Board of Supervisors 1883 (Part Four)

The Cortland News, Friday, December 28, 1883.

Board of Supervisors.

TWENTY-SECOND DAY—DEC. 12.

   Mr. Greene was authorized to add one-fourth acre of land, owned by Chas. P. McVean and valued at $150, to the assessment-roll of Willett, the same having been omitted in copying the roll.

   Mr. George Murray, the Superintendent of the Poor, reported that the whole number of paupers relieved or supported during the year was 359, all county paupers; temporarily relieved, 224; at an expense of $10,854.53, divided as follows: For supplies, $5,993.57; keepers, etc., salaries, $1,500; medicine and attendance, $292.76; repairs, $575.70; royalty on driven wells, $90; temporary relief, $1,960.38; overseers, $348.94; justices and others, $48.46; transportation of paupers, $14.72; burial of soldiers, $30. Estimated amount of wages earned by and used in support of paupers was $500, which, deducted from expense, leaves $7,952.03 actual expense. Number of inmates Dec. 1, 1882, was 94; relieved during the year, 45; dismissed, 30; died, 13; leaving 96 Dec.1,1883. Number of inmates in asylum Dec. 1, 1882, was 30; admitted during the year, 5; dismissed, 7; number Dec. 1, 1883, 28. Number of insane not confined in asylum, 17; in all, 45. There are 9 idiotic, 2 blind, 9 epileptic and 1 under 16 years of age. Of the 139 in the asylum some time in the year, 113 were born in the United States, 1 in England, 16 in Ireland, 1 in Scotland, 1 in Germany, 3 in Italy, 1 in Switzerland, 1 in Prussia, 1 in Canada. Of the children provided for by the county, 3 are at St. Vincent's Asylum and 8 at the Orphan Asylum, both at Syracuse. Mr. Murray accompanied the report with extended remarks on the financial needs of the poor.

   The committee on building and repairs appointed by the Board of 1881, reported at the last session a balance of $68.06 in hand, which has since been paid to J. J. Murray for eave troughs. Also that $1,085 had been paid for a heating apparatus for the asylum, in accordance with instructions of the Board of 1882.

TWENTY-THIRD DAY—DEC. 13.

   Board visited the Normal School, in accordance with the invitation of Dr. Hoose.

   A bill of S. D. Freer for coal for Supervisors' room $15, and for court-house $40, was ordered paid.

   The committee to settle with Superintendent of the Poor reported that the expenses for maintaining the poor for the year ending Nov. 25, 1883, were $10,855.03; that the appropriation of 1882 of $5,000, with the fines, etc., of $1,398.05, left an indebtedness of $4,456.98, which, added to the deficiency of $126.92 in 1882, made the present indebtedness $4,683.90,

   The District-Attorney and County Treasurer were authorized to occupy the rooms of the third story of the building except when needed by the Supervisors.

   The District-Attorney was authorized to purchase the 7th edition of the Revised Statutes, and to draw upon the County Treasurer for the pay for the same.

   Palmer & Louck's bill of $60.90, for painting the Clerk's building, was audited and ordered paid.

TWENTY-FOURTH DAY—DEC. 14.

   The collectors of the several towns were allowed until the 15th of February to settle with the County Treasurer.

   The Sheriff was allowed 50 cents per day for the board of paupers, prisoners, etc.

   The Clerk of the Board was allowed $125 for his services.

   The County Judge-elect was authorized to purchase a book-case for the use of the Surrogate's office, and the Clerk to draw an order for the same on the Treasurer.

   A resolution that in case the appropriation made to the several public institutions should not be sufficient to meet their expenses for the current year, the County Treasurer be authorized to use any funds remaining in his hands and not otherwise appropriated, or in case there is no such fund, to borrow on the credit of the county enough to meet such demands, was adopted.

   A resolution was adopted requiring all persons performing work or labor, or furnishing supplies for or on account of the County, to furnish with their accounts, when presented for audit, the original order in writing from the person authorizing the work or ordering the supplies, or a receipt from the person ordering that the supplies have been furnished, and declaring that no bill for work done or supplies furnished shall be audited by the Board of Supervisors unless accompanied by such written order or receipt, and instructing the Clerk of this Board to notify the several town and county officers of the passage of this resolution.

   The thanks of the Board were extended to Prof. James H. Hoose and his assistants for the courtesy extended to them on the occasion of their visit to the Normal School.

   A preamble stating that the Cortland Democrat, Cortland NEWS and Marathon Independent had been designated to publish the town and county audits at fifteen dollars each, was followed by a resolution that the Otselic Valley Register, McGrawville Sentinel, Homer Republican and Cortland Standard be authorized to publish the same at the same rate as the above, which was lost.

