NCARLY 70 THOUSAND THEN.
SIX AND A HALF YEARS AGO BENTON
GOUNTY WAS IN THE MIRE OP i
A HEAVY DEBT. i
THE ACTUAL AMOUNT THEN WAS OVER $68,000,00.
How it was Paid In a Year and a Half Hufford Wiped Out
Nearly Thirty Thousand.
In His first Three Years Woodward Made Heavy Payments, but
Made a Big Deficit in His Last Year His Reduction tor
the Tour Years Less than Seventeen Thousand.
Benton County is out of debt. Six and a half yearB ago it owed
nearly 000. The question of what county judge paid the debt ban
been much discussed by the Corvallis Gazette, and that paper insists
that practically all the credit belongs to the administration of Judge
Woodward.
The credit, primarily, bt-longs to the taxpayers. They are the men
who put up the money with which the debt was paid. But even in this
claim that it was under Judge Wood ward's administration that the debt
was' paid, the Gazette is in fatal error. The Times would not rob Judge
... , i i t ' i c i:i ii l t: .1 tt. : .
Woodwaru or one won oicreuit iuai is uisuuc, no is a just, conscien
tious man, and as county judge gave the people his best ability, but to
set up the claim that Judge Woodward has been the Moses that deliver
ed Beaton from debt is absurd. During the whole four years of his ad
ministration, lesa than $17,000 of the debt was paid. The last year of
that administration the county debt, instead of decreasing, was actually
increased nearly $9,000. Tnese fcts have been known all along : by
many persons, -and but for the extraordinary claims set up by the Ga
xette in behalf of Judge Woodward, it is doubtful if any mention of
them would have been made in the public print. As a matter, however,
of even justice to Judge Hu flora a administration and to the present reg
ime, it id uecessary that the simple truth be told.
What Each of the Judges Paid off.
In a single year and a half. Judge Hufford did more debt . paying
than Judge Woodward did in four years. A year and a half before the
cloee of Judge Hufford' term, Bsnton county owed, $68,756. The offi
cial itcvifds show it. During that year and a half, Judge Hufford and
his commie-ioners lollert-d monej from the taxpayers and reduced the
debt to 39,680. The official report ot Cterk Moses, made on oath, after
- weeks ot investigation, chows it. It was published in last Saturday's
Times, and is appendtd to this article.
When Judge Hufford went out of office, the oounty owed $39,680.
That was the amount of the d-bt, when Judge Woodward carre into of
fice. Judge Woodward served four years and when he retired the coun
ty debt was in round numbers $22,000. It had been less in March of
the same year, just after all the taxes bad been paid in, but it increased
again and on ;he day be went out of offic, it was $22,966 90, and no
lets: In short the amount tbat Judge Woodward's administration de
crease! the county debt was $16,713 13, during the four , years. The
county records show this. The teport of the county clerk, made en oath,
shows this. v :
The amount of the debt -when County Judge Watters succeeded to
office was $22,966.90. : Mr. Watters and the excellent commissioners
who form the court, made a levy sufficient to wipe this debt out. The
taxpayers acquiesced in the levy, paid in their money, and by running
the eouijty on a smaller expenditure than it has been run for many
years, the county was lifted out of debt early in the spring, and so
remained until the first of July. TiiU ia the whole story, and all there is
of it. The Hufford administration in a year and a half paid off, about
$29,000; the Voodward administration in four years paid off lees than
$17,000, and the present administration in a year, paid off more than
122,000.
