Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-02-15

THE unreasonable, continual and per-
sistent pressure upon the Legislature by
few demagogues in Bellaire, for the re-
moval of the county seat to that aspiring
town, has at last resulted in disgusting
many members of that body, and deter
mined them in putting quietus upon
the agitation of the question aud re-
moving it beyond the pale of Legislative
action and from the halls of legislation,
where for years it has obstTucted busi-
ness at the cost of the entire people of
the State. From 1853 down to the pres
ent year,the tribunal vested by the Con
stitution with the authority to pass
upon the necessity for the removal of
tire seat of justice-the Legislature-has
uniformly declared that no such neces-
sity exists, and that public convenience
and interests do not require it; in short,
that st. Clairsville is the proper place
for the seat of justice of Belmont county.
In the face of the uniform action Of the
Legislature on this question, these agi-
tatOrs have deemed it to their advantage
to press upon the people of the county a
tax for new public buildings, at either
Bellaire or st. Clairsviile, without con-
sulting them as to whether they wish to
be taxed to erect new buildings at either
point. These fellows, who lament SO
drearily about the rights of property, OF
free suffrage and of the people, have left
no alternative but inevitable taxation,
should the Wagner bill become law.
st. Clairsville, in good faith, for years
has contended for the old site and the
old buildings, and has spent upward of
$500, 900 to enable the public to reach it
rapidly and easily. and therefore it Is
not astonishing if her people as well as
of: the entire county, look favorably
upon any just measure which will settle
permanently the controversy which has
been the bane of the county for twenty
FIVE years.
The Legislative Committee, composed
of unbiased, fair-minded gentlemen,
upon the request Of those favoring Re-
moval, visited the county a few weeks
ago, and made a full investigation of
the situation, and heard patiently the
claims of both sides to the controversy,
and after mature deliberation they re-
ported in favor of the indefinite post
ponement of the Wagner Removal bill,
because, in their judgment. the public
interests are best subserved 10y the public
buildings remaining at their present To-
cation.
But this disposition of their pet meas
ure was not satisfactory to Its promoters,
and even before the action of the COM
mittee was reported to the House, they
Haunted their threats into the face of
Legislature that they would not down
at the bidding of any man or set of
men. This was the state of the case
when Mr.. Locke, of Madison county,one
of the committee who visited the coun-
ty, introduced on Friday. a bill to erect
new buildings at st. Clairsville. The
bill authorizes and requires the COM
missioners To construct a court house at
the county seat, the plan to be deter
mined upon, and the contract let within
six months, and the building to be
completed as soon as practicable, at
cost not to exceed 100000. The Com
missioners are authorized to borrow
money and issue bonds, payable within
twenty years, interest not to exceed 6
per cent. The levy is not to exceed
$4,000 in any ons year. The bill has
been read the second time, and is now
in the hands of the committee.
This measure is the natural sequence
of the incorporate bullying and de
mands of the representatives of Reno
val. So far as the people are concerned
who favored non-interference with the
location of the present seat of justice,
they have been content with the charac
ter of the buildings.and satisfied of their
sufficiency for the present needs. But
this would not satisfy the agitators, and
hence the bill of Mr.. Locke.
Now, word as to the cost of build
ings under this bill. Should the 100000
bonds be issued, and $4,000 redeemed
annually, for twenty years, the amount
of principal and interest would aggre-
gate Sl66,40 The taxable valuation of
the county for 1882, is S22,1l5,OOO. On
this basis the tax would amounG annu
ally to less than four cents on each 800
less than forty cents on $1,000, or
less than four dollars on S10,0U0. Last
year the duplicate increased over 100000
and it IS fair to presume that with our
expanding industries, the valuation will
contiaue to increase so that the tax
would CORRESPONDENCE decrease. =.
If the Legislature, by its action, de-
termines that the business of the courts
and public necessity require new build
ings at. st. Clairsville, it will be ob-
served that the tax, limited to 100000
with the understanding that no more
is to be expended), will rest very light
ly upon all classes.