The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-12-12

1 oOOulO we VI SlOulO we lOt pIOCecU
to build q court house? Or, i'm other
words, shall we build court house
| when we can or when we must? And
again, do we need new court house?
Few, if any, have any doubt in regard
to the latter question. No doubt great
many think that while we need such a
thing. the need is not so pressing but
what we can wait at least few years
without suffering any great disadvant-
age, and after our bonded debt is
wiped out proceed to build new court
house. This would be fair and rea-
sonable view to take of the matter were
1t not for one thing in the way, and
that is that we cannot now purchase
the outstanding bonds. NOtwithstand
ing the fact that these bonds only draw
per cent interest per annum SO plenti-
full is money that the holders of the
bonds will not part with them, or at
least they refuse to make or accept of
any offer. Now shall we pitch in, SO
to speak, and build u court house while
we can, and while we are waiting for
the bonds to mature, or shall we lie
idle and wait while and perhaps be
forced to pay the bonds and possibly
build court house at the same time?
A great many may ask, what's the
hurry all at once about the court house
anyway; that this question: has some
what suddenly been sprung upon us,
and what are the real facts? The real
| facts have already been stated, and /
! do not think that l am able to make
any palmer the facts which have been
set forth by the editor of this paper,
| nor am in a position to know very
much about it, and like most others
am forced to depend upon the reports
of others. AS understand them the
following are the facts: The old court
house is shaky and in something of
dangerous conditions; the court room is
not safe in which to try case that will
call out the people. Judge Winn re
fused to try the Straub case in it, feel
ing sure that the building would COL
lapse, and the county was forced to
hire tbs Odd Fellows hall for the trial.
The vault and safe room, / understand,
Is by no means sufficient to protect the
records, and the county is continuously
paying vault rent to the San Juan
County Bank, and the auditor
and the clerk of court are daily
and sometimes hourly compelled to
carry records back and forth from the
bank vault to their offices. I hear
some saying that this ia good exercise
for men drawing good salaries and but
little to do, but from all accounts it is
simply a shame for any man who runs
\ the auditors Office of San Juan county
to be imposed upon by packing records
aud plat books back and forth from the
bank with as much work as he has on
hand. am told that not only is the
vault room insufficient for the records
proper, but that there is no protection
whatever for the files of the papers of
cases that have been tried. If these
files alone were destroyed it would he
utterly impossible to supply the most
of them, aud it might be an individual
damage of thousands of dollars to many
of our citizens. Then there is the heavy
insurance, which amounts to $51 .08
per annum; then add to that about $40
/ per year for Office and vault rent. The
office rent, insurance and vault rent
would pay the interest OH $1,000 at
per cent. But we must bear in mind
that in case of fire, only the building
and safes are insured, and whatever
records are destroyed are a total loss
worse by far than If the farmers dwell.
ing burns down without insurance, for
then he would have his land left, but
liz the records are destroyed the title of
his land Is gone. Another thing that
perhaps good many have not c0nsid-
lered is the fact that we have no jury
room. 1t is said by those who are COM
fpetent judges that there ia not a room
IN the town of Friday Harbor that is
LIT for jury room. have heard some
remark that the building Of q court
house involves q big steal. That is not
at all necessary. The court house Of
Skagit county, have been told, was
put up at a cost of $l5, 900, and never a
steal in regard to it. Six thousand dol
lars will pu. up aud finish a building
such as we need, and estimates that
have been made to me by county off,
Gals who are supposed to know show
that by selling the present court house
site and other county property within
two years a court house can be put up
without any appreciable raise in the
tax levy. I have heard some energetic
men say that they preferred to levy q
sufficient tax to pay it all at one dash
and have it done with, now while the
times are good. 1 am not urging this
matter. am only giving my view
based upon the best information have
been able to obtain, and hope Others
will not hesitate to post themselves, II
they have not already, and express
themselves fairly on the subject.