.
SHERIFF HARDEN.
We find the present incumbent not keepting the records of
his office as required by section 4914 of the code, 1910-11. Upon
calling his attention to these oversights, he proceeded at once to
make such entries in the various records of hiS office, as he could
make in so brief a time.
We find that in the Sheriff’s office that the former Sheriff's
since the county was organized have not kept files of all newspa
pers in which their advertisements appeared. From the non-per
formance of official duty by various officers the county has, at
various times, been put to hundreds of dollars of needless expense.
We cite the case of Oscar Brown vs. S. S. Carter. We recommend
that in the future these records be more correctly kept for eco
nomical reasons.
CLERK’S OFFICE.
MEEKS' ADMINISTRATION.
We find that in the various departments of the work in the
Clerk’s office that many of the acts and doings of former Clerk
Meeks during his ten years in office to be commended.
We direct special attention to the dir.ect and reverse index
to deed records from 1859 to 1886. This was a valuable piece of
work and a great time-saver.
The re-tracing of the recorded deeds in the records where the
ink was fast fading out. This was very thoughtful and an abso
lute necessity.
The purchase of an index to mortgage records, a Dower rec
ord, a Dead Docket, and an Insolvent Cost Docket. Also steel
roller shelving, metal filing cabinet, the cabinet recently added for
filing court papers and rendering them immediately accessible at
all times, it requiring only a moment to deliver papers when called
for.
Also an extra cabinet for legal blanks. We commend him
for having the newspaper files of his office bound in volumes as re
quired by law. We lay particular stress upon the importance of
this work. We approve the general systematic manner in which
the books and papers were kept, and the general manner in which
the office was kept.
We wish to say that the books and records of former Clerk
Meeks were examined by Messrs. Moss and Garrison of your com
mittee in the absence of Committeeman Meeks, we feeling that this
would be just to the citizens as well as Mr. Meeks himself.
CLERK’S OFFICE.
('. W. GILLESPIE, CLERK.
We find the books of the Clerk’s office in a very good condition
and neatly and correctly kept. We find that some index pages to
the General Execution Docket have been exhausted, and carried
from page to page, and now in some instances loose pages of legal
cap paper are used as index pages. We deem this/nethod unwise
and poor economy and not to the best interests of the county in the
future for the reasons that these sheets may become lost or mis
placed.
In our opinion the present Clerk and his predecessor are and
were too economical on this line. We suggest the purchase of a
new General Execution Docket, with a direct and reverse index,
and with an extra number of index pages.
We find that the new Clerk has purchased a typewriter at his
own expense for the use and convenience of his office. We also
find he is using some loose leaf mortgage records. We commend
him for this practice, believing that the use of same to be busi
ness-like and economical. We suggest that the new Clerk con
tinue to have the newspaper files of his office bound in volumes as
required by law.
We find that there is no way of keeping the Georgia Reports
from being lost, there now being a shortage of thirteen volumes.
At a small cost these books could be kept under lock and key and
the county would not have, every few years, to supply such short
age.
TAX COLLECTOR’S REPORT.
N. Z. CHANDLER, T. C.
Report of Tax Collector to special committee August 7, 1913,
for the year 1912:
Amount of tax, white and colored $16351.06
Amount of tax, railroad, telegraph and telephone 2015.00
Amount of tax, not on digest 266.10
Total $18632.16
Paid Treasurer . $17500.00
Paid Tax Collector’s commission 437.50
Paid Tax Receiver’s commission 214.00
Errors on digest 165.60
$18317.10
Balance of insolvent tax and whatever is
due T. C. for commission after insolv
ent tax list is completed 315.06
Total $18632.16 $18632.16
N. Z. CHANDLER, T. C.
Sworn, to and subscribed before me, this 6th day of August,
1913. R.C. MOSS, J. P.
While the old registration law has been repealed, we cannot
but call attenion to the sweeping illegal registration of the voters
of Banks county last year. There does not appear a legal regis
tered voter as shown by the registration book now on file in the
Ordinary’s office. There were many citizens in various districts
denied the privilege on account of careless registration. We urge
in the future that the first or Christian name be spelled out; that
the voter himself write his name, if he so can; that the name be
legibly written or full explanation given by Tax Collector when
in doubt or illegibly written; and that great caution be used in
locating the residence and district of the voter. If all these cau
tions are practiced there will not be so many citizens deprived of
voting.
We recommend that none but well qualified and thoroughly
competent men be appointed as registrars.
We find no list of insolvent tax payers in the Ordinary’s of
fice.
TAX RECEIVER.