Some Errors Pointed Oat.
and many , other expensive things wee paid for. All
this piled up the debt. Thus during Huff prd's last three month
warrants were being, canceled. Ii Woodward's last three Imontbs
wuiuo was aiter ine exniDit irom wnicn tne (iazette quotes, warrants
were issued m the 6um of $13,o68.72 a id none canceled. In conee
quence, when he retired from office, Judge Woodward Itft a debt of $22
966.9o, all in outstanding warrants. He actually reduced the debt $16,'
613.13, and no more. . :'
The truth is that the laet year of Judge Woodward's administration
resulted in plunging the county nearly $9,ooo deeper in debt. This
was known byall familiar with tbe records. .Here are the facts: ' The
ou'lay for roas and bridges includiog the two mill road levy was, $11,
i on nn, .i An - i -" . , ... . .
v.o, iur oiuer purposes, qzo,40.oa; total expenditure .tor tne year
was, ipd2,o7o.5S. The tax roll for said year was $2,388,208, , the levy
was nine mills lor county purposes. The sum that it would have raised
11 all the taxe? had been collected and no rebate allowed, would have
been $21,493.87. tor county purposes. The road levy yielded a gross rev
enue of $3,629.71, making a total of possible income of $25,123.58
riven so figured allowing the court tbe benefit of complete
collection ana reoate, tne low levy would have created
a dehcit of $7,947.oo. As everybody knows the rebate for
that year was $l,&49.o2 which, without taking into account double as
sessments and uncollected taxes, swelled the actual deficit for the last
year of Judge Woodward's administration to $8,496.02 In its last issue
tbe'Gazette says, ''This much is to the credit of Judge Woodward, at
leatt. The levy for county purposes was l.i mills when he took the of
fice, and he reduced the levy gradually until it was nine mills, when he
retirea." ut course, but tbe deficit of $8,496.02, which increased the
county debt during the last sweet year is not a matter to call out the
blowing of trumpets and beating of cymbals over an alleged new Moses
in tne debt paying business. .
Printed below is the report of County Clerk Moses, made Irom the
records, and supported by his omeial oath, which confirms in all re
spects the statements that appear in the foregoing:
Report on the Financial Condition of Benton
County, Oregon
50.851 58
To the Honorable County Court of Benton County, Oregon:
Incompliance with your order of date July 1, 1903,1 submit the following r-a
port on the financial condition of Benton Oountv, Oresron. from Tanuarv 1. 1807 to
July 1, 1903, showing the outstanding indebtedness, expenses, and amount of war
rants reaeemea during eacn nscai year, since said January I, 1S97,
January 1, 1897 to June 30, 1897.
Jan 30, 1897, County Warrants outstanding '. $68,756 00
uounty warrants issued trom Jan 1 to June 30, 1097, inclusive 9.779 09
Total 78,535 09
June 1, 1897, County 'Warrants redeemed ( Jan i-June 30). 27,683 51
July 1, 1897, Total amount warrants outstanding and unpaid
July I, 1897-July 7, 1898.
Showing amount of indebtedness at end of Hufford administration and
beginning of Woodward administration. July 8, 1898.
July 1, 1897, County Warrants outstanding. . ...... ... . . . 50,851 58
juiy 7, 109a, vjounty warrants issued since July 1, 1097. , . . 20,035 5
Total . - 70,886 63
July 7, 1898, Warrants redeemed since July i,-i897. 31,266 60
July 8, 1898, County Warrants outstanding (End Hufford Adm. Inc. 39,680 03
July 8, 1 898-June 30, 1899.
July 8, 1898, County Warrants outstanding ...... i .. . . .'. 39,680 03
July I, 1899, County Warrants issued since July 8, 1898...... 21,15938
Total . 6o,8-?q 41
July 1, 1899, Warrants redeemed since July 8, 1898. 28,253 49
July 1, 1899, Total amount Warrants outstanding. :. . . . 32,585 92
July 1, 1899-July 1, 1900.
July 1, 1899, County Warrants outstanding. 32,585 92
July 1, 1900, County Warranto issued since July 1, 1899. ..'... 20.961 94
Total 53.547 6
July 1, 1900, County Warrants redeemed since July 1, 1899. 30,300 66
4S.109 59
1900 34.527 97
The Gazette claims for the Woodward administration are set forth
ia the following from that paper March 20th: . ' . .
