Wichita eagle., 1889-05-30
AN AUTHORITATIVE DENIAL


according to aforesaid revised statutes.
AN AUTHORITATIVE DENIAL
| OF That Alleged Panhandle Bond Steal.
| To the Editor Of the Eagle.
In your issue Of the Gath inst, a spec
| laI correspondence from Canadian,
Texas, represents that the people of Rob
ert5 county are greatly excited over
what he terms "bond steal" He states
what purports to be certain facts said to
have been related in petition for in
| junction to the effect that Miami is not
the county seat of Roberts county; that
officers who had made contract for the
| building Of court house and Jail at
Miami and had issued bonds for that
purpose were not the officers of the
county and had no right to act for or
bind it in the matter referred to; that
their contract and the bonds they had
issued were therefore Illegal and void:
and that bonds to the amount Of $40, 900
in excess Of the maximum limit of the
law had been issued.
The appearance of a more exaggerated
statement of the same matters in the
Fort Worth Gazette of the same date
from the same correspondent implies an
unusual interest on his part IN affairs
outside of his own county, and which in
no way concern him financially or 9TH
erwise. And this is none the less re-
markable when it is known that he pro-
cured his information at point thirty
miles from Miami, outside of Roberts
county, and that he did not inquire
within it as to the truth or falsity of
his assertions. As he claims to be
a lawyer the wonder is that he assumes
with so much assurance that the cues
tions Of the legality of the organization
of a county, the validity Of an election
to locate its county seat and the title
to all the Offices held in it could
be tried on an application to en-
join the building Of a court house
and Jail, to say nothing of
district court being called upon to usurp
the powers of the commissioners court
in the same proceeding. Another alb
surdity is that the injunction said to
have been asked for was aimed, not
against the issuing of bonds, or the IN
constitutional exercise Of the taxing
power, but at the execution Of q CON
tract after it had been made, and after
payment Of the consideration
on the part of the county.
II such petition ever emanated from
the brain of any lawyer in good and reg
ular standing in his profession, it was
still born, for it has not reached the files
of Roberts county. 1t must be admit
ted, however, that rumor is current
that an application TO enjoin the build
ing of the Roberts county court house
and Jail was made to the district Judge,
and that he refused to grant it.
But not to trespass on your space too
much, the truth is the legality
of the organization of Roberts county
and of the location of its county seat at
Miami are matteIs which haye never
been drawn in question by any legal
proceeding, and which are settled be-
vond the power of any tribunal TO annul
them. 1t is a completely organized
county, differed for the performance of
every duty involved in the management
of local affairs. The fact of its organ
lied existence has been recognized BIZ
the holding Of district court at Miami,
its county seat. The same officers who
attended the district court when it sat
here, and was thus recognized, made a
contract for the building of court house
and Jail. No other set of men have ever
exercised, or attempted to exercise, Off
cial authority in the county. What they
contracted for was not only buildings
in which to hold court and CON
fine prisoners, but for sewerage,
water supply, fire proof vaults,
cells, furniture and everything complete
and ready for public use. For these
they agreed to pay $4,000 The letting
was upon sealed proposals, made in
strict conformity to law, and in pursu-
ance of published notice. Several bids.
with plans and specifications were sub
mitted, and the one adopted was pre-
ferred and approved by the representa-
tives of the faction understood to be op-
posed to Miami. When all the contract
covers is considered, and comparison on
that basis is made with expenditures for
similar purposes in other newly organ
izen Panhandle counties, no reasonable
man Will charge the court with extrava-
gance, or the abuse of discretionary
powers. 1t is good economy to build
substantially and once for all future
time. Every dollar spent upon tenn
porary public buildings is money
wasted, and the public pol
icy which assumes that q con-
test over the organization of a county
and the location of county seat is never
10 be considered settled, is the most IN
wise one that could be adopted. And
so far as the abuse of the taxing power
is concerned, the statements Of your
Canadian correspondent are the groSsest
OF all his exaggerations. The assess
ments OF the current year are not COM
pleted in this or any other county in
Texas, and IT is pure assumption on the
part OF any one 10 say the county COM
missioners court have exceeded their
powers. The performance of the con-
tract they have made is secured BY a
bond Of Slia. guaranteed by two OF
the best banks ia Texas, and the oontrac-
tors themselves are responsible and hon
orable men.
In conclusion let me assure you.