Friday, September 18, 2015

SUPERVISORS' PROCEEDINGS OF 1890, DAYS 4 THROUGH 9



The Cortland Democrat, Friday, November 21, 1890.

Supervisors' Proceedings.
FOURTH DAY, NOV. 13.
   After the usual opening routine of the session a communication was read by the clerk from Geo. H. Bort, of Swartwood, petitioning the Board to exempt him from paying taxes on a farm of 102 acres of land situated in the town of Harford. The petitioner states that he is a minister of the gospel and pastor of a large circuit. On motion of Mr. Hobart, the petition was referred to committee on erroneous assessments.
   On motion of Mr. Holton:
   Resolved, That the supervisors of each town be authorized to add to the tax of any person or property of his town, the highway taxes on the same property returned to him by the overseers as unworked and not commuted according to law.
   Mr. Holton also offered the following:
   Resolved, That all excise or license moneys and money received for fines now in the hands of the county treasurer or to come into his hands, be appropriated to the support of the poor.
   As an amendment to the above Mr. Hubbard offered the following:
   Resolved, That said moneys be credited by the county treasurer to the town from which it was received.
   The amendment was voted down and the original motion carried.
   Several petitions for bills that had failed to be presented to different town boards for audit were read and deferred to Friday as a special order of business.
   On motion of Mr. Holton:
   Resolved, That the abstracts of accounts audited by the various town boards be furnished to the clerk of this board on or before Tuesday morning next.
   On motion of Mr. Pierce:
   Revolved, That all bills for supervisors' supplies presented to this board for audit must be accompanied by the order of the clerk of this board for the same.
   Mr. Pierce offered the following:
   WHEREAS, It has been the custom of the Superintendent of the Poor of this county in the past years to prepare an annual dinner at the county house for the members of prior Boards of Supervisors, at which time an inspection of the county house was made by the members of said Boards,
   Resolved, That the chairman of this Board appoint a committee of three—to consist of Edmonds, Parker and Childs—to inspect said County House and the Insane Asylum connected therewith and report to this Board their condition.
   Resolved, That the clerk of this Board be directed to communicate to the Superintendent of the Poor that it is the sense of this Board that said dinner be dispensed with. [The local press had charged the Board of Supervisors with freeloading at the County Alms House—CC editor.]
   The following was offered by Mr. Howes:
   Resolved, That said resolutions be laid on the table until this Board has an invitation.
   The members of the Board representing the Democratic party presented the following designation, in writing, of a paper to publish the session laws and on motion of Mr. Martin the same was received and placed on file:
   We the undersigned Democratic members of the Board of Supervisors of Cortland county, do hereby in accordance with Chap. 515, Laws of 1886, designate the Cortland DEMOCRAT published by Benton B. Jones of Cortland, as the paper fairly representing the Democratic party, to publish the Session Laws for the ensuing year. Dated, Cortland, N. Y., Nov. 12, 1890.
   The members of the Board representing the Republican party presented the following designation, in writing, of a paper to publish the Session Laws and on motion of Mr. Bennett the same was received and placed on file:
   We, the undersigned Republican members of the Board of Supervisors of Cortland county, do hereby in accordance with Chap. 515, Laws of 1886, designate the Homer Republican published by Messrs. Stevens & Danes, of Homer, N. Y., as the paper fairly representing the Republican party, to publish the Session Laws for the ensuing year. Dated, Cortland, N. Y., Nov. 12, 1890.
   The report of ex-Judge and Surrogate, S. S. Knox, from November 15, 1889, to December 31, 1889, was read showing that $8.70 had been collected and turned over to his successor, Hon. Joseph E. Egglesion; on motion of Mr. Howes the report was received and referred to the proper committee.
   The report of J. E. Eggleston, as Surrogate, was read showing a total of $84.90 fees collected from January 1, 1890, to November 10, 1890, including the $8.70 from the hands of his predecessor.
FIFTH DAY, NOV. 14.
   The usual order of opening the day's session having been listened to and acted upon, the clerk read the following petition from assessors J. K. Greenwood and I. W. Brown, of Cortlandville, stating that as such assessors they had made erroneous assessments of $3,960, $3,300, $1,980, $264, $330 and $130 respectively upon stock of the First National Bank of Cortland, N. Y., against Samuel Keator, Esther K. Porter, Mary Keator, Samuel Freeman, T. H. Wickwire and C. F. Wickwire.
   On motion of Mr. Bennett:
   Resolved, That the sum of $25 be paid to the W. C. T. U. of Homer, for the purpose of maintaining religious services at the county alms house for the ensuing year.
   Ayes—Messrs. Dye, Hubbard, Bennett, Parker, Miner, Muller, Holton, 7.   Nays— Messrs. Howes, Martin, Edmonds, Pierce, Hobart, Childs. Kelley, Greene, 8. Lost.