"Thanks to the conservative, business-like administration of the
county's affairs by Judge Woodward during his term of office, Benton
county is out of debt to day. Tbe exhibit of the county's finances pub
lished in April preceding Judge Wo id ward's entrance upon tbe duties
of county judge, showed the net indebtedness of Benton county to be
$51,519.83. The financial exhibit published last April, the last state
ment of this kind preceding Judge Woodward's vacation of tbe office,
showed the net indebtedness of the county to be $4,669 78; a reduction
o$46,851.05 in the county's indebtedness during his term."
Several errors contribute to the Gazette's wrong understanding of
the facts. In the anove article the Gazette said "Ihe exhibit of the
county's finances, published in April, preceding Judge Woodward's en
trauoe upon the duties of county judge,, showed the net indebtedness. of
Bentod county to be $51,519 83." ' :
No euc.n ngures are round in tne exnioit reierrea 10. me net "in
debtedness" an shown by that exhibit is $12,281.34. It is to be under
stood that the "net indebtedness" as 'used in exhibits are the figures ar
rived at after deducting all estimated county resources from the out
etandin? warrant indebtedness. " Thus, in the exhibit referred to, the
"out standing warrant iodeh edness" was' $50,807.71. These are per
hap-" the figure the Gzet.e attempted to quote. The "net indebted
nesV' was nearly $40,000 lef-e, or $12,281.34 Had the Gazette used the
real "net indebtedness" tn the exhibit referred to, and ued the "net in
dftbtedness" again as published iu the exhibit near the close of Wood
ward's administration, it would have shown ihat that administration re
duced tbe count v debt, during the entire four years only about $8,000,
or. from $12,281.34 to$4.669. 78. As a matter of fact the exhibits in
question were made no and published three months before Judge Wood
ward went into office and three months before he retired. Many things
happen during three months. The exhibit shows that $44,195.19 of tbe
1897 tax roll was uncollected. During the last three months of the Huf
ford administration a large amount of these taxes was collected, and
the proceeds applied in the redemption of county warrants. - Enough of
the warrants were thus paid off during the last three months of the Huf
ford administration to reduce the warrant indebtedness to $39,680.o3,
which was the actual oulstandicg warrant indebtedness when Judge
Wood ward went into office. , : ,
As above ecated.'the exhibit just before Woodward went into office
showed the "net indebtedness" to be $12,281.34. The exhibit four years
later, or three months before the close of his administration shows the
"net indebtedness" to be $4,669.78. The difference is $7,611.56, and if
the Gaeette proposes to stick to the ''net indebtedness" as shown in the
exhibits, it must admit that the latter figures represent the whole of the
reduction of debt that Judge Woodward accomplished.
Big Deficit in Woodwards Last Year.
But it is not fair to Judge Woodward, nor to Judge Hufford to go
by the exhibits, because in the three months that elapsed after publica
tion of them in the. term of each, much was done.. Judge Hufford in that
three months paid off many thousands of dollars of debt on tax money
collected during the period,. In those da3's the taxes were collected later
than now. Tbe new tax law since adopted,, made people rush in with
their money to get the rebate, and in the last year of Judge Woodward's
term nearly all the taxes were paid and applied on the debt before the
financial exhibit in question was made. But little money was collected
thereafter, but many warrants were issued. -The free ferry was paid for,
10,581 62
32,070 58
42,662 20
19,685 30
July 1, 1900, County Warrants outstanding. 23,2-17
July i, 1 900-June 30, 1901, Inc.
July 1, 1900, County Warrants outstanding. ... . ; . . ; . 23,247 20
July 1. 1901, County Warrants issued July 1, 1900-Jiine 30, 1901 21 862 39
Total i.-.
July 1, 1901, County Warrants redeemed since June 30,
July 1, 1901. County warrants outstanding. . 10,581 62
July i, 1 90 1 -July 6, 1902, Inc.
Figures below show amount ofoutetandiag warrants on July 6, 1902, at end
of the Woodward administration, and beginning of the present ad
ministration. , .:
July 1, 1901. County warrants outstanding ........ J ...........
