The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-02-14

The sheriff report was read 1t showed
Earnings observation-disclosures. SLIP ~
Receipts ....... ...........,... T. l5S l.
Bills for services. .S26li 30
Uncoliected costs. +OO3s
ZIP 81
/ Disbursements 5475 o.
| BY amounts collected Observation-Disclosures. 4, l5s II
Balance due on allowance. ......... 1876 -
Earnings. '.'.........'''.'..".. hll2 81
Allowances NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 5,475 %
| Earnings over allowances ............... ,G97 ~
Uncoectcd costs Observation-Disclosures. 400 s.
Balance due county. ...............sl,29 7 A.
Report referred to committee TO settle with
county officers.
Co,rt House.
! The county clerk made statement as regards
the size Of the office lie occupies Ii seems 10 be-
he said, the headquarters for all who come to
town, and at very many times the room Is SO
crowded II is impossible for his clerks TO work,
while the noise and confusion greatly interfere
with the record clerk and the fine figurers."
He thought that in a suitable room he could save
$500 q year in clerk hire
Lewis SAID he appreciated the circumstances;
and further the record would bear him out in say
ing he had always voted in the past for suitable
quarters. Now, however, considering the
boom in prices-making court house cost ~
per cent. more, he would vote against building
one. He had been informed, however that Mr.
Furness had made plans for an Enlargement Of the
present building and he thought it could do
harm to have him appear and explain them. So
ordered for 2 p. NJ.
The statement by the county agent showed
amount expended from Sept |, 1879 to Jan. 81,
1850, s31949; receipts, s4,l5l SO; amount on
hand s6s2 OF; deduct salary, s23333 leaving cash
hand, siiS.74. Ordered placed on file.
assessments.
Grove, OF Utica, offered the following resolu-
ton:
WHEREAS, The State Board of Equalization
has been comp :lcd To make reduction OF about
- per cent. in the assessment of this county
each year for number Of years past, therefore
be it
Resolved That this Board instruct the assessors
OF this county to make their assessment at least
25 per cent. lower than last year.
Parr wanted the words recommend to- put III
place Of instruct" and it was agreed to by Grove.
| Belnghausen had doubts as 10 the right even to
make such recommendation. Wylie said ii
was all wrong. The assessors must work
cording to the law and this recommendation
would take it out OF their power to do SO. Grove
thought as the assessors didn't pay any attention
to the law anyway, it could do 10 harm. There
is no use in having the assessment 80 high and
ii has not been reduced by the state board as much
as it ought to have been. Lewis said the assess
ment OF one county cut no figure at the state
! board as the judgment Of all the assessors was
taken us the basis Of equalization. II our asses
sors are instructed others will also be
so instructed and the end will be the same.
The resolution is out Of place, impracticable and
improper. Robinson said he didn't know wheth-
cr it was according TO law, or no, but he knew
that La Sale county lands were assessed 10 per
cent. more than those Of neighboring counties.
In Gruady the highest lands are put at 81 per
acre; in La Sale they are SPA. True our assess
ment has been repeatedly lowered but well get
bit' one OF these days. tlaherty thought the
way to do this was to unite and elect from this
county a representative on the state board. Nc
| I..,,. ,ingt
luton. The Board is trying to increase the
amount Of taxable property and to enforce the
revenue law and it cannot afford TO adopt such
resolution. The whole county should (evcn
without this step be indicted for violations OF
the law. Kloye also protested. The Board, he
said can't rule over officers of the law and stand
by them in violating their oaths OF Office. The
/ only remedy is for the July Board to send some
one to represent the county before the state
board. The vote showed that Barton (P.), Beach,
Fox, Grove, Lauf, O'Donnell, O'Laughn Parr
Robinson and Stevenson were in favor of the
resolution, but it was lost.
w. W. Kelly and J. B. Ostrander presented
claim for reward for arresting Kennedy, horse
thief. Referred.
| Stevenson from committee on claims reported
a reduction of assessments: James White, $1,000:
lGermania Bank, GO per cent; on eh eh neg ~,
"a, = 5000; Mrs. Beers, 800 o. G.. Bacon's was
refused. On the latter the attorney was instruct
ed to state the facts to the attorney OF Livingston
county.
Cheever, Ottawa, offered the following:
htesolyed In the jud gment Of this Board that the
assessors of this county have for a number OF
years assessed personal and real estate property
| from 30 TO 40 per cent. higher than the same
property in surrounding counties.
Cheever: Shall we continue our high assess
ment? Kloye Haven't assessors violated the
law? Lewis: That's matter Of opinion or judg-
ment. Robinson again called attention TO the
difference in real estate assessments in this ana
adj mi in thOuplt
lutons Identical Bellinghausen wanted 1t to,
refer only to real estate and it was made SO to
read. KlOye: Personal property had been cut
down more than real estate. We are wr0nged "a,
much on the other. Bellinghausen: We
are trying to find more personal property and 1t
will look better to express ourselves only in re-
gard to real estate property. Resolution adopt
| ed.
The afternoon session began with the report Of
the pauper committee, who unanimously recon-
mend the payment to Drs Hard and Macarthur,
Of $40O per annum for services at the county asy-
llum including all medicines.
| In regard to taking care OF the town and city
of Ottawa sick paupers and the care of the pris
oners in the Jail, Dr. Hard said he had from 10 to
Is in :he Jail the year around; and the bills
for medicines would amount to $25 or $50. He
| thought they would take the town for 500, eX-
elusive of medicines Their experience had been
that in four cases treated about $50 worth OF
medicines had been used; in other cases 20 visits
had to be made, each requiring an hour or MORE
yet Mr.. Cheeyer would allow pay only for six Wis
Its. They were not willing TO take smallpox
cases. for if they did so they would be compelled
during the treatment of such cases, il any, to Lose
the larger part of their practice. They charge
IS a visit in such whereas in other cases the
fee is only $50 If such cases arise the Board
may pay such amounts as they deem fair. They
agreed TO take the town and city of Ottawa and
the Jail for $3.50 including the medicines.
l Robinson moved that Drs. Hard and Near
thurs proposition be accepted.
d., \ nrrht tba com papS al on
liberal than paid Finley for Bruce, Eagle and OF
liter Creek.
] Faherty said Finley was satisfied with his pay.
, Besides the Jail itself was worse job than any