Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-11-11
a PROSPECTIVE COMPROMISE.


sers on Saturday, met in adjourned
session to consider the matter of EN-.
ploylng L. A. Bigger. of Hutchinson,
as agent to secure compromise of the
bonded Indebtedness of the county. MIR
B. was present in person and on Mon.
day evening the following agreement;
was entered into between him and the
county, the Board having been fully
advised by the county attorney and
other counsel, as well as many of the
leading taxpayers of the county.
We hope that much good will result
to the county from this transaction.
CONTRACT.
This agreement made and entered
into at Medicine Lodge, Kansas, this
9th day of November. A. d. 1896, By
and between the Board of County Com
missioners of Barber county, Kansas,
of the first part. and L. A. Bigger, of
Hutchinson, Kansas, of the second
part.
WITNEssETH: That whereas, the
County of Barber is in debt greatly in
excess of It's ability to pay, and is en-
barrassed and has lost population, and
the assessed valuation of property has
sbrunk materially within the past few
years, and whereas the taxes collected
are insufficient to pay the expenses of
the county and its bonded Indebted
ness and the interest thereon, and
whereas the County desires to compro-
mise and reduce its bonded indebted.
ness under the terms within the mean
ing of the law, and holders of the
bonds being widely scattered in dist
ant regions and largely unknown and
difficult of access, it becomes necessary
to employ some skilled person as agent
OF said Barber county to give the mat
ter of refunding and reducing said in
debtedness immediate, proper and con-
t.nuous attention, said Board of Coun-
ty Commissioners after due and care
full consideration with sundry tax-pay-
ers of said county have decided to
make an agreement with second party
in terms and conditions substantially
as follows, and to that end it hereby
appoints and creates the said l.. A.
Bigger, second party, the agent of Bar
Der county, with full power and au-
thority to conduct any and all negotia-
ton for the settlement of said indebted
ness, and to carry out the ms tructions
of the Board of County Commissioners,
and to take immediate steps to refund
and compromise such bonded jndebt-
edness upon such terms and conditions
as may be obtained from said bond
holders, all propositions, acts and
agreements which may be agreed upon
between said Bigger and the bondhold-
ers to be approved by said Board of
County Commissioners before being
binding upon said County.
The duties of the second party shall
be to visit and to correspond and nego,
tiate with the holders of the bonds of
said county, and to employ at his own
cost and expense such counsel as may
be necessary, which counsel shall act
advisory with the Board of County
Commissioners and with the County
Attorney of said county, and shall also
assist in defending all suits brought
against said County wherein it's bond
ed Indebtedness is involved, and shall
take such steps and do all acts necessa-
ry to carry out the design and plan of
compromising and reducing the indebt-
edness of the county to such an amount
as the county will be able to pay, and
said Bigger, the second party, shall be
responsible for any and all attorneys
fees so contracted except those of the
county attorney, provided this
shall not prevent the Board of
County Commissioners from employ
ing counsel and controlling such litiga-
ton, but in case of litigation said first
party shall pay any travelling expense
incurred by said Bigger or his attor-
neys in prosecution of these matters,
such expense incurred to be submitte
upon sworn vouchers, and no expense to
be incurred without prior consent and
approval of the Board of County Com
missioners.
First party further agrees that all of
the county officers and particularly the
County Attorney, County Clerk and
County Treasurer of said County shall
furnish all necessary service and
work demanded of them to be per-
formed within the state in the way of
furnishing data and statistics for pre-
sentlng the case to the bondholders OF
in the courts, and IN testifyingln court
without expense to the second party.
The second party agrees to earnestly
and faithfully putt in all necessary time
in an endeavor to compromise and re
reduce the bonded Indebtedness of sale
county and to make the best possible
terms for the refunding of the same
and to superintend by himself ant
counsel the drawing up of refundine
bonds in proper form, the reasonable
expense of printing and preparing thu
said refunding bonds to be borne by tn,
County, but no additional pay for TIT
services of the said second party or hi:
attorney except as stated in this con
tract.
First party further agrees thai
should 1t at any time be necessary
they will send member of the Boart
of County Commissioners or the Coun