The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1842-07-22

Tor less than SlUOO, ana SHOWS lllat tiicFe
was bad management, somewhere; for, no
matter what the state of the funds were,
the carpenters received no more than what
they should have had in good money, for
orders were paid out as at par value, and,
would here remark, that the best oak
lumber was selling at from $40 10 Sl2 per
Nj the past winter and spring, and the
merchants bills for paint, nails, &C., as
will appear by reference to their books,
were not unreasonable. Then, If paint,
nails, lumber, and mechanics can be had
for the same, whether paid in county or
ders or good money, why should the state
of the funds be considered! 1t is due 10
accord to these mechanics judgment, skill,
and high standing in society, and, whether
| this is their statement or whether 1t has
been altered, is matter that does not con-
Germ me.
The next items are the bills Of Boyce
and Of Wood Stacker q co. The first,
he says, is for lumber for the 2d court
house, the second for paints, nails. glass,
iron, &C., and cannot conceive the ne
cessity why the county should go to St.
Louis for LUMBER when plenty co0'd have
been had here. This shows 10 me very
poor selection by the commissioners Of
lheir agent, and total disregard, by the
agent, Of the peoples interest, bo!h of
which are highly reprehcnslbie, if not cri-
minal. The other bill is large even for
the articles that he says were purchased,
and, by view Of that building, (Which
cost near $4,000 and cannot be sold for
$500 in county orders, will venture the
assertion that any of the merchants in this
place will furnish more nails, iron glass,
paints, Sc. than are or have been used
about that house for much less money,
and This bill was first cost at ST. Louis
('rhe iron was carried to Mr.. Woodruff s
blacksmith shop, and what was done with
1t do not pretend to know,
The other item Of 1872 20 the COM
mt,ee found charged TO Mr.. Woodruff
and SO reported, and, for one, have not
known him to have any other way to get
along except by what he has got oat OF
the people or from the county, and, see
ING that he was the accredited agent OF
the commissioners, | supposed Judging
from his usual charges) 1t 10 be 10 more
than his allowance from the county COM
missioners. think such work should be
let by contract, thereby getting ii done
cheaper and, at the same time, encourag'
ing that best and most useful class Of citi-
zens, the mechanics. At least, they should
not have appointed Mr.. Woodruff, but
should have appointed a practical builder
and an honest man.
AS to the matter of Mr.. Ilickling 5 state
mcnt, Mr.. II. will attend TO that in his
own time and way. Mr.. ii. is well
known as a man of business and whose
word may be relied on, and would be Ia
ken by me before some mems oath and
believed. As to the matter Of Mr.. Sc
baugh, the committee found that no set.
l!cment had been made with him, or, a
least, not recorded where other settle
ments Of that kind were recorded ant
where they should be recorded, and, il
Mr.. Woodruff has had assets Of Mr.. $
in his hand he should have disabused tht
public mind long since. If Mr.. S. is no
a delaultcr, it only shows the county in ;
worse condition by @ll20 20 than rcpor
ted for, adding S63 debt to Sl0G7 30
claimed to be due the county, makes
SLIGO %.
! In 1888 Alison Woodruff was appoint
ed agent TO sell the old court house. II
9 sold it to his brother and went his securi
ty. The county agent is security, and, a
: the agent, has not paid for ithimself. MOI
: as commissioner, has enforced payment o
5 told us why he has done neither. wi
It not notice him any further, for, by his 5
i ence, he has plead guilty 10 all the re:
c that the committee have alleged, an
. thrown himself upon the mercy Of tn
o country.
!, Messrs. Editors, will come to a Close
c [ will not battle with the wind nor W;
a with man dead to every sense of homo
n nor will | strike fallen man. | will OF
II y remark, that all that MIR. Woodruff h;
% said in relation to the mass meeting, as
N what men ii was composed of and the
'e object in appointing the committee he q
'e ludes to, and the motives from which the
r acted, is, from first to last, perfect tissl
of of lalsehood, and is perfectly in charact
Of with the individual who claims to be the
lr author.
a Suffice ii to say, the committee will
d. happy to correc, any mistakes that M
boya bannnnod and hold thamsnlves ,