Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1883-02-16
THE COURTHOUSE BILL.
A CERTIFIED COPY OF 1T, As SIGNED
BY GOVERNOR NEIL.
Colonel Wall, Its Author, States the
Circumstances Under Which 1t Passed,
and Gives an Inside History Of the
Proposed New County Of Butte.

and Gives an Inside History Of the
Proposed New County Of Butte.
BOISE CRY, February 10, 1888.
To THE EDITOR OF THE TlMEs:-
Herewith | send you copy of Council
Bill No. 80, "An Act Providing
for the Erection of a County Court
house and Jail at HALEY, the County
Seat Of Alturas County," Your fell
low-townsman who drew the original
bill, will hardly recognize the off
spring; nevertheless l have no doubt
our County Commissioners Will find
the provisions Of this bill ample to in
sure the completion of the work con-
templated in accordance with the plan
set forth therein.
reduced the amount named in the
original bill from $4,000 to $4,000,
and the interest to accrue thereon
from ten per cent. per annum, to six
per cent, requiring the bonds to be
sold NOT BELOW par; providing, also,
that no fees or commissions should be
paid to the Treasurer, and no contin
gent expense out Of any funds arising
from the bonds or otherwise. No
amendments were made to the bill
after it left my hands-so that what
ever imperf ctions may have crept
into it in making these changes are
chargeable to me.
If it be conceded that we should
ever have erected buildings of this
character, then the importance of this
measure cannot be overestimated, es-
pecially in view Of the fact that a
saving of over $1,000 per annum will
be effected to the taxpayers from the
amount now paid in rents. This as
sumption is based on the fact (as am
inlormed) that over $4,000 per annum
is now being paid for rent of buildings
occupied by the various county Off
GERS; whereas the interest on the
bonds will amount to only $2,4OO per
annum.
There is, however, another bearing
upon the further status of Alturas
county, which the issue and sale of
these bonds will have, which, to nv
mind, is OF infinite Importance, at least,
to very large majority Of her citi-
zens, and which was a matter Of chiei
consideration in urging TIE passage
of the bill. l refer to the
necessity of preserving the pres
ent boundaries of the corntv
intact, at least until such time as all
Indebtedness shall have been can
celed, and until proper recognition
Of her rights in the Legislative Assem-
bly, is had. | submit, now, as bust
ness and legal effect, that with the is
sue and sale of those bonds no future
Legislature can separate or take from
her one foot of territory until this bond
ed debt is fully Cancelled. The entire
taxable property of the county being
pledged to the redemption OF these
bonds, that security cannot be inn
paired or passed to the jurisdiction Of
another.
! consented to and secured the
passage Of the bill to create the coun-
ty Of Butte out of Alturas, after
amending it 50 as to require the pay
ment, annually, Of the interest at 10
per cent. on the $4,000 of warrants
which the bill requised the new ccun-
ty to issue in favor Of Alturas, in liq-
udatlon Of their portion OF our in
debtedness. This, think, would
have been an excellent bargain for
Alturas, but the new county could not
have Survived long under the burden,
and l do not think, had that bin be-
come law, that the citizens would
ever have organized county govern
mcnt under it. f., \, WALL.
Certified Copy Of Council Bill No. 80, to
Provide for the Building Of County
Courthouse at HALEY, Alturas Comfy.
AN Act Providing for the Erection
of County Courthouse and Jail
at HALEY. the County Seat of AL