COMPTROLLER OF THE TREASURY. XV

Table No. 15 exhibits a list of balances due the State from
Collectors for various years, ranging from 1843 to 1873, inclu-
sive, amounting in the aggregate to $523,454.63. Of this amount
the sum of $322,491.37, is due from the City of Baltimore, and
mostly accrued previous to the year 1867. Since that time the
balances due for the several years are comparatively small, ex-
cept those for 1872 and 1873, the bulk of which latter will pro-
bably be realized to the Treasury. A number of the old bal-
ances due from the City of Baltimore are, in my judgment,
utterly hopeless, and ought to be stricken off from the books of
the Department. In the different counties where the several
Collectors are held by law directly responsible for the amounts
placed in their hands for collection, these old balances have been
sent to the different State's Attorneys, from time to time, and

suits have been ordered upon the bonds of the Collectors for
their recovery. In quite a large number of instances small bal-
ances are shown against Collectors who have died, without pro-
curing a settlement with the Department, and probably with-
out getting credit for all the allowances from insolvencies to
which they were entitled, and the difficulty and labor necessary
to arrive at an accurate settlement in such cases, is constantly
felt by this office and by the State's Attorneys charged with the
Collection of the claims.

Table No. 16 exhibits in detail the balances standing on the
books of this office against Sheriffs in the different counties and
City of Baltimore for various years ranging from 1848 to 1874,
amounting in the whole to the sum of $35,913.38, exclusive of
interest.

Table No. 17 shows the balances due from Clerks of Courts

and Registers of Wills and certain other officers, and the esti-
mated amount due from the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road

Company for the State's proportion of the receipts from passen-
gers on the Washington Branch road, amounting in the whole
to $891,673.20, of which large amount, the latter account is the
principle item, estimated at $829,154.00. As no returns have

been made by the Company for a number of years, the amount

due can only be estimated from former returns. Only a few

amounts, are due from Clerks' and Registers for recent years, and