Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-10
Not in Chicago, Nor in
Topeka, but
IN RENO COUNTY !!
\ Refupding Contract
by Which l.. A. Bigger
Gets $5,625 for
Doing Nothing.

The GAZETTE has made it a part oil
its policy to treat all public officers
with fairness and consideration. Upon
that policy we have sometimes conpli'
mented republican officers for meritO'
rious conduct. We do not wish to de
tract anything from the reward for a
good act by public official because he
is a partisan opposed to our party prin-
ciples. Some newspapers keep up a
continual barking and carping on little
things, and when matter of serious
moment arises, their prOtestations are
dismissed with the remark that "he
has got another bilious SPELL"
But Il matter IS now before the
county commissioners which if cOnsu.
mated according to the terms of the
contract which was agreed to by them,
means the fleeing of the taxpayers of
the county, who of course are chiefly
the farmers, of over $1,000.
In 1887 the county voted and the
commissioners issued bonds in aid of
the G. X. Il N, now known as the
Rock Island. BY the terms of the
bonds they were to draw six per cent
interest and were to run twenty years.
But the legislature of 1887, passed a
law, published March 9Th, a part of
which is as follows:
SECTION |. All bonds hereafter is
sued by boards of county commission
eTs, township board, or by the author.
tiles Of Incorporated cities, to railroad
corporations, shall be redeemable at
the pleasure Of the board of county
commissioners, or authorities issuing
the same, ut any time after ten years
from the date Of their issue.
Section two, providing for the re-
demptiOn, says:
And when it is desired to redeem
any of such bonds, the county, town
ship or city treasurer shall cause to be
published for six consecutive issues in
the official state paper a notice that
certain bonds, by numbers and amounts
OF certain county, city or township,
will be paid at the place where paya.
able, and at the expiration Of thirty
days from the date of the last publica-
tiOn such bonds shall cease to bear IN.
interest.
The bonds issued were dated August
Is, 1887, and we're therefore under the
scope of this act. They were made
payable, like other bonds, at the fiscal
agency at New York City. The mat
ter of taking up the old bonds and is
suing new ones was therefore a COM
paratlvely simple one, The old bonds
were due August Is, 1897. Anyone
who reads might know where they were
payable. All that would be necessary
would be to find some party who
would buy new bonds at a lower rate
of interest than the old rate, and the
exchange could be easily made. But
about this time Mr.. Bigger made
proposal to the board which was &C.
cepted. The following is copy of his
proposal:
Hon. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION.
Frs RENO COUNTY, HUTCHINSON {:
GENTLEMEN: AS per conversation
at your last sitting, propose to ad-
vance for Reno county S75, 900 and de-
pOsit the same at the fiscal agency for
the STATE of Kansas, New York City,
for the use and benefit of Reno
county on or before February Is,
1898, to be used by said county exclu.
sively for the purpose of rendering and
making payment for and taking up
and carceling seventy-6ve bonds
of 81, 900 each, issued in aid of the
G. X. & n. r. r. am to re.
celve said bonds 80 paid and same are
TO be by me held as security for such
advance until the county shall issue
me in exchange therefor new refunding
bonds of Reno county to run thirty
years and to bear interest at the rate
of St per cent interest per annum, paw.
able semi annually at the said fiscal
agency; said refunding bonds to con-
tain an option giving the county the
right OF payment at any time after
twenty years from their date. ANY
and all county officers to assist in any
way required, by way of giving infor-
nation from the records or as to the
where abouts of said bonds, and to as