The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-02-22
The Projected Court House.


burg averse to the project Of building the
new court house. The communication is q
! goodLargunient from the standpoint Of the
| writer, and the remonstrance has appended
| the names Of q considerable number of tax
payers of Philipsburg and vicinity. We
have no doubt they will be given the con-
sideration they deserve by the commission
ers. The project is one that should be thor
| oughly considered and acted upon after ma
| ture deliberation with sole regard to the best
| interests of the citizens of this county, and
this involves the duty of citizens, before ex-
| pressing an opinion, to consider with equal
| care on which side they array themselves
| 1t is not unprecedented for a meritorious
project to be talked down, or for worthless
| one to be talked up, and be concurred in by
| the many, rather than each to consider the
| question for himself, or to be annoyed by
| withstanding personal appeal or popular
| current Petitions are easily secured. 1t is
an article of faith and practice with some to
sign any petition that does not cost any
| money; frequently without even examining
! it. A nd petition or demonstrates is at best
| an ear parte view. There is always another
| side to hear from, and 1t may be in the ma
.jority and have the better cause. The oppo-
| sition to the project may in this case be well
| considered, and reflect the best judgment of
| its opponents; it may for aught we know
embrace many of the tax payers Of the
county, although when referring to the mat
ter some weeks ago We were informed IL was
generally approved. The commissioners,
however, should be better qualified by
knowledge of the facts to judge of the ne
cessity for new building than any other
persons, and that judgment is entitled to
much consideration.
Referring to Mr.. Uhl's letter. we respect
fully differ with him on many points. First,
the vaults of the present building are not
secure, nor do we believe they ever have
been secure from fire. Their destruction
would entail losses infinitely greater than
the cost of new building, and would con-
tinue a source of embarrassment and litiga-
ton for generations. 1t is wiser to lock the
door before the horse il stolen. 1t is not
generally wise to patch up, overhaul, repair
and putty together an inadequate, insecure
old building for domestic or business pur-
poses, when the owner Is able to build ade-
quately and safely anew, and we never knew
an instance of it in public building that
was not mistake. The suggestion that
separate, secure building might be erected
has more merit, but that would cost a con-
siderable sum and be comparatively useless
when, few years hence at most, a new court
house would have to be built The debt of
the county which might, on completion of
the court house, reach 500, 900, is not dan
gerous one in a county with public buildings
worth all of that sum, and a tax roll of over
So, 100000. Mr.. Uhl does not see how the
house can be built and paid for without in
creasng the tax levy. 1t would eventually
have to be paid by taxes but by issuing
county warrants, the interest of which runs
with the warrant, there need not be any levy
made for two or three years, and the interest
will not compound. Until the levy is made
to redeem warrants, or the warrants are con-
verted into bonds, there would be no increase
of taxation. We presume the commissioners
will negotiate the sale of the warrants they
may issue for the purpose at par or nearly so;
and we can say If that shall not be done in
advance of mourning any liabilities, the
writer will be found among these opposed to
the project. Further than that, the original
contract should be let only if the figures are
such as will commend themselves as reason
able it should cover every item of expense
in detail; should not be departed from, and
contractors should he under bond or the pay
ments held sufficiently under the work done
to cover any contingency of failure.
In conclusion, we desire to correct an erro-
neous assumption in some quarters. The
idea is sought to be conveyed that Deer
Lodge is to be the benefciare of this project
while Others pay the taxes, which some day
must be paid, to provide it. If there Is any
community in the county that has reason to
be apprehensive of this expenditure 1t is
Deer Lodge. This school district has for
years, and up to the latest we are advised of,
paid over one-third of all the taxes of Deer
Lodge county. The court house would be
erected here, it is true, but 1t would belong
to the county. And If anybody can show US
who, outside perhaps half dozen firms,
would make even a dollar out of the con-
struction, let them stand up and answer.
The very heaviest taxpayers, except one,
reside here; and the suggestion to build has |
been considered by them with perhaps as |
much care and as little personal interest as
anywhere in the county. Aside from the |
regular levy for the county, we have spe- !
cial fire tax, and will have special levy of
several mills for the new public school house;
and If in addition we have to pay one-third |
the cost of q court house, which will be and |
remain county property, 1t is not surprising |
that what Mr.. Uhl refers te-that the sug-
gestion came from the more remotely located |
commissioners, and was finally acceded to |
by the resident Deer Lodge commissioner
was the fact. We appreciate the present sit |
uation among the farmers-their investment |
In railroad lands, the present low and dull |
markets, etc, and that the project therefore |
presents itself less favorably than it might at |
another time; but we do not believe, If the !
matter otherwise meets their approval, they |
will see in those things any occasion to dis !
sent. !
We have not consulted with the commits /
sioners on this matter. We believe they |
have also right TO be heard, and hereby |
teuder them, n we have hitherto rendered |
Others, the use of our columns to present |
anything they have to say on this subject.
1t is a free parliament in which we can all
have say as long az there is available space.