July 6, 1902, Warrants issued (July 1, 1901-July (J, 1902 both inc.)
Total....... I.............
July 6, I902, Amount of warrants redeemed since July I, 190I,
July 7, I902, Aoiout of outstanding warrants. :
July 7, 1 902-July 1, 1903.
1902, County warrants outstanding nd Woodward adm.
1903, Warrants issued since July 6, 1902 , :
Total .... .. . .. 50,44841
July 1 , 1903, Warrants redeemed since July 6, 1902 48,328 38
July 1. 1963, County warrants outstanding,. .. . .. .....V.
I find that on July 1, 1903, there was cash in hands of the county treasurer
applicable to payment of county warrants . .'. . .
July t, 1903, Cash on hands applicable to payment warrants.
July 1, 1903, County warrants outstanding and unpaid. 1 . i . .
July 1, 1903, Net resources hands of treasurer. . . . .................
The Court will see tbat the expenses of the county have increased
the past two years, and the following table will show the cause of this in
crease, I will compare the past two years with the last year of the Huf
ford administrtaion, which shows Couutv expenses as follows:
-. ftp. k-t4 ilifSo y, CL Em
Hare purchased the Studio of Mr. Philips, on Main
Street, and will be pleased to show samples of
work and quote prices to all.
Fancy Portraiture and Genre Work a Specialty.
Also Developing- and Finishing- for,tbe Trade.
: '
If
You are Having Trouble with your Eyes
1 I
I
A
1 I .- I I 1 1 1 1 r
Or if you are having trouble with your glasses, and have tried all the so-called
traveling opticians without success, come and "see me, get a fit that's guaranteed
andjjy one who will always be on hand to make good his guarantee.
E. W. S. PRATT
The Jeweler and Optician.
For Sale.
A neat comfortable 5 room house
with one lot and a third ot ground
three blocks from colleen. Call on or
address W. C. Shrlber, Orvallls.
For Kent.
Furnished rooms, second door north
of M. E church South.
Mrs. E. L Fitch .
Wanted.
To rent a farm or stock ranch. Will
pay cash or give one third. Address
W. A. Rickard, Bell Fountain.
Wood.
Wanted.
Inquire at Times office.
L. G. ALTAIAN. M. 1)
Homeopathist
Office cor 3rd and Monroe ets. Ks.
denoe cor 3rd and Harrison ste
Hours 10 to 12 A. M. 2 to 4 and 7
to 8 P.M. Sundays 9 to 10 A. M.
Phone residence 315.
July 7.
July i,
22,96b 9a
22,966 90
27.481 51
2,120 03
2.374 62
2,374 62
2,120 03
254 59
' . Last year Of Hufford
administration,
: , July 1, 97-July7, '98.
Roads and bridges $ 3,454 23
Other purposes, 16.580 82 :
Total expense,' , 20,035 05
Last year Woodward
administration,
July I, '01-July 6, 02.
.".929 99
1 20,14059
32,070 58
First year of Watters
administration,
July 7, '02-July 1 o3,
$12,213 55
15,267 96
$27481 51
v From the foregoing table, it will be noticed that this increase is in amount ex
pended on improvement of roads and bridges. I find further that in addition to the
sum of $12,213 55 amount of warrants drawn for roads and bridges since July 7,
1902, there has been the sum of $3,28i 71 collected on the 2 mill road levy, for
which no warrants have been drawn, but which has been paid by treasurer direct
to road supervisors, for improvement of roads. This makes actual expenditure for
roads and bridges, during present administration, to July I, 1903, $15,495 26.
Table showing actual decrease of County indebtedness during the several ad
ministrations since January I, 1897. This table shows actual indebtedness at begin
ning and end ol each administration;
G. R. FAHRA,
Physician & Surgeon,
Office up stairs back of Graham &
Wells' drug store. Residence on the
corner of Madison and Seventh. Tele
phone at residence, 104.