   On Motion of Mr. Holton:
   Resolved. That sealed proposals be received by the Clerk of this Board for the printing of 8,000 copies of the proceedings of this Board in pamphlet form, the same as to quality of paper as the book of 1889. The type used shall not be larger than bourgeois with six to pica leads between the lines. All resolutions, communications, petitions, tables, reports of committees and public officers, town and county officers to be set in nonpareil type solid, slugs used between paragraphs not thicker than nonpareil. Equalized valuation table to be counted not more than six pages, and the official canvass to be counted not more than four pages, and all other tables to be counted as one page. Said pamphlets to be completed and delivered to the Clerk of this board, at the Supervisors' rooms in Cortland, on or before the first day of February next and in case the said books are not ready at the time specified there shall be a discount of 25 per cent, made from the contract price. The proposals to be opened by the Clerk, on Tuesday morning next, at the close of the regular order of business, and that the Clerk notify each of the printing offices in this county of the action of this Board. Said books to be distributed as follows: 1,200 copies divided equally between the several towns, and the balance according to the grand jury list.
   A resolution was offered by Mr. Kelley fixing the compensation of the sheriff for board of prisoners for the ensuing year at 45 cents a day and that three meals and one night's lodging constitute a day's board.
   Mr. Holton offered an amendment by fixing the compensation at 12 1/2 cents per meal furnished each prisoner. The subject was made a special order for Tuesday at 1 P. M.
   A number of petitions were read and referred to the committee on erroneous assessments, following which the several committees resumed their labors.
SIXTH DAY, NOV. 15.
   At the opening hour a quorum was found present and after reading and adopting the proceeding day's journal, the committee on jurisprudence submitted the following report, and on motion of Mr. Dye the same was received and adopted:
To the Board of Supervisors of Cortland Co.:
   Your committee on jurisprudence to whom was referred the communication of Rev. George H. Bort, claiming exemption as a minister of the Gospel on his assessment in the town of Taylor, would respectfully report that they have examined the same and all matters pertaining thereto brought to their notice and find that this Board has no jurisdiction in the matter.
O. P. MINER,
W. A. HOLTON,
A. H. BENNETT.
   On motion of Mr. Edmonds:
   Resolved, That the publishers of the newspapers designated by the Board to publish the Session Laws be allowed twenty cents per folio for such publishing for the ensuing year.
   On motion of Mr. Hobart:
   Resolved, That the Supervisor of the town of Preble be authorized to withdraw from the abstract of said town the bills of Seth Hobart, M. M. Outt, David Fox and Andrew Van Patten for meeting with the State Assessors, the same being a county charge and not a town charge.
   On motion of Mr. Miner:
   Resolved, That when this Board adjourn for the week it adjourn until Monday, November 17, 1890, at 1:30 P. M.
   On motion of Mr. Childs the above resolution was adopted.
SEVENTH DAY, NOV. 17.
   At 1:30 P. M. the Board was called to order by chairman Greene, the minutes of Saturday read, approved, and the following communications read by the clerk from the assessors of Cortlandville petitioning the honorable Board to refund to Messrs. Clark & Nourse the sum of $30.75 being the amount of tax paid by them on the assessment roll of 1889, for $1,500 personal property, said parties not owing any assessable personal property. Referred to committee on erroneous assessment on motion of Mr. Miner.
   Also from the same assessors a petition asking the Board to refund to Mrs. P. Howland the sum of $22.12 being amount of tax paid by her upon $l,000 of personal property erroneously assessed in 1889. On motion of Mr. Holton referred to the same committee as proceeding petition.
   On motion of Mr. Hobart the petition of the assessors of the town of Cortlandville asking for a correction of an error in the assessment roll of the current year: First, adding Josiah Youngs, lot 79, 3/4 acres of the value of $200; Ransford Simpson same lot, 1-16 acre $100; H. P. Goodrich lot 75, 1 1/2 acres, $2,350; Second, altering Charles Waters 2 1/5 acres valuation $400, to 2 acres, valuation $275; Third correcting assessment John Smith, lot 79, 1/2 acre, valuation $325 to Nelson Smith, same description, was referred to committee on erroneous assessment.
   On motion of Mr. Miner:
   Resolved, That the compensation of grand and petit jurors for the ensuing year be fixed at $2 per day, and traveling fees at five cents per mile going and returning.
   A few motions were next entertained relating to adding to town abstracts and changing from town to county charges, bills audited by town boards which were improperly audited. Referred.
   On motion of Mr. Childs:
   Resolved, That the Cortland Standard and the Cortland DEMOCRAT be designated to publish the official canvass, and that they each be allowed the sum of $15 therefor, and that said canvass be also published in the proceedings of this Board. Carried.
   The clerk read the report of the Loan Commissioners of the U. S. Deposit fund of Cortland county from which it appears there were $11,296 on loan. The report was received and placed in the hands of committee to settle with School and Loan Commissioners.
