The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-03-19
THE COURT HOUSE AGAIN.

We reluctantly lay this matter before
our readers again, because it would
seem that they have already perused
ali the literature of this kind which they
desire; but most of the resolutions
passed throughout the county at
the recent annual town meetings, are so
radically unjust to the Board of Com
missioners, and are based on SUPPOSE
tons so extremely alien 10 the facts in
the case, that we desire to give the COM
missioners snch vindication from the
charges laid upon them as they are en-
titled to in the light ofeXisting facts.
In the first instance, the parties who
drafted the resolutions IN question,
seem to have had but one source of IN
spiration, and that was that the people
of Blue Earth county voted not to erect
Il court house, and the commissioners,
utterly ignoring this decision, usurped
the power to 20 on with the enterprise.
This view of the case is wrong entire.
The proposition laid before the people
was: "Shall we bond the county for the
funds necessary to erect the proposed
county building" The Board were
we'll aware that they did not have To
ask the consent of the county populace
TO provide suitable buildings for county
purposes. When the people said, lido
not bond" then the commissioners pur-
sued their only course viz. to levy. That
the commissioners did not act hastily
nor unadvisedly in this matter is clearly
shown by the annexed reports and re-
concentrations of the grand jury from
time TO time, beginning nearly two
years ago. On the Odd day of Nav, 1854
the grand jury then in session, after
due examination of the buildings and
consultation thereupon, submitted the
following report, which is properly
signed by the jurors individually, who
represented at least half of the towns in
the county.
The grand jury have visited the coun-
| " Jail and find il in as good condition
ms the building will admit The pris-
onecs well kept and the beds neat and
/ clean, the cells, however, should be
whltcwashed, and some sort of sewer
age provided for the building.
We believe the time has come when
Bi lie Earth county should erect suitable
and proper county buildings. The old
buildings are inadequate for the tran
SAT. ion of the business of the county, IL
" ventilated, small and unsightly, and
should give way, and something erected
commensurate with the wealth and pop
uiation of one of the foremost counties
in the state.
Our population is over 25 900 and our
assessed valuation over 5000 ,000 and
our bonded Indebtedness small trife
of about Sl6,0O0
The county owns the finest block OF
ground in the City of Mankato, and
when graded and suitable Court House
erected thereon, will he credit and
ornament to the county, and We would
recommend to the County Commission.
ers to take the necessary steps to carry
out these recommendations, believing
that the people ofthe county will re-
joice to see the grounds, now used for
cattle to Craze upon, graded, ornament
ed, and neat Court House erected
therein, and the unsightly old rookerv
removed therefrom.
In May, 1885, the grand jury embod-
led the following unmistakable Ian.
guage in their report at the end of their
session, and this was after the unparal
lelled 'snow-under" of the bond ques-
| ton.
Finally, We recommend that the coun.
~ commissioners levy yearly two-mill
tax upon the taxable property of the
county until such time as a sufficient
amount of money has accumul tied from
| the same for the building of good, sub
stantial court house for the use of this
co lnty, the cost to be sixty thousand
dollars, and in no event to exceed sew
entv-ive thousand dollars RecogniZ.
| ing the need of a new court house we are
| favorable 10 the levy of the tax as above
stated and call upon the commission
ers when the time arrives TO commence
the building to take particular care that
il be made substantial from foundation
| 10 roof, that it may not, within few
years be in similar condition to the
| present county building, but be of use
TO those who shall succeed us for many
years to come.
The grand jury at the last December
term submitted recommendations of a
similar nature.
Now,it must be remembered that the
grand jurors are the peoples ENJOYS in
every sense of the word, supposed to
represent every township in the county,
with full authority to examine and in
spect all county property, and power to
condemn such when they see fit. This
they certainly have done with the Blue
Earth county buildings, and for the
commissioners TO do otherwise than
they have, would certainly be disrespect
to this representative body, compact
whom the district judge himself dare
not ignore when they act upon any mat
ter within his jurisdiction, and which
comes under their authority. The COM
missioners have only exercised a legal
right which leaves such matters to their
discretion, and obeyed the recommen-
datIons of those legally in authority over
them.
With these facts before us II Is moth
ing short of the most uncalled fol abuse
to hurl upon the County Commissioners
such anathemas as some of the resolu-
tons spoken of contained.