Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-03-19

WAGON ROAD CLAIM.
Senate Judiciary Committees
Report ON the Subject.

1uo lOllOWAuX Is tu0 TcpOTC uIdOc
by the senate judiciary committee
on the Winters, Parsons & Boomer
wagon road claim:
Mr.. President-YOur sub-cOm-
mittee on judiciary have had un-
der consideration the communica-
ton of the governor and accom-
panying recommendatory report
Of tho supreme court in regard to
Winters ct al vs.. the state of
Idaho.
This is only an additional chap
ter to the grand farce and public
swindle known as the state wagon
road appropriation scheme, which
has for it's object the drawing of
immense amounts from the public
treasury for the purpose of giving
soft snaps to political favorites at
the expense of the taxpayers of the
state. The sooner this whole mat
ter is stamped upon by the repre-
sentatives of the people the better,
for so long as any claim connected
with it is recognized by the legisla-
ture, like Banquo's ghost, it will
be bobbing up and reminding us Of
the past.
The opinion of the judges of the
supreme court is conclusive on the
point that the wagon road commits
sion had no authority whatever to
employ Winters to do the recited
extra work.
But aside from this other mat
tiers have come to the committee
that would warrant them in the
belief that said Winters ct al were
in collision with others for the
purpose of pulling moro money out
of the treasury without the au-
thority of law. By way of
throwing some little light on this
subject we append hereto letter
from Mr.. Witers to one III. III.
Boom er, which, to say the least, is
rather suggestive.
Your committee would recon-
mend that the legislature wash
its hands just as soon as possible
of this whole Ubiquitous proceed
ing and that this matter be indefi-
nitely postponed, with the
hope that future legislatures will
never allow one item connected
with it to be resurrected.
Respectfully submitted.
| j. G. RICH,
JOHN E. REEs,
Sub Committee of Judiciary
Committee.
The letter above referred to is as
follows:
Overland Hotel, Boise, Sept. 81,
1894.-H. H. Boomer, Salmon
City, Idaho-Friend Boomer: Got
into a bad scrape here. Some men
went out from here to work. Par
sons had some trouble and they
sued for $47OO. I had to hire
counsel to fight the case. 1t will
cost $3.50, but got the best law
yer in the state. 1t is ex-Congress-
man Ainslie. He agreed to pre-
pare this bill to this legislature for
extra work.
Birdsey and NcNab throwed up
on your statement and / had hard
work to get them to allow $4,000.
I got 5000 in cash.
This is a kind of q dead cinche
business and hell was o popping
from start to finish. I got all our
vouchers made out so I won't have
to come here any more and we can
get our pay in full.
OF course I had to dizzy to do il
and I will get hold of the check
for sure if can get the governor
fixed SO he is feeling all right. ]
had to keep hands off the work in
Kootenai county as it was fixed.
All the rest of the contractors are
in the soup. If they get anything
they will have to divey.
This man Hunter has the key t.
the whole situation.
/ will put in an extra work bill
in Custer county 80 as to make W
the deficiency. I have it all ar
ranged with Birdsey and commits
sioners and Hunter. I got sic, 80t
cash on this payment, the balanc'
soon as we.get through. That viii
be the 10th. I will be in Butt
J Sunday. Yours truly,
WINTERS.