The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-11-07
THURSDAY. NOVEMBER Z, 1901
WHAT A COURT HOUSE WOULD COST

WHAT A COURT HOUSE WOULD COST
Attention is directed to the commun-
ication in another column from Judge
Lichtenberg, of Lopez, in strong sup
port of the IsLANDER's advocacy of the
erection of suitable court house, where
the county's valuable records can be
safely kept and its officials comfortably
located. Judge Lichtenberg's common
dalton Of our position in the matter is
particularly appreciated because his
long experience as lawyer and a
jurist has enabled him to form a more
adequate idea of the inestimable value
of public records and the great impor-
lance of their safe keeping than per-
haps the average citizen entertains,
and also because he is not resident of
Friday Harbor or San Juan island and
cannot, therefore, be accused of favor
ing the erection of respectable county
building for other than the broadcast
reasons. The editor gladly complies
with his request, in substance, that the
ISLANDER furnish an approximate es-
innate of the cost of ''an appropriate,
modest court house." and of the the
tax which would be necessary to pro-
vide for the erection and equipment of
such building.
The county owns full block Of land
which has long Deen reserved for court
house purposes, and upon it building
which would answer every require
ment Of the county for many years
could be erected and suitably furnished
at an expense not exceeding $4,000.
There is ordinarily surplus of $1,000
or more in the county current fund,
which the commissioners would have
full authority to use for a building, and
the present location, which lie q first
GLASS one for business purposes, could
probably be sold for 81 500 to $1,000
more. In addition the county owns
all the tide land and lots on the water
front abutting the town plat, from
which quite sum could doubtless be
realized should it be deemed advisable
to offer them for sale. If not and the
present location should be sold at its
estimated value it would only be nec-
essary to raise by taxation about Sc, 900,
in addition to the present surplus in
the county current fund. The pres
ent assessed valuation of taxable prop.
erty is little over 81 900 900 and it is
increasing each year. A tax levy of
pne mill OH the dollar would even now
produce something over 81 1000 year
and there is little doubt that in five
years it would produce enough, in ad-
dition to other resources, independent
of water front property, to pay for
P suitable building and appropriate
furnishing, and also pay the annual
interest charge on the warrants which
would doubtless be issued, which war
rants would diminish in number and
amount each year until all paid. On
this basis man who pays taxes on q
valuation of 81 900 would be required
TO pay 81 q year. AS a matter of fact
the entire sum that would be necessary
could be raised In few years-not
more than five or six-without in
creasing the county tax levy above the
low rate of 1900, which was the lowest
in the county's history. The levy for
1901 is still lower, the county school
tax Of one mill previously levied hav-
ing been omitted this year and also the
levy for the county bond interest fund,
there being sufficient money in that
fund now to pay this years interest on
the county bonds. Should the tax
payers prefer to make higher levy,
say two mills, or only one-fifth of one
per cent, the amount required could of
course be raised in half the time, aud
no burden" would be imposed upon
any property owner.
The county is paying nearly $500
year now for little vault room in the
San Juan County Bank, Office rent for
the county attorney and school super
intendent and insurance ut the rate of
81 per cent on the rickety old fire-trap
In which records of incalculable value
are now kept and the men charged
with the transaction Of the county's
business are uncomtortably cooped. A
portion of the insurance is on the
meager furniture OF the several Offices
and on the safes therein in which a
SMALL PART of the fast increasing vol
pme OF records is comparatively secure.
There is none on the records them
selves and no amount of money could
replace them in the event of their de-
etruction. For the records of the au-
ditor's, treasurer's and clerks Offices
there Is urgent need of large fire proof
vault.
Nov ss to the preliminary steps nee
essary to supply this '.long felt wanG.n
Judge Lichtenberg is of course familiar
With the statute defining the powers Of
the commissioners in respect to The
erection Of public buildings, but for the
benefit Ct those ofour readers who have