The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-06-24
LEE GouNTY's COURT HOUSE.
The Proposed Sale of the Opera
House Building Causes Discus
sion.

The people of Lee county are some
what exercised over a proposition to
sell the Bishop7ille Opera House, which
was donated to the county by the town
for use as court house. The question
has become an issue of Importance IN
Lee county and is generally discussed
throughout the county by taxpayers.
The Oranges which are strong in point
of membership in Lee county have
taken up the matter and nave adopteo
resolutions condemnlng the proposed
sale. -,
In the last issue of the BishopVilie
Vindicator the following article and
resolutions in reference to the pro-
posed sale appeared:
Ny Dear Grand Jury: Your PROPOSE
ton to sell the court huose has been
duly considered and we have decided
a compliance with same would be un-
wise and improbable. 1t seems just and
fair that we should complain over the
absence of reasons for making such a
proposition. It is customary gith pub
lie officials in all civilized lands to
accompany all propositions with rea-
sons and argument bearing On the
subject matter. Now, why you have
seen fit to transcend an established
custom we know not. 1t may have
been YOUR lack of confidence in US or
it might have been that you held US
in contempt. However, we DO NOT
propose to act on your suggestion and
submit the following reasons for not
doing SO; LIST, The cost OF building
the court house when material and
labor was much lower in price than at
present was $1,000. End, That the
present worth of the bare land on
which the court house stands is 81, 500.
3rd, Commercially this point will
steadily increase in Importance
throughout the whole Of the next ten
wears. hence the continuous enhance
ment of present values and as our court
property is as adwantageousiy situated
as any property in the village, we
deem $500 per annum reasonable
amount to expect from enhancement.
4th, That the stores underneath the
court hoRse will rent for $3.50 next
year. 5th, That for shows ETC., the
hall of the court house viii yield an
annual income Of at least $3.50, 9Th,
That the court house will seat great
er' number ard more comfortably than
the Sumter court house. 7th, That
the Jury roems are as commodious and
comfortable as the Sumter iurg rooms.
9Th, That the purchasers Wiz charge
us quite heavy rent for the use OF
the court house when we use 1T to
have court In. 9th, That FIVE year
contract has been executed for offices
for all of the county officials. 9th,
That for the five years our income from
the renting Of the property would be
for Hall $3.50 per annum, total $3.50 !:
from the stores $3.50 annually would
amount to 4s32se. The enhancement
of $500 year would amount to &25OO,
all of which added to the present worth
of the eoart house which has been
shown to be S115eo would amount TO
$4,000. Now, if we deduct the cost
for the five years of the Offices which
will amount to S3000 we would be
worth at the expiration of five years
the sum of $1,000. 10th, That if we
sell now, we can but presume that
the proceeds of such sale will be Ge-
posted in some bank without interest,"
and as now no move can possibly be made
to build court house within the next
five years, necessarily we would have
to rent the property fronsthe purchasers
to hold conrt H. at, we dare say,
an annual rental of not less than $500
and that added to the annual rent OF
the Offices of $500 would be for the FIVE
years, five times $500 or $500 which
amount deducted from the proceeds of
the sale would leave US with $500 on
hand as against the alienation of
holding possession of the property Of
s15, 600 showing clear gain or clear
loss of $500.
Up to date it is universally conceded
that great many injuries and foolish
things have been done in Lee county.
Now when this proposed sale is con-
summated we will be in the street
without shelter and the climax will be
capped. Lee County.