The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-12-31
THERE ARE OTHERS
WHO BELIEVE
In the Erection OF Court House
From Delinquent Taxes.
COUNTY NEEDS A BUILDING
The Back Taxes Would Build an Ade-
quate Structure which Would lie
An Honor 20 the city.

Much interest has been shown
throughout the city concerning the
question of a new county courthouse.
Al agree that the county needs a prop
cr building for the conduct OF It's public
puslners. II needs building which
viii give some appearance to the city
and county of prosperity and represent
In degree something Of It's wealth
and resources.
In an interview yesterday afternoon
with Mr.. Geo. C. F!ayel upon the ques-
ton. that gentleman said 10 an Asto-
rlan representative: II thoroughly
agree with the proposition that We do
need a new courthouse The present
building Is inadequate and certainly
has tendency TO unfavorably Impress
strangers visiting the city and county.
Mr.. Fulton's plan for building the court
house seems TO me to be all right but
| should not be IN favor Of putting the
plan into execution untll the delinquent
taxes had first been collected Don't
build the courthouse and then attempt
20 collect the delinquent taxes after
wards. You know that any building.
public or private always costs more
when the final bills are paid than the
first estimates called for would say.
however, that II some reliable contract
or could be found who was willing to
swap a new courthouse which would
meet our requirements for the delin-
quent tax list, make the trade with him
and let him collect the back taxes. In
other words my position Is that the
county canno, now AFFORD 10 levy new
tax or appropriate ready money for the
building of new court house. We need
the new building. and II Il can be con
structed now out OF the back taxes by
any hook or crook. by all means let
US have the new building We cannot.
however. take chances 10y having 10
levy additional taxes 10 make up
deilcit for this purpose"
MIR 5. $. Gordon. cashier Of the First
National Bank when asked for his
Views upon the court house question
last evening said: u cannot criticize
Mr.. Fulton's suggestion or the figures /
contained IN his Interview. II sufficient |
delinquent taxes are collected for the |
purpose, | see no objection to the build |
ing Of n new courthouse. or course.
all delinquent taxes which are collected
have a tendency TO reduce by that
much the current taxes. but as every. |,
one knows delinquent taxes are usually
as lost and whatever OF them
are saved can be figured as Just 50
much unlooked-for profits We need
a new courthouse and must have one |,
some time or other. ] would say In ad-
lition to this, that n funds enough can
not be raised to erect a thoroughIy- II
equipped building for county purposes.
'nough at least might be realized from /
delinquent taxes to put up portion OF !,
completely designed edlfce which \
would answer FOR present purposes. be-
ng n great improvement over the I
'hack now in use. and which might
'orm one OF the wings to the finished
when the time comes to com
llete H."
Mr., f. f, DeYo, OF the webfoot Com
mission Co. in speaking OF the court {
louse proposition, heartily colncided
With Mr. Fulton's views. He said: IF 1
We can collect the delinquent taxes we q
urely ought to put the sum into {
curt house. The present building is a
lisgrace to the city and county. Per-
laps few people here realize the effect
hat such a public building has upon n
trangers coming to this territory for ,
he purpose of making investments. In y
Eastern states every county has its :
eat courthouse and public buildings.
II some counties, OF course, like Ma =
oupin county, ILL.,, they have carried
he matter to extremes, 1t is not ne
essary to be eXtravagant in the mat
er as a neat, trim, public building,
$50 ''NNNiA NN'AN NhAShNNS, Ntlll ht tTttl- ;
d at comparatively small cost, And II d
his cost can be realized out of delin- 4
uent taxes, Clatsop county will be o
cry foolish not to take advantage of n
he opportunity Thinking people who e
ONE here now from the East are sim
ly dlsgusted, and say that they have
o use for a community that cannot
how anything better than barn for
public building. Our credit must be
arefully guarded, but 1t is my opinion
hat upon the lines suggested a court
ouse which will be an ornament to the tt
ity and a credit to the county, can >
aslly be constructed within our means,
,ook at Jersey county. Illinois. She
'ent throuh the same experience that
latsop county is now undergoing. For 7
ears the county commissioners were ri
ontent with a barn for public build .,
lg. The neighborlng counties on all :,
des built neat and commodious coun- /,
= courthouses and their business pros
cred, while property in Jersey depre-
lated. At last Jersey county awoke to
he situation, issued bonds, built a COM
lodious courthouse, and from that time cl
er property increased in value, and a.