The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-06-09
COURT HOUSE NATTER
Mayor Yegen Tries to Buy the
Present Property, but
There's a. Kick
SITE IS NOT CENTRAL
That Is commissioners Will
Take Up the Subject at
Special Meeting.

appeared before the county comission-
ers "Wednesday morning and made a
written proposition to purchase the
court house and Jail for $15, 900. with
the proviso that that sum and $4,000
more should be expended on new
court house and Jail, to be built on a
block of ground that he will donate,
valued at 50. 500. The block is on First
avenue south, between Thirty second
and Thirty y-third streets, just three
blocks west of the south side school
house.
The commissioners seemed to be very
favorably impressed with Mayor
Yegen's offer, hut quite number of
heavy taxpayers and prominent business
men who were present protested that
the proposed site was too far from the
business center of the city. These men
were then asked if they would make as
good an offer to the commissioners as
Mayor Yegen's, for site more central
ly located, but had no definite PROPOSE
tion to submit. Then long and some-
what heated discussion followed, two
or three persons talking at once during
most Of the time. those opposed to the
Yegen offer apprehending that the COM
missioners were going to take i'm
mediate action, which Mayor Yegen' S
proposition called for. The question
was raised as to whether the commits
sione1s had legal right to expend the
81 5000 to construct a new court house
without submitting the matter to a
vote of the people, the law being that
not more than $40, 900 can be expended
for any purpose without such action.
Attorney Herford was positive that an
election would have to be held. but
County Attorney Johnston, who said
he had not looked up the matter. was
not prepared to render an opinion. The
question was also raised as to whether
the commissioners had legal right to
sell the court house and Jail except at a
public sale, which should first be adver-
tised.
The impression seemed to be preva-
lent that the commissioners were going
to take action without legal advice Oh
these points, but the board assured the
gentlemen present that it would do
nothing until it knew that it was act
ing within the spirit of the law. "A
suggestion was made that the commits
sioners call a special election to vote on
site, to he located between Twenty
seventh and Tl,irtieth streets. not more
than three blocks distant from the 1ail
road track, on either side. Then the
commissioners asked if anyone else was
prepared to pay $4,000 for the present
property; that they considered that
figure bonus Of $4,000 or $4,000, and
if the proceeds Of the sale could be used
for a new court houes, it could be
built without bonding the county or
without materially raising taxes. No
other offer was made to purchase, but
it was contended that, if the present
court house and Jail were to be sold,
they should be sold at public SALE
The concensus of opinion seemed to
be that new court house is necessary,
but it was argued that the commission
ers had no right to expect a site to be
donated; that the county was able to
pay for one. The commissioners ans
wered this by saying that they had a
site offered them, nevertheless. and in
timated that they would not be doing
their duty by the taxpayers if. in the
face of this. they purchased land.
The opponents of the Yegen site still |
fought for delay, holding that the mat
ter of building new court house had |
not been sufficiently agitated, and Mr..
Yegen consented to let his offer stand
until July 5, when the commissioners
will hold a special meeting to consider
the matter. Mr.. Yegen has said, it is
understood, that be will be willing, if
4 site is selected on the south side Of
the track, to still pay $4,000 for the
present property and donate 50, 500
worth of land in any block of land
where he owns property, there being
several blocks that he owns portion
If. An effort will probably be made
between now and the date of the special
meeting to select site in which Mr..
YeRen is interested that is more CEN
rally located, and in the meantime the
expect an offer equally
Is good as his from some other source
The whole matter is liable to resolve
tself into special election, at which
he proposition to be voted on will be:
Shall the commissioners. if they sell
he present property, expend the pro-
Feeds of the sale and $4,000 more in
,uilding new court house on the
1egen site, or some other site, still to
,e offered? The commissioners feel con- /,