Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1894-08-10
READ THE LAW.

ing the letting of contracts by the
County Commissioners, we publish
1t to-day for the double purpose of
calling their attention to the law and
its violation by the present Board of
Commissioners. 1t is found on page
533 of the General Statues of Nevada,
Section 1872, and reads as follows:
SECTION LIN letting all contracts
of any and every kind, character and
description whatever, where the con-
tract in the aggregate amounts to
five hundred doll ars or more, the
County Commissioners shall adver-
tise such contracts or contract to be
let, stating the nature and character
thereof-and when plans and speciti
cations are to constitute part of such
contract, it shall be stated in the
notice where the same may be seem
in some newspaper published in their
county, for the period of thirty days;
i'll case the contract be for construct
ing any public building, then the
advertisement shall be in that paper
published in the county which is near
est the selected location for such
building; and in case there shall be
no newspaper published in their
county, then by posting notices of the
same in five (5) of the most conspicu-
GUS and public places in their county
for the same period of time. All such
contracts shall be let to the lowest
responsible bidder, subject to the
provisions of the twenty third (23d)
section of the Act to which this
is supplementary"
SECTION %. of the Act referred to
above reads as follows:
mo member of the Board of County
Commissioners shall be interested,
directly or indirectly in any property
belonging to the county, nor in any
contract made by the county for the
erection ofpublic buildings, the open
ing or improvement of roads, or the
building of bridges or for other pur-
poses; and a violation of this section
shall be a misdemeanor punishable
by a fine of not less than one hundred
dollars, and not exceeding five hun
dred dollars, and shall be cause for
removal from Office"
The last grand jury found that the
Board had violated the law in letting
the County Hospital contracts for
two years and in employing a jan,
itor for the court house and Jail for
the same time.
Instead of indicting the members
OF the Board for these violations OF
the law, the grand jury let them of
with Il mild reprimand. This should
have been a warning to them to cease
their violations of the law but before q
month passes they deliberately violate
1t again i'll contracting for these
metal boxes and metal work for the
clerks Office.
The Commissioners can not plead
ignorance Of the law as their attention
has been called to it repeatedly
Neither can they make the people be
ieve that they do not understand il
because it is as plain as the English
lnsuage can make it. 1t says il
plain English that ain letting all
Contracts Of any and eUery kind
Oh lracter and description achatever
where the contract in the agqreoat,
amounts to five hundred dollars @,
more" the County Commissioner
shall advertise for bids. The con
tract for these boxes and metal worl
called for S1125 in the aggregate ant
was lot will out being advertised ant
no mention of it was made in the pro
ce.> mgs OF the Board.
If the law is enforced against tho
printer and the ice man, it should bt
enforced against the maker of Labor
saving deyicea and tho Dbvo;n;o,, mn