Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1871-02-11
THE STATUS OF THE SCHOOL
FUND OF POLK COUNTY.

Mr.. EDITOR: AS there has been
somes talk amongst the people Of Polk
owing to the discoveries made about the
minus quantity of the School fund Of
this county, deem it buff air and just
to make statement, so that all may be
rightly informed in regard to tie mat
ter, and to the end that no man or men
may be wrongfully accused.
Polk county, to day, is out of pocket
in her irrcducible School fund 81 ,638 II
with interest payable semi annually at
the rate of ten per centum to this date.
The facts are as follows: In 1864 the
Legislature created board of Land
Commissioners, to sell School lands.
This Board consisted of the then Gov
ernor, Secctary, and State Treasurer,
viz: Woods, Cooke, May and |. r.
Mores, Clerk and agent for said Board.
To the year 1866, the Legislature en-
acted law requiring the School Super.
intendents of the several counties to rc.
port to the above mentioned Board. i'm
mediaidly after the passage of said act
OF 1856, the description. quantity and
value of each tract of land in their re-
spective counties aud 10 turn over to
the said Board the proceeds of NIL sales
heretofore made and all obligations for
mony due or to become due for such
sales, or for their proceeds loaned out.
In pursuance of the said act last men.
toned, William Howe, then the Treas
urer Of Polk County and in possession
of the said fund did on the 9th day of
December, 1866, turn ever to the said
Board all moneys and notes belonging
90 said fund in this county and took their
receipt for the same, amounting in the
aggregate TO the sum Of $3.50 u, in
notes and money as follows, to-wit:
Notes for Ccin and no, specified. ......s4,67s 90
Legal Tenders........."....... 2,5T5 90
Legal Tenders ........... 1877 10
Coin Z6i II
Total..... ........... ........ $S,sS9 p
The Board retained said amount three
months and telye days and returned to
Mr.. Howe the said notes amounting to
s7,25lOO aud retained the currency and
coin amounting TO 81 ,63S q.
In 1868 the Legislature passed an act
requiring said Board to pay over all
moneys in their hand or that may rise
from the sale of School or Univerity
lands, to the County Treasurer in which
said lands are located, and the same to
be loaned by said Treasurer as provided
for BY the said act, I" loaning of the ir.
reducible School fund. The County
Treasurer being by the same act crea.
ted the local agent for said Board. In
defiance Of that lac mentioned law of
1868, the Board which was then un.
changed and consisted of the same men
as aforementioned, neglected and failed
to over according to said provision Of
Law Of 1868, the said mounts, 81 1897 10
in currency and y261 IL in coin. On
being asking recently what disposition
had been made of it, Mr.. Cooke and
Mr.. l. r. Moies answered by saying
that they had loaned the same ont and
that they could not readily produce the
notes, and gerhaps it would be impos-
sible as it in all probability was loaned
with other money and to whom and
when they could not say. They further
informed us that it was State fund
and that is was "pet theory of people"
tnat it was intended by the law to be
controlled by the counties. | was, at
the time, and am still aware to what
extent and in what manner it was and
is State fund, and / think everybody
who can read the law of the land under.
stands the same thing. But | do not
propose to discuss the law on the sub.
jcct at this time. Ny intention as l
stated in the outset, is to place the SUBJ
ject properly before the people, so that
injustice may not be done to any. There
are other things connected with tho
matter, but time fosbids my speaking of
them. Any person wishing to assure
themselves of the correctness of my
statemen, will pleas call at mp Office 10
Dallas, and I will cheerfnlly produce
the documents for my authority.
II Ill