All calls attended promptly.
Willamette Vallej
Banking Company.
GORVAXLIS OREGON.
Responsibility, $100,000
A General Banking Business.
Sxchioere tssut navable at all finan
cial centers In United States, Canada
aad Europe.
Principal Correspondents.
PORTLAND London & San FranolxcoBank
Limited; Cauitdian Bank ot Commerce,
SAX PBANCISCO-London St San Francis
co Bank Limited.
NEW rORK-Messrs.' J. P. Morgan Co.
CHICAGO First National Bank.
LONDON. EXQ .London St San Francisco
Bank Limited.
SEATTLE AXD T AC OM ALondon St Sam
Francisco Bank Limited.
The
Ruthyn Turney.
VIOLIN.
Instruction given to beginners,
pupils in all stages of advancement.
Studio Opposite parsonage of M
Church, South.
and
. E.
Truatee'a Sale.
In the District Court ot the United States for
the District of Oregon.
Iu the matter of H . C. Mahon.
Bankrupt,
In Bankruptcy
Hufford Adm.
Jan. i , '97 68,756 00. ; July 8, '98
July 7, '98 39.680 o3. July 6, '02
Actual de- . Actual
. crease , $29,075 97. decrease ;
Woodward Adm.
39.68003
' 22,966 90
$1671313
July 7, 'o:
July 1, lb,
Actual
decrease
Present Adm.
122,966 90
00 90
22,966 90
State of Oregon i
' SS ;
County of Benton J ': . "
I, Victor P. Moses, County Clerk of Benton County, State of Oregon, do here
certify that the foregoing is a true and correct statement of the outstanding indebt
edness of Benton County, Oregon, from January 1. 1897, to June 3o. 1903, both in
clusive, as shown by the records of my office, and in my care and custody, and also
that the same is a true and correct statement of the expenses of said - County,
amount of redeemed warrants as shown by said records. '
In witness whereof I hereunto set any hand and affix the seal of Benton County,
Oregon, this July 27th, A. D. I903. v
Lskal VICTOR P. MOSES, County Clerk.
. Notice of Final Settlement. ,
Notice is hereby (riven that the undersigned
administrator of the estate of Kinman Vander
pool deceased, has filed in the County Court of
Benton County, State of Oregon his final ac
count as Buch -administrator of said estate, and
that Saturday September the 12th at the hour
of 2 o'clock F. M. has been fixed by said court
as tne time for hearing objections to said re
pott, and the settlement thereof .
. " VIRGIL, A. CARTER,
. Administrator of the Estate of Kin
- man Vanderpool, Deceased.
Notice or Final Settlement: r
Notice Is hereby given that the undersigned
executor of the es-tnte of C. O. Vanderpool de
ceased, has filed in the Oouuty Court of Benton
County, State of Oregon his final account as
such executor of said estate, ana that Saturday
the 12th day of September at the hour of 2
o'tloc'i P' M. has been fixed by the court as the
time f r hearing objections to said account and
the settlemant thereof.
DAVID VANDERPOOL.
V Exfcutor of the Estate of C. C.
- Vanderpool. Deceased . -
Notice is hereby given that under and by
virtue of an order of sale made and entered by
C. O, Bryant, referee in bankruptcy in the mat
ter of the estate of II, C. Mahon, a bankrupt, I
will on
Friday the 4th of September, 1903
at tbe
hour of 3 o.olock p. m, of said day, at Blodgett
Station in Blodgett Precinct, Benton County,
Oregon, offer for sale for cash in hand to the
highest bidder the following described -per
sonal property belonging to said bankrupt es
tate as follows:
200 plies on the premises of O H Harris in
Wrenn Precinct, Benton County, Oregon; 200
plies on the premises ol W. P. McFarlapd in
Wrenn Precinct, in Benton Oounty. Oregon:
100 biles on the premises of H S Pittman.
