The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-09-13

motion.
Fades thought there ought to be some kind
of an examination of candidates, so that COM
petent man should be elected.
This latter point was not determined upon
but on motion of Grove the matter was made
the order for yesterday at 3 p. NJ.
AFrERNooN-THE COURT HOUSE.
The afternoon session the field day" 1t
opened with partial report from the pauper
commttee-of no great interest until the bills
paid are published in the official minutes. After
| this came motion by Grove to have committee
Of three appointed to ascertain the weekly cost
OF running the county asylum. The motion was
agreed to and Grove, Bellinghausen and Thorn
ton made the committee
Robinson said the states attorney told him the
! Jury list could be renewed b-annually, but re-
commended that the names Of those eligible now
| in the box be retained He offered resolution
| ordering the clerk to clean out the box and the
supervisors to fill up the list according to law.
SAs to how this should be done, much talk vas
had, but it was finally agreed to do it in open
board, the clerk being instructed to have the
names now in the box properly assorted. The
subject was made the order for yesterday after
noon at 2 o'clock.
THE COURT HOUSE
This subject came up, as per order, at 2o'clock.
The ARRAY began with the reading of Cheevcr's
resolutions presented to the last Board as fol-
lows;
WHEREAS The La Sale county Jail has be-
come notorious, and acquired an unenvable re-
putatiOn over all the state place unht TO
contine human beings, and
WHEREAS, The courthouse has had its day
Il ~, f,Nr hinl IN
tended, but is now old and in an unreparable
condition, and has neither rooms nor acconmoda-
tions to transact the business OF this populous
county; and
WHEREAS, All material and labor can be pur-
chased at less price now than for the last ten
years, and probably less than for the next ten
years to come, and by building now saving of
many thousands of dollars to the county would
be realized; and
WHEREAS, it is reported that the location of
said Jail and courthouse is the only obstacle
about which the opinions and interests of many
are divided, and which thus far has prevented
WHEREAS, The county is out of debt and
:, abundantly able to build therefore
Resol,cd That the Board OF Supervisors of this
county cannot afford longer to listen to these
contentious about location, but proceed at once
and take measures for the erection OF n jail and
courthouse ut a cost not to exceed Sll5OOo.
ReSoloed, That the selection of a location Tor
said Jail and courthouse be determined by vote
examined the various lots which may be offered
for such location.
CHEEvER.
Cheever then offered a new resolution to the
effect that, in the opinion Of the Board the inter-
est Of this county demand the building of court
house and jail at the earliest practicable moment.
He said he introduced the resolution to test
the feelings of the Board The question has
been before it for the last 20 years, and will con-
tinue to be so long ae Judges, juries, and the
people enter their protests and endeavor to in
dict the Board because of it, Every supervisor
has acknowledged the unsafety of the vaults for
public records and the liability of the records
being destroyed by firc-records worth millions
OF dollars-and yet no movement has been made
to prevent them. 1t is not only duty OF the
Board but an obligation upon it to protect these
records. No matter what is said by your consti-
tuents, it is your duty to do away with this risk.
As to the Jail it is barbarism in the midst of civ
ilizaton-the horror Of the whole country. Sup
pose the records should be burned how could
they be replaced? Where would the litigation
arising from the destruction end? Losses upon
losses would follow-because we neglect our
duty Will we do SO forever?
l. If we don't build we must repair. The build
floors 1t has no water, and can obtain water
Of the city only through this session. And we
all know repairs are waste OF money.
Are the offices fit for business? The county
clerks little office is always full of talking peo-
ple it looks like barroom; the clerks cannot
do business properly in such noise and errors
are constantly made. The recorders office must
be opened hours before it can be used to cleanse
l.
sewer vaults below. Something must be done,
and put end to this eternal pestponemcnt
from session to session.
An eminent man Judge Cation has said the
county doesn't need a court house. The offices
can be lodged in hired rooms, and the Board,
like lot Of tramps, can run about finding
meeting place But he did think the county
needed it 40 years ago. Then this building was
the best in the state 1t was built when the
county had less than 5000 people and an assessed
valuation of less than 100000 1t cost $500
Corn was worth l0c; wheat, 3Ol40; pork, $l@
l.5O and money was so scarce it was hard to
raise cash enough to pay the taxes. Now we
have 50, 900 people, an assessed valuation of s2S,
900, 600, and the wealth in the county cannot be
less than $10O,0O0,00O Five mills on dollar
extended over three years would pay the cost;
s2,5OO on IA town; $3.50 on quarter section, and
more than that in the towns. Nine-tcnths of the
people would never know by their taxes that
! they were building. That eminent gentleman
was in favor of court house ~ years ago; he
was poor then. Now that he is rich he objects
Indeed it is only the wealthy who do object. 1t
10 not the poor.
Let us come up like men and do our duty as
men who have the countys interests at heart
and relieve the Board of this old question. 1t
has been mt of tn lon o. already The housp can