   On motion of Mr. Holton the rules were suspended for the purpose of allowing Mr. Muller to offer the following:
   Resolved, That this Board procure the publication of an additional 1000 copies of the proceedings of this Board.
   At 4 P. M. the Board adjourned until 9 A. M. Tuesday.
EIGHTH DAY, NOV. 18.
   The annual opening was followed by the clerk reading a few communications among which was one from the treasurer’s office of the Utica state hospital, to wit:
Clerk of Supervisors of Cortland County:
   As there is no possibility that the state will be able, for a year at least, to assume payment of county bills for the care of the insane, it will be necessary for your Board to make the usual levy and appropriation for that purpose.
   S. W. SEWARD, Treas.
   Mr. Holton offered a resolution fixing the date for the opening of the annual sessions of the Board of Supervisors of this county on Wednesday of the week following the general election, at 9 A. M. Mr. Bennett moved the matter be made a special order for Wednesday morning.
   On motion of Mr. Kelley, the bond of the county treasurer-elect was fixed at same sum, with two or more sureties, as that of his predecessor, and that the bond be filed in the County Clerk's office after approval by the Board.
   Mr. Howes offered the following:
   Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Board that it is the duty of town assessors to properly assess the property in their respective towns, and that it made a rule for future Boards of Supervisors of this county, that all matters pertaining to erroneous assessments and refunding be presented during the first three days of each session and the clerk be instructed to give due notice by publication.
   Mr. Edmonds resolution of Friday relating to town abstracts and indebtedness was brought up and on motion of Mr. Hubbard adopted.
   The clerk read the report of District Attorney Horace L. Bronson, showing that since Jan. 1, 1890, and the date of his last report that there had been no fines or recoveries collected arising from proceedings in the courts of record of this county. That his necessary expenses, as such district attorney, during the said period amounts to $331.79. That no suits or actions of any name or nature had been brought by him during said period covered by this report. Received and placed on file. Dated, November 5, 1890.
   Coroner William J. Moore's report was also read together with the copies of inquisition taken by him as such county officer during the past year. Ordered placed on file upon motion of Mr. Hobart.
   The resolution offered by Mr. Kelley on the 14th inst, fixing the compensation of  sheriff for board and lodging prisoners at 45 cents per day was called up at 2 P. M. under special order of business. The chair put the question to vote. Ayes.—Messrs. Martin, Parker, Pierce, Miner, Muller, Holton, 7. Nays.—Messrs. Dye, Hubbard, Howes, Edmonds, Bennett, Hobart, Childs, Kelley, 8.
   Mr. Hobart was then called to the chair, and Mr. Pierce offered:
   Resolved, That the sheriff's compensation for the board of prisoners for the ensuing year be hereby fixed at 40 cents a day, and that three meals and one lodging constitute a day's board. The ayes came from all members of the Board. Mr. Chairman then put the question of passing the resolution as amended and it was deemed in the affirmative.
   Permission was granted Mr. T. Mason Loring and Mr. A. D. Blodgett to hold the next meeting of the Farmer's Institute at the Court House, upon motion of Mr. Bennett.
NINTH DAY, NOV. 19.
   After the preliminaries attending the reassembling, Mr. Hobart offered the following:
   Resolved, That Henry T. Dana, M. D., be and hereby is appointed jail physician for Cortland county for the ensuing year.
   On motion of Mr. Hubbard:
   Resolved, That the sheriff in presenting his bill to the Board of Supervisors for the board of prisoners for the ensuing year, shall itemize his charges whenever prisoners are confined for parts of days only, as follows: Lodging 10 cents, breakfast 10 cents, dinner 10 cents, supper 10 cents.
   The resolution of Mr. Holton relating to the date of meeting of future Boards was called up and by a vote of 10 for to 4 against, adopted.
   The report of George D. Bradford, M.D., as Coroner was read and ordered filed together with the inquisition papers.
   On motion of Mr. Bennett the chairman and clerk were appointed a committee to investigate the matter of board of prisoners at penitentiaries.
   Mr. Greene submitted a report of the Town Board of Willett at a special meeting held on May 6, 1890, to raise the sum of $3,350 for the purpose of rebuilding bridges in that town, $2,800 of which should be expended for the erection of an iron bridge across the Otselic river in said town, at or near Salisbury's mills. At a meeting of the same Board held at the Town Clerk's office on the evening of November 15, 1890, it was resolved that Willson Greene as supervisor of the town of Willet be authorized to issue and negotiate bonds of the said town to the amount of $2,500 to be paid in five equal annual payments of  $500 each with interest at 4 per cent, per annum, the first to be paid on the 1st day of February, 1892, and $500 each year thereafter until the whole sum be paid.
   [The Cortland Democrat ends this report at the bottom of page four. Adjournment is not mentioned—CC editor.]
 

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