The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-01-01
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~ commissioners placed before the peo-
pie three propositions regarding the
Jail and court house, to be voted upon
on the first Tuesday Of February, 1855
These propositions are as follows:
First-ShaE the said board Of county
commissioners cause 70 be built jail
for the use Of said county, ana In the
discretion of said board procure q site
therefor.
If the first proposition Is carried the said
board are instructed and shall make
levy therefor in the year 1885, OF three
mills on the dollar, OF all taxable pro-
pertY In said county.
Second-Shall the said board Of coun-
" commissioners modify and repair the
present court house.
If second proposition 10 carried the
said board are instructed and shall
make . levy each year for the years 1885
| and 1887 Of three mills on the dollar OF
all taxable property IN said county.
Third-Shall the said board Of county
commissioners purchase 9 site therefor
and erect thereon Q new court house for
said county.
If third proposition Is carried the said
board are instructed and shall make
levy each year for the years 1886 and
1887 Of i've mills on the dollar Of ali
taxable property in said county, and the
board are authorized TO sell the present
court house and site.
The call for meeting of tax payers at
the Coolidge on the evening Of the eeth
for the consideration Of this and VI nous
other matters Of public interest, and the
nature of the above propositions makes
the matter of court house and jail one of
present interest. The first proposition
was preSsnted by the commissioners
pursuant to the order of the grand jury.
The second and third, while the vote on
them would settle the question Of re-
pairing the old or building q new court
house, are also designed TO decide wheth-
er the old site shall be selected.
II the first and second
propositions carry, the discretion OF the
BOARD regarding location of Jail would
doubtless be to place il where the pre-
sent court house is, while if the frs.
and third propositions should prevail. a
new site would he chosen for both.
1t Is a question whether the
propositions ore just what they
should be They give the people the
right to say the court house shall STAY
where il Is and be repaired TO the ex-
tent of three mills on the dollar of taxable
property, which at present Valuation
would amount in two years to $42 600
while if either the first or third or both of
them, prevail there is no choice
lett to tue people between
any two or more desirable
locations. but the matter OF location is
left IN the hands of the commissioners.
They make no provision as TO how the
present grounds snl buildings shall be
sold or what shall be the minimum price
accepted for them. They provide that
the entire amount shall be raised in
one, two or three years. The valuation
Of taxable property Ia the county last
year was s., OLE lSl.11. The three mills
for one year on this valuation for the
jail amounts To about $21 600; three
mills for two years for repairing court
house, to 1900; and five mills for two
years for new court house, TO $4,000.
While these figures form estimates on
what the board designed to expend
and above which there would be no au-
thOrity to go, they are not in accord
with the ideas of many who prefer that
bonds be issued and the taxation made
to ruc through a longer series of years.
Furthermore, there are reasons in favor
of including provisions for the city and
county uniting IN the construction OF
suitable buildings for all the needs of
both.
There are these and other questions
as 10 the details OF the course that
should be pursued, but we believe that
there Is no question as to the general
policy that should be adopted. If there
is diana it should be taken by the
horns at once aad disposed Of
The question of city and county
buildings is one which is frequently too
much complicared. There are no per-
sonsl, no party issues at stake. The mat
ter Is oae Of public needs and political
economy strictly.
Many counties ut Kansas tar inferior
to Lyon In wealth and population are
years ahead OF her in the matter of pub
lie buildings. The adjacent counties of
eight years had magnificent county
buildings of which any county might
well be proud.
Every man who has looked at the Jail
knows how inadequate it is to the pres
ent needs, and how near incarcerating
any one in it becomes cruelty to human
beings.
The court house, with the records in
the offices of the county clerk, the pro-
bate jadge, the treasurer and the clerk
OF the district court, is at the mercy OF
| any incendiary, whose work might
cause irreparable mischief. Not q law
rer, juror. or judge who has
recently sat or plead in it will
raise his voice In favor of ITS present
noisy location. As between apPrOprI-
ating $4,000 to repair the old court
house and $4,000 to bid new one
doubt. The county can realize enough
from the present property to procure
new grounds. at any rate new site can
meyer be more reasonably purchased
than at present, Upward is the direc-
ton in which our city values go. The
city and county cannot afford
to be tied to the apron strings
of false conservatism. Better to
anticipate than be behind the needs. II
We do not want to pay for a court house
in one, two or three years, let US take
longer and allow those who have the
future use ct it to assist, and let US not
be so unwise as tn throw away In tenn
porary repairing enough to cancel for
years the burden OF bonded indebted
ness which will give what Is needed
now as easily as years hence
MARRIED
At tn Tt sidence of Isaac Hullry, Esq.,