   W. W. Wood and R. B. Smith were appointed a committee to inquire and report descriptive design for bead-stone to be set at the head of the graves of soldiers, sailors and marines, and to report the same day.

   The thanks of the Board were tendered to M. A. Rice for the efficient manner in which he has discharged the duties of janitor, and for the gentlemanly and courteous attention showed the respective members of the Board.

   The general thanks of the Board were rendered to George Murray, Superintendent of the Poor, for the tender and faithful care of the unfortunate….

   The Clerk was authorized to draw out an order for M. A. Rice for $50, payable out of the money appropriated to pay Supervisors and their Clerk, for his services as janitor during the present session of the Board.

   The Clerk was authorized to draw an order on the Treasurer for $10.75, to pay for stamps, stationery and telegraphing used by the Board.

   The committee to whom was submitted the matter of designating a suitable head-stone to be erected over the graves of deceased soldiers, sailors or marines, recommended a plain marble slab, three inches thick, sixteen inches wide, thirty inches high, with oval top, and set in a base stone composed of limestone cut to twenty-two inches long, eight inches high and twelve inches wide, with a beveled top to shed the water. Said slab to have engraved upon it the name of the soldier, sailor or marine, together with the branch of the service to which he belonged, and the company and regiment.

   The bill of Bushby & Robinson, of $9.97, for stationery furnished the Board, was ordered paid.

   The thanks of the Board were tendered to H. D. Waters, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, for his gentlemanly deportment, and the tact and ability with which he has conducted the business pertaining to his office.

   The thanks of the Board were tendered to Willson Greene for the kindness, impartiality and uniform courtesy manifested by him toward each member of this Board, and for the faithful discharge of his duties as chairman.

   A rising vote was unanimously taken on the resolution, to which Mr. Greene responded substantially as follows:

Gentlemen of the Board of Supervisors:

   In response to the very complimentary resolution, with sentiments so kindly expressed, and which you have been pleased to adopt in my behalf, together with the feeling remarks made by you upon this occasion, I must say that if I have in any way merited them, I feel that it is largely due to the able assistance so cheerfully and so frequently rendered by yourselves and our courteous and efficient clerk, whose extended experience and great familiarity with the duties of Supervisors have placed a fund at our disposal free to all, for all of which and much more I tender to each and all of you my heartfelt gratitude and best wishes for your future health, happiness and prosperity.
[CC Editor's note: All numbers copied as printed in The Cortland News. Supervisors established a work rule of two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon for their session deliberations.]

Item.

   UTICA, N. Y., Dec. 21 — Six hundred employes of the West Shore road were discharged at Buffalo yesterday, and between 1,100 and 1,200 near Syracuse on the Western division. 'The officers here give as a cause their inability to work in the winter, the severe freezing weather and six inches of snow along the road. The pay car passed through Utica yesterday, direct to Syracuse, to pay the men discharged, and will return and pay this division next week.

 Item.

   The storm of Saturday and Sunday was very severe in many parts of the country, while the cold was intense, the mercury falling from ten to twenty-five degrees below zero.

New York State Teachers’ Association.

To School Commissioners, City Superintendents of Schools, and Presidents of County Teachers' Associations:

   At the last meeting of the State Teachers Association, held at Lake George July 5-7, 1883, on motion of Commissioner C. E. Surdam, the following resolution was adopted:

   Resolved, "That the Corresponding Secretary of this State Association correspond with the several county associations of the State, and urge them to send delegates to the State Association, to be held in Elmira next July."

   In obedience to this, the Executive Committee of the State Association, at a meeting held in Albany Dec. 1,1883, unanimously adopted the following additional resolution:

   Resolved, "That this circular be issued by the Corresponding Secretary, asking your co-operation toward making the meeting of the N. Y. S. T. A., to be held in the city of Elmira in July, 1884, a strong, representative body, by urging your county, district or city association to appoint delegates to attend the same; also, to request as many of your teachers to attend as possible, whether you have an organized association or not."

   Ample arrangements will be made for those in attendance, and every effort will be used to make this session both interesting and profitable. This appeal is made to you, knowing that you have a common interest with us in the work of the association and believing that your influence, with the opportunities you have of bringing this matter before your teachers locally, will very materially aid in [promoting] the progress and improvement of the school system of the Empire State, and result in making the coming Elmira meeting a practical success.

Your obedient servants,

C. T. BARNES, Pres't.

PETER E. TARPEY, Cor. Sec,

Cold Spring, Putnam Co., N. Y.