The Russellville Democrat., 1878-09-19
THE OLD sroRy..

pucAbioli iHttAC Dg tuS 5pON uhd sufficient bondslnen' of Russellyille to the voters of Pope county. Tue more we think the matter over, the more firmly we are convinced that the proposition is fraud. They "promise to contribute the sum of $2,500, which they claim will build court house "that will do for the pre- sent" If the county seat IS moved to Atkins, court can be held in the rear room of our office flor the pres ent." Would this benefit the tax payer ill the least? There IS a flu ture. Is Pope county ever to have anything but $2,500 county script court house? Is we are to erect a public building why not make 1t one that will not be Q disgrace to the county, and why not build such an one as soon as another election is held and the location settled? Sup pose the county seat { we are only supposiug the case, as it can never be 2 reality) should be moved to Rus sellville, and the records moved into the shanty, "lor the present." that the citlzeus of that place ''propose" donating. That building cannot, or should not, be used as a court house longer than two or three years at the most. Then what? We ask: Then what? Then these same good and sufficient bondsmen" wlll mount the highest stump in Pope county and address the honest tax-yayer thus: "Our dear brothers of the hoe handle and blow, we appeal to you in the name of God and man-if you love your wives and children, if you love the dear old county that give you birth-listen to onr story: The building now used as q court house is q stain. on the fair name of the proud county that gave you birth. We humbly pray you to build us, the citizens of Russellville, a court house" See the point? A blind man could see through it, The old building at that time, perhaps, could be sold for one or two hundred dollars-in county scrip-and this would be the amount realized on the magnificent (?) sum donated by these ''good and sufficient bonds men, of the way station for Dover. They simply offer this insignificant sum as bind to get the location, and when they succeed in accom- plishlng this, then they will call upon the tax payers of the county to pay for the building of a court honse.
 The above is from the Atkins News. We reproduce it in full to show the spirit of jealousy, envy and unfair ness which oharacterizes everything that paper says about Russellville; and we wish, also, to answer one or two portions of the article.
 The News asks: 'Is Pope County ever to have anything but $2,500 County scrip Courthouse? If we are to erect public building, why not make it one that will not be a dis grace to the County, and why not build such an one as soon as an cleo tion is held and the location settled" We answer that Pope county has had the offer, by Russellyille of $2,500 in CURRENCY to build Courthouse here. This $2, 800 in currency will build as good courthouse as $7500 in county scrip would build. It wlll build a better and more creditable house than the present one at Dover, which cost the county about $3Q,000 in her scrip, and winch scrip was f- nally put into the shape of judge ment against the county and paid in greenback.
 $2,j0O courthouse will be ho dis grace to Pope county. When the News denominates such a building "a shanty,' he shows his ill-will to- ward our town and evinces his deter imitation to mis guide and deiude the people, Let us see what kind of house $2,500 in currency will build. We have very neat and comfortable church edifice here be- longing to the Methodist (South) Church. It is well finished inside and outside, and will seat about two hundred and forty persons. There is no one who wlll go and look at it who will have the reckiossness to call It "a shanty." It is considered a credit to our town, and it will be a good building for twenty five years. Sull, thls building did not cost half of the sum which our town has dona- ted for a courthouse. With these facts staring us in the face, we must put down the assertion of the News, that a S2,j00 building can not or should not, be used longer than two or three years at most" as q very thin argument.
 Last week we gave the reasons as