H. J. BLACKWELL.
We find our Tax Receiver to be a diligent officer and his
books seem to be neatly and correctly kept, with the exception
that the law requires the first given name of each tax payer to be
written out in full when making their tax returns. We suggest
that the first given name of each and every tax payer be recorded
in the tax books of the Tax Receiver.
We notice that for the year 1912 there were returned for
taxes 116,690 acres of land, valued at $796,955.00 or a valuation
of $6.82 per acre. In the year 1913 the acreage increased and the
value decreased, there being returned this year 118,150 acres at a
valuation of $733,392.00, or a value of $6.12 per acre.
There was a gain of 1,460 acres over last year, but a decrease
of $62,563.00 on land values alone.
We further find the aggregate value of all property returned
in 1912 to be $1,421,832.00; for 1913 $1,278,692.00, or a loss of
$152,140.00.
We notified the Tax Receiver to appear before your committee
and he failed to appear.
COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT.
G. G. STRANGE.
We find the work of Superintendent Strange “well done.”
We find the papers and books of the office well kept, a proper ac
counting for all money received by him, and proper vouchers for
all money paid out.
The books and papers were recently examined and O. lv’d. by
the state auditor, who pronounced them correct to a cent, and his
work complimented as being nearer to neatness and accuracy than
that of many other Superintendents.
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT J. T. WISE.
We find the books of School Superintendent J. T. Wise neatly
and correctly kept, and proper vouchers for all money paid out.
LIABILITIES.
Amount due by Board of Education for borrowed money on May
7, 1912, when J. T. Wise assumed duties of office:
One note due D. W. Garrison for r $ 1000.00
One note due Cornelia Bank 4000.00
Overdraft Cornelia Bank 273.25
Total $ 6273.25
RESOURCES.
Oct. 14, 1912, borrowed from Old National Bank $ 4000.00
July 10, 1912, borrowed from Cornelia Bank 350.00
Received from State Treasurer from Nov. 2, 1912, to
Feb. 24, 1913 9970.79
Feb. 4, 1913, borrowed from Cornelia Bank J -_ 610.40
Apr. 5, 1913, borrowed from Cornelia Bank 4500.00
Total $19431.19
DISBURSEMENTS OF SUPERINTENDENT WISE.
For new buildings $ 241.93
Interest on borrowed money 394.75
Stamps and stationery 30.25
Cash book 4.10
Superintendent’s expenses to conventions, 1912-1913 23.30
Superintendent’s salary, 7 4-5 months 461.00
Superintendent’s salaiy, 6 months 360.00
Paid Boys’ Corn Club -- 100.00
Per diem Board of Education, 1912 56.00
Per diem Board of Education, 1913
Paid loans
Paid teachers’ salaries 11353.47
Paid school census enumerators 135.10
Itepair Hollingsworth school building 210.52
Interest on loans 270.00
Total disbursements $19050.42
Net cash in Cornelia Bank 380.77
Grand total $19431.19
PRESENT LIABILITIES, AUGUST 6TH.
Borrowed money from Cornelia Bank $ 5110.40
Due teachers, approximately • 2500.00
0 ■— ■ - ■—
Total $ 7610.40
Georgia, Banks County:
Personally appeared before me, an officer duly authorized to
administer oaths, J. T. Wise, who on oath says the above statement
is correct to the best of his knowledge and belief.
J. T. WISE, C. S. C.
Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 6th day of August,
1913. R. C. MOSS, J. P.
We believe that some of the school districts are being dis
criminated against in the payment of teachers’ salaries, repairing
and building of school houses, etc. We recommend that in the
future the Board of Education first deduct from the entire school
fund due the county all expense necessary for maintaining the
school system in the county, such as per diem for Board, Super
intendent’s salary, etc., then divide the funds according to the
school population of each school district; and that the trustees of
each school district be authorized to employ their teachers on this
kind of a basis. In this way the funds will be properly equalized
and each district can meet its own expense of building and repair
ing, etc.
ROAD OVERSEERS.
We find the roads in some of the districts in an almost impass
able condition, some of the road overseers incompetent and negli
gent, the money for road purposes being wasted and extravagantly
used. If the present system is continued that many of the roads in
the tipper districts of the county will be in such condition that they
cannot be used. We therefore suggest that it is absolutely neces
sary that steps be taken at once to do away with the alternative
road system now in operation in this county and a return to the
old plan of working the roads.
We find from examining vouchers in the Ordinary’s office
that J. R. Rylee, A. C. Langford and A. J. Cash served three days
each as a special committee to examine the road overseers’ books.
That Messrs .Rylee and Langford were paid six dollars each for
their services while Mr. Cash was paid only three for the same