Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-07-16

SOUU Tor the CONSTRUCTION OF OrluBt
in Kirwin township. The bridge has
for some time been built, but under
just what authority the. records dc
not show. Mr.. Freeman who built il
says that the commissioners ordered
it at the same tune the Logan and Is
land bridges were bought, but Mr.
Thornton says his books show no rec.
ord Of any such purchase, There
seems to be some question about the
legality Of making this appropriation,
More care should be exercised in do
ing business for the county.-Herald
There is no question about the le-
gality of the appropriation nor has
there been any carelessness IN the
matter whatever. Mr., Freeman re-
quests US TO say that he never told
Mr.. Brainerd nor any other person
any such thing as he is qnoted above
as saying. The facts in the Kirwin
township bridge case are M follows,
and if Mr.. Branerd had had a desire
to inform his readers about it, he
could have, and probably did, learn
all of the facts.
A petition was regularly circulated,
signed and presented to the board Of
county commissioners asking for an
appropriation for a bridge across
Deer Creek on the section line he
tween sections II and is, just south
Of the farm of Ven Il Hugunln. The
bridge had been out for eight or nine
months. and The citizens we're anx GUS
to have it put in at the very earliest
time, hut as the commissioners we're
comuelled to publish notice of the ap-
preparation, Mr.. Freeman proposed to
accommodate the people by putting the
bridge in at once and allowing the
commissioners to issue a warrant on
the new bridge fund at the July
Meeting.
All there was to it was that the
people who travel that road had the
use Of the bridge about six months
earlier than they would, had the build
ing OF il been deferred until after the
July meeting of the board, without
anv extra expense.
The commissioners acted strictly
according to law and the people Of
Klrwin township are under obligation
to Mr.. Freeman and to nobody else
for the fact that they got their bridge
six months ahead of the time that it
could have been put in, in any other
way. We verify believe that if the
present board of commissioners should
make a valuable improvement in ev-
cry township in the county and pay
the hill out of their own pockets, that
our friend would find fault with them
as they are republicans while he is
trying hard to be pop. His idea Of
the necessary qualifications of pop
ulist is for man to be chronic kick
or, and he does his best to fill, what he
considers to be the high calling of his
political position, Dispatch.
Brainerd did make an investigation
of the bridge question, and wrote
what he did with full knowledge of
what the facts were, while Royce
treats the matter without any inquiry
whatever. No petition was ever pre-
sented to the county commissioners
asking for the erection of bridge at
the point where this bridge is built,
and the commissioners have no Off
cial knowledge of ever giving any
person any right to build this bridge.
The bridge had been out for eight or
nine months, during which time the
commissioners had had at least two
regular meetings, and no petition
was ever laid before them asking for
a bridge on the section line between
sections II and IS in Kirwin town
ship across Deer creek,
Three families in gong to Kirwin
were compelled to go not over one
mile north, then east one-half mile,
and then south on a good road with
good bridge over the creek. Did
they not choose to go out of their
way, two gates let them through to a
road one-half mile east of the one
they live on. Mr.. Freeman built a
good bridge of iron, and at reason
able figure, but the fact is that the
commissioners cannot pay for this inn
provement, under existing laws. The
board at its late meeting took no &C.
ton upon the matter at all. If the
claim is legal one, why was it not
paid? The personal attack in our
little friends article will be overlook
ed. We will suggest way out; If
the people want bridge at this point
let them petition for 1t, and have the
bridge paid for in q regular way.
Mr.. Freeman having a bridge already
built can put price on it, and get
his pay for It, We make no kick on
the bridge, its construction or its To-
cation, but do believe that NO man
has right to try to have Phillips
county pay for something that was