The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-09-21
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

jlOu were made OIL NIllCH INC ltioIltI was uIdDie
to write out his notes in time for the paper on
Friday The salient points of said speech
cs are therefore given here:
\ large number Of circumstances were pre-
scented against the building of a new court hosse.
The aggregate number of signatures amounted
to 4GS. What proportion Of these signers are
ipaupcrs or legal voters was not shown.
Mr.. Lynch said in substance:
These circumstances are in opposition TO the
report Of II committee Of this board, which had
reported III July last.
The cry Of hard times and economy is as old as
the hills | have never known The season when
did not hear this whine of hard times" Mr..
l.. read an imaginary petition for i new court
house, using the same heading as the rcmon-
strants showing that economy demands of us
that we shall not suffer the years to go by without
commencing this work, wncn the people of La
Sale county-thosc who are not too lazy to work,
but those who put their hands to the pillow and
look not back'-lsk for it, 1t is to economist for
the real deserving of our pOpulatiOn-ONtr two
thirds of the peoplc-that it becomes our duty to
build II court house. The large majority of the
wcalthicst men in the county are IN favor of 1t.
For the past forty years the people OF La Sale
county have been charging their estates, build
ng pleasant homes and living NJ their ease, but
when il comes to tax them they @rowl They
aim to pay nothing or us little rs possblcfor pro
lection of their homes and the safety OF Their llves
and property, not because they think such action
dishonest but it has been too much their rule to
avoid all such burdens AS Il pure matter OF Dusl-
mess. l. this fair system Of economy?
This new court house is public necessity,
which by law is made our boundcn duty to at
tend to, and in which wccannot move too quickly.
He offered IA resolution, which was published
last week, and continued: These politicians
would crowd the people here in this room and
protest Lainst new and commodOuS building
for the next 5000 years. Intelligent men, say
they of the rcmonstrancc, will always economic.
No intelligent man could do otherwise than as
we propose Every citizen in this county lives at
his ease and comfort. We have reached the point
of absolute necessity. The construction OF the
county asylum was bitterly opposed and several
sUpcrV isOrS beaten mt the polls because they VOt
| ed for IT, After the county poor house was found
| to be public benefit, these same members We're
returned You are here, who suffer from the IN
cOnycnicnccs, and know the impcrious need of
a new court house better han the signere of
these circumstances.
t. {. Lewis, of Deer Park, said in substance:
! The people evidently have not been posted on the
] true condition of this old court house, have no
conception of its defects, and arc not aware that
| the statute gives Us the power which they them
selves have not on the subject. The Legislature
wisely provided that the Board Of Supervisors,
not the people, should have the power to erect
lpunjc buildings. True, the people must pay the
Olll, but The legislature well knew that the dis
position Of the majority of the people ever was
and ever will be to avoid or shirk the payment OF
! taxes.
1t said people do not desire new court house.
am here tor myself Il tax payer OF large amount
yearly Many of my constituents are wealthy. |
am not aware that any Of us feel like ilinchinG from
a little extra tax. ! have examined, personally,
the records of the different offices in this old
building and have found that grand jurcs have
| for years condemned the county Jail You know
| how we have been driven from pillar to post to
| lind room suitable for our sessions The law
requires us to supply proof vaults for the diff
terent Offices, but we have none. The tax on l6o
acres would be $50 to be paid in three years.
| He called attention to the ahsurditv OF Judge
Cations statements on the subject We have no
debts, no bonds out, no interest to pay. Now Is
| our opportunity to build chcaply
l.. II. Tower said, briefly, out Of the y names
in the demonstration of his vicinity not q are tax
Ipuyers.
! The people of Usage had sent him here, and
being here he thought he knew, or ought TO
know, their interests bcttcrthan they themselves.
He called attention to the vast accumulation
! of records of every name and nature and of the
greatest possible value. Not Il document there
| but is of importance to some. There are your
records of deeds, mortgages, Of courts, of taxes
| in that wholly unit building. Our county Judge
saws our records are in very unsafe condition.
| Brown, Of Peru, said, have seen my constitu-
ents--and feel myself instructed to vote for
count house and Jail al not to exceed Sl5O,OOO.
White, Of Mcriden, opposed The moneyed
part of our town is notassesscd, and made SINH
lar charge rs to the town of Ottawa. We are
Just millions and millions under just assess
menti
John Miller, of Freedom, made an able and
eloquent appeal in behalf of the proposed new
court house. He compared the first settlers ad-
vent here to the arrival of the children of Israel
in the promised land. He described the gradual
growth of the county, from few weary, heart
sore, discouraged people, who built rude hut
here and elhoWcd away the indians, to their III
crease in all the good things which the great
head Of the universe bestowed-as is the theory
ui some persons-down to the present, when we
have been contributing $i5HJo TO SS0,Oo0a wear of
Our wealth and people to the state. He ridculed
this ancient structure as only lit companion of
the days when the Indians We're the dominant peo-
pie aud hog and hominy the fashionable diet.
Laughter