The Forrest City times., 1891-07-10
THE NEW COURT HOUSE.
Facts and Figures Fully Set Forth. Dem omntrmting the F Prncticability Of Build-
 ing at OuBe.


 Those of our readers who are inter- ested in the question of the practica- bility of building decent new court house and safe new jail no doubt re- member the communication from Kicker which appeared in TIE TIMES of June %, wherein ne set forth his objections to the enterprise. and claims the county court could not law fully make any contract of that charac- ter. This communication would have carried broader influence, perhaps, had it given the name of the writer. However we presume him to be tax payer. and give him credit for honesty of purpose and a desire to guard the best interests of the county. as he is given to see and believe. "Kicker' acknowledges the necessity and desira- bility of these improvements, and we take it for granted that no citizen will contend otherwise. Then the question is simply one of financial ability.
 Promising the facts and figures which demonstrate the available funds, THE TIMES desires to deny that it would have it's readers believe the county is out of debt. We acknowl- edge the bonded indebtedness of S35,- 900 referred to by correspondent, but what of that! Is $3o, ,0OO large sum for corporation of nearly l5,OOO peo- pie to owe? Why, we presume ther: are individuals in St. Francis county who frequently owe larger sums. Esti- mating that there are 5000 voters in the county, and apportioning the debt, It would amount to Sll.66s each. Such a pitiful sum would not bankrupt the poorest man in St. Francis county, and it is the poor man who is entitled to ''kick" the hardest. But the manner of paying this debt is not by apportion- ment. X tax of so many mills on each dollar of real and personal prop erty is levied. so that if man have but one dollar his part of the debt is proportlonately small. The present rate of taxation is IS mills for all pur- poses, outside of incorporated towns, the bonded debt included.
 Kicker" emphasized this great( ? bonded debt as proof that the county could not afford to build new court house and jail. In the light of facts and figures above, and presently to be made, it simply amounts to nothing as an obstruction to the enterprise. Eur thermore, this bonded indebtedness. due two years hence, may be refunded for twenty years or longer. at five per cent. interest. It is now bearing six per cent. No doubt d large portion of it will have to be refunded whether we have new court house or not. Lee county has refunded her bonds of simi- lar character for long term of years. Other counties have perhaps done like wise, and all of them have creditable court houses and strong jails. The county being otherwise out of debt, the bonds being refunded, three mills will pay the current expenses of the county government. and of the five mills allowed for general purposes two mills will thus be added to the court house fund, and taxes may be reduced. Taxes will not be increased, as some seem to think.
 Just a word here in regard to the unclean condition of the present structure, to which kicker" referred We are reliably informed there is no appropriation to purchase broom and, reasoning from his standpoint, it would be a gross "misappropriatlon of funds" were the court to order the purchase of this weapon of destruc- tion to cobwe chs.
 Let us see the resources of our county available for building new court house and jail:
 There is now due St. Francis county
 from certain railroad back taxes
 amounting 10 about. ut....................sl@ .sl@, ,0O( There is \ sinking fund now on hand
 amounting to..... 4.OO( The taxes nave Deou continued At 10
 mills for another year, which will add
 another amount to the sinking fund of 4,OO( The tax and interest on what is now due
 for another year from the railroads
 will add several hundred dollars, say. 50( Thus. you see we have. ................. s3O,50
 Scrip can be issued for the balance of the cost, and certain citizens of For rest City have agreed to carry it at par value. We think this conclusive, but there are still other items to be con sidered. For instance, the county is paying $200 per annum for clerk s office, which amount will be saved. Besides, the records and valuable pa pers of the county are now unsafe; they are exposed to the dangers of fire. Should they be lost it will have been an unpardonable neglect and very wrong idea of economy not to have provided flreproof vault for them. Think what disaster it would bs. Who can estimate the value of the records, or the loss to the people, should they burn? It is incalculable. It IS beyond the possibility of an idea. Such disaster did occur once. Titles are now incomplete; the loss was irre- parable. Shall we suffer another of greater magnitude?
 The question of building this court