The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-11-14

HELENAB ELEPHAAT.-
A Ring That Wi1 Not he Shaker on In
Any Way.
Special Correspondence of the Butte Daily Miner.
HELENA, NJ. T., Nov. IL, 1885.
Ever since the passage Of the law by the
Legislature last Winter authorizing the
erection of a new count house in Helena
for Lewis and Clarke county, there has
been the cry of job, and from what has
transpired since the enactment OF the law
there il not the least shadow of q doubt
that the whole scheme was concocted by a
ring Of unscrupalous and designing men in
Helena. who thought they could make a
unsuspecting and confiding tax-pay ers of
the county before the real purposes OF the
ring were discovered.
The ring lobbied the bill through the
''hoof and horn" roundup, as the anti-cat-
tlemen term the last Legislature, and as
soon as it was signed by the Governor the
ring began it's operations on the county
treasury. The ring found accommodating
dupes in our board Of County Commission
ers, who Immediately advertised for pro-
posals in the Helena and a few Eastern pa
pers. The operations Of the ring grew
holder, and when the day arrived for let
tured the prize, although there were lower
bids before the Commissioners.
BEGIN.
No sooner had the ring got the contract
than they at once commenced operations.
The site selected by the ring was the pres
emit ground occupied by the old court house,
with the additions of $12, 900 or $4,000
paid for condemned adjoining property, to
give more room. The site selected is one
that nine-tenths of the taxpayers disap-
proved OF, but the ring was a~ll-powerful.
Work was commenced on the foundation
on ground ho~ney.combed with drifts, and
pronounced by every peron who inspected
it as unfit and unsafe to build upon, as the
drifts could never be made solid enough to
support a wall. But the ring was in power.
avail.
WORSE AS IT PROGRESSES.
The foundation walls. of inferior stone
and workmanship, were completed in a
hurry, and work commenced on the first
story OF the building. Every effort was
made to get the building az far ahead as
possible before the meeting OF the grand
jury. Every man on the job has been his
own boss and does the work to
suit himself. The architect, instead OF be-
ing OF the ground to superintend the work,
as required by law, issues his mandates
from St. Paul, where he remains seven
eighths OF his time, leaving his important
work here to incompetent heads.
So far there has been drawn from the
county treasury nearly 3 $4,000, for which
there is nothing substantial to show for.
True, there is the ground, the rickety foun-
do fion on1 tho roo1v fn f,1 m hlo down wo11o
Of the first story. But is this What the
honest taxpayers OF Lewis and Clarke
county are paying their money into the
county treasury for?
AN INVESTIGATION DEMANDED.
The contract was let at an outrageous
figure in the first place. counting the pick
ings, and the people havea right to demand
that the money be honestly expended and
the work fairly done. Is this being done?
Men who pretend to know, pronounce the
whole business a swindle upon the people,
and demanded at the hands of the Grand
Jury a thorough investigation Of every
move that has been made on the %swindling
job.
Charges of bribery and corruption are
freely made by leading citizens, and amounts
ranging from $500 to $4,000 are said to
have been paid out by certain parties as
hush money. One nan says he has only
received $500 of the $500 promised him,
and that if the other 5000 is not handed
over pretty soon he will make it hot for
the ring.
IS IT IGNORANCE?
Can it be possible that our Board OF
County Commissioners are ignorant OF the
ringls manipulations? Every man in Hele-
ma knows that the county is being swindled.
and the Commissioners have been warned
time and again to put a stop to the ring
robbery, but they turn a deaf ear to the
pleadings Of the people.
The contract price of the Court House is
$50, 900, but before the ring gets through
with it the people Of Lewis and Clarke
county will have a debt of $500, 900 hang
ing over their heads. Bankruptcy n r"'-
stare the tax-navers il
r~ANIPULArING THE JURY BOX.
An attempt was made to manipulate the
drawing Of the present Grand Jury in the
interest OF the ring, but the little game was
discovered, and fearing exposure, 5. II.
Crounse and others were allowed to remain
| on the jury.
There is nothing that the ring won't do
to cover up their tracks in the present in
vestigation.
Judge Wade's charge to the Grand Jury
in defining their duties was plain and to
the point, and it now rests with the gentle
men composing that jury to say whether
| the ring shall continue to have it's own
way, or whether the rights and pockets OF
the taxpayers shall be respected. Let no
guilty man escape. Indict the rascals
whether they occupy official positions or
| walk in the paths Of private life. Public
servants SHOULD be honest. Any attempt
to smother over the doings OF the County
Commissioners and the ring doings about
the new court house will bring down upon
the heads of the honorable Grand Jury the
just wrath of an indignant and robbed
people.
Mr.. Editor, the above is but an outline
of what the people Of Lewis and CLARK
complain of, and as the daily papers o
Helena are rather slow to speak out ano
give facts, l send this to you with the re
quest that you give it a place in the col
umns of your valuable and outspoker
journal. ANYTHING.
LiederkranZ SOciable.