The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-03-12
OUR DEER LODGE LETTER
discussion Ut the Deer Lodge
Court House Question,

discussion Ut the Deer Loda,
Court House Question,
In Which the Proposition 10 Con
sldered,
And the Views Of Divers Citizens
Given.
DEER LODGE, March 10, 1884.
EDITOR MlNER:-The matter O
building a new cout house for this
county has been under discussion 70,
some time, but only took tangitll
shape yesterday. Since this question
has given rise to nc small amount al
comment by the people throughout
the county within the past few
weeks. both by friends and foes OF
the measure, it might be we'll togo
back to the origin of the proposition
and follow it to its present status. II
would seem, however, like 40 impo.
sition to burden your columns with
matters wholly. pertaining tn this
county, but when we come to reflect
that the MINER has q large following
among our people, the seeming i'm
position becomesless apparent. It is
true wehave an able advocate Of the
peoples interests In the New North.
West at Deer Lodge, but inssmuch
as iC is a weekly journal we are forced
to resort to the dailies for, in gamb.
ling parliance, q "quick operation"
In relation to the matter in question
it is but fair to state that it was
mOOted some four years ago by the
Board of County Commissioners In
connection with the project of build
ing the county jail. The latter insti-
tuition at that time was made
quate to the wants of the county be-
ing an old rickety' affair, and an un-
safe depository for prisoners. The
Board, with MI. Howard ZenOr,a Re-
publican, az chairman, and q more
sa9acious and worthy gentleman
never occupied that position, without
cno>ulting the people at large, took
the "bull ny the horns" and erected
ST.. 900 building. That this struct-
ure is a credit to the county no one
will have the hardihood to dispute.
And just how the debt created in its
erection was paid, I ventur re the as
sertion not one tax payer in q hun
dred can to-day. tell, so wisely and
gradually was the matter accom-
plished. Taxes were not increased,
in fact they have been lowered since
its erection. The reason for not
building the court house at that
time WAS that it Was thought that
the Jail building would afford, in con-
nection with the old court house, suf-
fcient room in which to domicile all
the county officers. But this has
since proven a mistaken idea. BE.
sides tbs means taken to protect the
records from fire, have also, owing
to rapid accumulation been found
inadequate, and to-day it is q de-
plorable fact that important docu-
ments and records that should he the
most secure, are piled up in q jum-
bled mass in q dingy closet in the
old infammable court house. Things
were permitted to run along, how
ever, Ia thi. way, without any great
deal of grumbling by the people,
until last June, when Mr.. Helm,
member of the board from the lower
end of the county. glanced over the
situation and as q result suggested to
his colleagues on the Board that some
thing should be done to not only
protect the county records
but afford more room for the county
officers The matter was talked over
In a general way, but no action
taken. Nothing further was heard
of the project of building q court
house, or improving the old one, till
the September session of the Board.
At this meetiug the question again
came up and was discussed more
earnestly than at the previous ses-
At the December term the
Board fully considered the mater,
and were un ninlous in the opinion
that further delay would be danger
aud without consulting the peo-
pie. set about to arrange the preIim-
inaries looking to the erection of q
suitable building. The architect of
the Butte court house Was consulted
and instructed to draw a draft of q
building. the cost OF which was not to
$4,000. In due course of
time the draft came and a more beau
tiful and apparently CONVENIENT build.
ing could not have been conceived. Up
this time all was serene, and the
Board began to congratulate itself on
performing an act commendable
alike to itself as we'll a. the county.
But the matter was not to pass off so
and soon busy hands were
ut work outside of Deer Lodge getting
up remonstrances to the proposed en-
terprise, which were presented to the
last Monday for considera-
The Board, however, being
with considerable rou-
line business, deferred the court
house business until Friday, agreeing |
1t that time to meet in the court
room above and give all q hearing
who had anything to offer either pro
" con in relation to fhe matter. Ac-
,ordiDgly, quite a goodly number of
he citizens at Deer Lodge and a few
rom the country, put in an appear
lnce. The chairman of the Board, |
Judge Batterton, after calling the
Meeting to order, stated its object in
! plain, comprehensive manner, and
lsked for a free and full discussion of
he matter, stating that the Board
vas open to conviction and had no
'bject in running counter to the best
interests of the county. Mr.. Morgan
Evans from the upper end of the val
ey took the floor in opposition to the
Measure, claiming to be the repre-
sentative of the demonstrators from
lis section of the county. He was
lot aD~tagonistic to the building of q
'ourt house at the proper time, but
vas of the opinion that the old one
vas adequate to the wants of the
and would be SO for some
ears to come. He deemed 1t the
folly to plunge the county
nto debt, as bis constituency be-
for the simple purpose OF sub.
the interests Of a few In the
ity of Deer Lodge. His people were
,nnosod tn tho nrOioct for the reason