In Wrenn Precinct, Beaton- County, Oregon: 20
lies on the premises of Harry Francis in
llodeett Precinct, Benton County, Oregon: 160
piles on the premises of J Davis in Blodgett
Precinct iu Benton County. Oregon; 30 piles on
the premises of W D VanHorn in Blodgett
Precinct. Benton County Oregon: 680 piles on
the premises of H Henon. Iu Blodgett Precinct.
Benton Oounty; Oregon; 50 piles on the prem
ises of T J Hill In Blodgett Precinct, Butoo
County, Oregon; 126 plies at Blodgett Station,
In Blougett Precinct. Bent.jn County. Oregon:
100 piles on the premises of G H ' Warasley iu
Blodgett precinct, Benton Oounty Oregon ; all
of said piles mentioned above, being cut and
peeled and being about HO feet long and aver
aging 14 inches at the butt and about 9 inches
at the top arid unmarked and unbranded ex
cept the piles on the premises of U Herron and
those on the premises of T J Hill which ale
marked with a lead pencil mark X,
75 car brinks and 100 oak stakes on the prem
ises of J. E.Davis in Blodgett Precinct, Ben
ton County. Oregon. 50 car bunks on tbe prem,
lses of George Woods in Bfodgett Precinct,
Benton county, Oregon; two derricks on the
premises of G H Wamsley, in . Blodgett Pre
cinct, Benton County, Oregon, to be bold in one
separate lot or parcel apart and distinct trom
any other property of said bankrupt estate,
free and clear of any Uen. ' '
Also all of the goods- wares and merchandise
described iu the inventory filed by the Trustee
with the Referee In Bankruptcy in taid estate
matter, including blacksmith's tools, hardware
groceries and goods in warehouse and two
bunk houses, wash house,- hoods and smoke
ntacka, lumber shingles and ' all property of
every nature or kind whatsoever des
cribed in the Inventory as aforesaid and lo
cated at Blodgett Station, in Blodgett Precinct
Benton County, Oregon, and that the same will
be sold iu separate pirceis and free and clear
of any Hen.
a copy of the Inventory can be Been at the
office of Weatherford & wyatt, at Albany, Ore
gon, upon application,
Dated this 27th dav of July. 190,
: .... A. B. WEATHERFORD, V
. . . - . .. " Trussree.
Osborne
Binder
liaises its grain only 28 inches.-
All levers are handy
and easy to operate. It is
strong, though light, and will
last well.
$ E. Kline, JIgt
We furnish extras for
born machines.
all Os-
CORVALLIS & EASTERN
RAILROAD.
Time Card Number 21.
For Yaquina:
Train leaves Albany ......
" Corvallis....
" arrives Yaquina
. 12:45 p. m
,. 2:00 p. m
. 6:35 p. m
m
m
m
m
Returning: .
Leaves Yaquina 6:45 a. m
Leaves Corvallis.. ....11:30 a. m
. Arrives Albany.... 12:15 P- m
3 For Detroit:
Leaves Albany........ 7:00a,
Arrives Detroit ...12:05 p.
4 from Detroit:
Leaves Detroit ........12:45 p.
Arrives Albany 5:35 p
Train No. 1 arrives in Albany in time
to connect with S P south bound train,
as well as giving two or three hours in
Albany before departure of S P north
bound train. . .
Train No .2 connects with the S P trains
at Corvallis and Albany giviog direct ser
vice to Newport and adjacent beaches.
Train 3 for Detroit. Breitenbush and
other mountain resorts leaves Albany at
7:00 a. m., reaching Detroit at noon, giv
ing ample time to reach the Springs the
same day. ; '
For further information apply to
Edwin Stons,
Manager.
H. H. Cronise, Agent Corvallis.
Thos. Cockrell, Agent Albany,
B. R; Bryson,
Abtomey-M-Law,
POSTOFFrCB BUILDING
E. E. WILSON,
ATTORNEY AT LAW.
- NOTARY PUBLIC. ..
Office in Zierolf Building, Corvall's. Or.