The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-28

Ogage river 1t Osceola and tho river
bridged. and the remainder when the road
was graded to tho southern boundary Of
the county.
These terms did not suit the promoters
and tho court was again convened to con-
slider the subject II me, June a. 1870.
and changed the terms so as to issue the
bonds when the company would show the
court that II had let the contracts for the
grading and masonry work necessary to
the construction Of the road. The com
pAny had little difficulty In showing that
much TO tho court. and on the night OF
November Z. 1870. the court mes again.
Everybody in Osceola remembers the
date Of that meeting. II was held in the
rear Of Tom Monroe's drug store. Men,
roe was the county clerk. Al that his
tortc meeting the bonds were ordered
turned over TO the company The member
Of the company on the spot was p A.
Ladue. and tradition has II that Mr.. Ladue
left Osceola in the MIDDLE Of the night
with a gripsack which was bullying out
with bonds.
Records Destroyed.
II II a matter Of recorded history that
some grading was done In the years 1871
and 1872 The next year the company
failed. 1fss bonds were In force sti!i. and
the county court was advieed that II
should make tax levy 70 pay them II
did make levy that year and every year
after for the next four years. The tax
levy was voted by the people and the
taxes paid. though not without murmur-
ing.
In is,7, after the court had ordered the
levy. the people. by this time united In
the belief that 10 pay any more taxes
would he 10 do themselves an injustice.
concluded they would see that no levy
IA ~N@V ..aySH - Phx
courthouse and got the court record and
tore away the page containing the crter
for the levy.
The next year q consolidated back tar
book was made out. 20 show how MANY
az the property owners were delinquent
en- their railroad taxes The tniignan;
citizens went 10 the courthouse again ard
getting the hack tax book burned II IN
the public square. That was she last time
q tax levy was ever recorded In 81. Clair
county for tho payment Of the railroad
bonds. TIE county. collector. In order TO
save his sondsmen. attempted 10 collect
the back taxes. He sstxed horses and
cows and wagons and pu, Their, Up AT auc-
item The owners Of these things attend
ed the auction sales and n WAS noticed
that each Of them carried squirrel rife.
When the collector called for bids no one
BID, ard the property seaxci was returned
Al this pssnt the hcgidsoiaers went int
court 10 force the payment az the bonds.
or at least the interest on hem. II was
aheut tina. time that the Judges who voted
away the bonds took 10 the brush II was
net deputy United States rnarshsis who
caused them to hide. n vas tA~ men who
attended the auction sales with squirrel
rifles Waldo +. johnson. who Was IN the
United States senate from Missouri. when
the war broke cut and Who was after
ward member Of the Confederate senate.
Was a counselor o. tho Judges when trey
gave away the bonds. Notwithstanding
his previous scc. repase In IRE ceFnmss-
nifty. he sco, took 10 the brush est Of
rrsoaasson
Railroad Hailt.
The case dragged a.erg IN she ccarts
until isS4. when Il ~ss finally passed upon
by ire United States supreme s>ars-
United States Senator George q. Ne<t and
his law PARTNER wAe is naw inig~ Philips
OF the unss~s States circuit eegrs. and
John G. Ferguson w~r. s:eoyrrys FOR tia
people q 81, ciair coaasy IN this long itsi-
Ea.scn Tn.s IL tAs same JsAiEe Faifirs
was, has e<~a se1etng judges TO tasl ever
since he ecx 90 ske bench ten years ago.
In All ~ IN. litigation 81, C:ssr sCansy
,ass ari still the people ssssl3 ncs ast
their county jsssxcs levy . tau 70 rAy tie
Auo& eoma uaoney WATCH gnx into the