, 1889-12-12
To this Mr.. Hill sent the following:

Hon. @. r. Thompson, II. G. Hough-
ton, John L. kinnear, s. Z. Herren, j.
A. Kuhn and l.. X. pickrell: Gentle
men-.Your favor of to-day was duly re-
ceived, and l have given Its contents
careful consideration, and in response TO
the several inquiries therein have to say:
As to the length of time required to
compile, arrange, annotate, supply omis-
sions and defects, and index the law of
this state, my opinion, based upon con-
siderable experience in that line of work.
is that one year, at least, would be re.
quired to perform the work properly. No
man who has not attempted such task
will be likely to form all adequate idea
of the amount of labor it involves, and
there is no work in which haste is likely
to work greater mischief. With respect
to the cost, in order 10 have the work in
condition to be submitted to the
legislature for that body to act intelli-
gently upon it, | see no practicable way
| but by having it printed before being
presented to the legislature and copy
laid upon the desk of each member.
This printing could, of course, go
forward while the editorial work was be-
| ing done, but it would be an important
element in the cost. | estimate that the
editorial work, including clerk hire,
would be about $40, 0OO, and the printing,
including 1000 copies in two volumes,
bound and put up in good law book
style, after iinal action by the legisla
ture, at about $1,000 Third, Would |
| be willing to undertake this work If de-
sired by the legislature?" | have con
cluded to say not without some hesita-
ton, on account of the responsibility of
the work, that | should be willing
to undertake it, and in order to
/ ,,t hn mi nv n iIin igri l,ln farm, uith-
out delay, have prepared the following
business proposal for the compilation
and publication of code of laws for the
state:
will compile, arrange and fully anno-
tate the laws contained in the code of
Washington territory of 1881, and the
laws passed since, including those of the
present session of the legislature. will
prepare information for the enactment
OF such additional laws and amend
ments and such repeal of superiuous
laws as seem necessary 10 harmoni2e the
whole body of our law with the consti-
tuition OF the state and the new order of
things incident to the change from ter
ritorial To u state form OF government,
together with u bill for the enactment
thereof expecting in this connection to
he allowed to mako such use rs
seems desirable of the work reported by
the late territory code committee. | will
print this work in two royal octave vol
umes, which estimate ut about 800
pages each, and will complete the entir9
work in time for action by the legislature
to meet in January 1891. | will furnish
| to the governor OF the state for examina-
ton by himself and the judges OF the
supreme and superior courts and mem
bers of the legislature $50 sets of the
work, printed, indexed and bound in
paper binding. Immediately upon the
/ A al N mn N thp las tal M In \
will rcpublish the volumes with such
notifications and additions as the legis-
lature shall have made, and will deliver
to the secretary of state 1000 sets
of the two volumes, printed
and bound in the best style of
law book publishing firms. shall wish
to secure as fully compensatory for the
editorial work named ana the entire
publishing and republishing of the vol
umes and the furnishing of 100 copies
the sum of $4,000, payable as follows:
$1,000 when the editorial work on the
remedial and penal code is completed;
$4,000 when all the editorial work is COM
pleted, excepting the work of arranging
the general laws passed at the session OF
1891; $4,000 when the $50 copies are de-
liyered to the government, and $4,000
when the 1000 sets are delivered to the
secretary of state. | will further agree
to furnish to the state aud the public all
the additional copies required for per-
iod of six years from the date Of the
final publication at a price not to exceed
$40 per set. This proposition Is sub
mitted upon the assumption thut
il the legislature should determine to act
upon 1t such action would be promptly
taken, as | should not wish to under.
take work of such magnitude and re-
sponsibility under an obligation to COM
plete 1t within the time indicated, unless
1t could be commenced without delay,
In explanation Of the difference between
and the proposed AMOUNT of sic, 900, IL
proper TO say that | estimate that tho
sales of the volume in addition to tho
$1,000 copies of the complete work fur,
nished to the state would probably re.
alize about $4,000 before the work would
60 out of date, SO to be unstable.
Very respectfully,