The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-25
THE ANNEX.

Certainly the members Of the county
court ought to understand now that
the great majority of the people of
this county do not approve of their ac-
tiol in erecting the proposed annex to
the county courthouse.
The meeting of the citizens held at
the city hail Tuesday night was GER
calmly composed Of representative citi-
zens, most Of whom were heavy tax
payers, and every one of whom were
interested in the welfare Of the county.
The meeting was very conservative in
the way of giving expression to its
sentiments, yet there could be no mis-
taking just what all present though
about the proposition. There was no
disposition TO abuse any one, but it was
the intention that a plain business
view should be taken of the whole
ma tier, and as a result the gentlemen
present voted almost unanimously
against the further progress of the
work and authorized the appointment
Of a committee TO confer with the
court and try and arrange to have the
work stopped even though it was an
ouonced that the contracts had all
been let. 1t seemed to be the general
opinion that il would be the Wisest
and most economical thing to stop the
work row even though it might cost
considerable sum of money 10 secure
PeleaSes from the contracts that had
been made.
There was not a single reasonable
argument advanced why this annex
should DE erected now or at any other
time. The statement that the county
had no funds to pay for any portion
Of this work was not controverted ex-
. Ill. u.
was money in the sinking fund held to
meet the bonded indebtedness which
could be used. This is a. trust fund in
the hands of the county treasurer and
1t is hardly probable that he will take
any chances by allowing it TO be used
tn this way. especially as he is reSpon-
sible to the people and not to the county
court for his official acts. If he should
be called TO account for paying out any
portion Of this fund contrary to law,
Il would avail him nothing to say that
the judge and Selctmen ordered him
70 do so.
1t is claimed that this money can be
ldRned to other counties and money
borrowed on county notes secured by
the obligations of the other counties
and thus avoid the question of using
this trust fund in an improper manner.
The proposition is just a sbroad as it
Sc long and is simply a preteXt to get
around the law which would not do
ussder any circumstances, because if it
il unlawful to use this trust fund to
butid court house il is unlawful to
PIT it up as security as a loan for that
purpose, because security is no good
unless it is available to hquidate the
obligation and in case the lender
should have to fall back on the secur-
ity for the pay where would the trust
find be, and where would the treas
user and county court be when an ac-
counting was demanded
The committee appointed is composed
of representative citizens and the gen
ttsmen can well speak for the majority
OF the taxpayers and feel confident
that they have The backing OF the peo-
pie in what they may do.
One OF the most effective arguments
advanced against the erection of the
annex was presented by ex-Sheriff
Bslnap. II is proposed to put a jail in
the basement of the annex and one of
tie strongest arguments the members
OF che county court have had in favor
OF q new building is the great need of
q aew jail Mr.. BeInap said the mod
erEl idea was Il erect the jail away