Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1904-12-22
OUR COUNTY
FINANCES
Greatly Strengthened During Last Eight
Years.
HR. ROBERTSON GIVES SOME FIGURES
Only $18, ,434.o7 in Outstand-
ing Warrants and No
Bonds.

AS the democratic county officials
are now about to shift the burden
of administration to the shoulders
OF their republican successors, it is
fitting to submit to the inquiring
public a few facts taken from the
county records that must forever
keep bright the escutcheon of the
last eight years of democratic ad-
ministration in Idaho county.
On the Goth day of August, 1895,
a republican board of county COM
missioners ordered special elec-
tion to determine whether or not
the county should be bonded to
pay the warrant indebtedness hang
ing over the county at that time.
The election was favorable to
bonding and notice was given that
on the 2nd day of December, 1895,
sealed bids would be received for
b onds aggregating $74, 800. 90,
"Said bonds being to take up the
total present Indebtedness Of said
county, up to the 2nd Monday in
April, 1895, ten per cent of the
total amount issued to be paid on
ten years from the date OF issue,
and ten per cent annually there
after until all OF said bonds are
paid" No bid was filed that
could be favorably entertained by
the commissioners and the county
was not bonded. In 1895 the
Board made levy of 81 90 on the
one hundred dollars valuation for
purpose of paying off the old war;
rant indebtedness, thus bringing
the levy up to $4.62, and 90 was
begun the liquidation Of the old
debt.
The general election of 1896
placed the democrats in control of
county affairs and (under their
management the levy for general
school purposes has been raised
from fifty cents to sixty cents on
each one hundred dollars valua-
tion, all the old warrants for the
payment of which the commission.
ers offered for sale $74, 800. 90 worth
of bonds, together with warrants
issued in January, 1898, amount.
ing to $2,232.31, have been called
in for payment, and the levy for
state and county purposes has been
reduced to $500.
The warrants still uncalled and
outstanding against the county are
as follows:
General road fund, issued Jan.
10, 1900; prin. 81, ,1O6.36, int.
1887. %.
General road fund, issued, Jan.
%, 1901; pfin. 1928. IA, int. S63. 80.
Current expense fund, issued
Jan. %, 1901; prin. Sc, ,0lO.46, int.
81, ,s5O.94.
Current expense fu n d, issued
Jan. %, 1902; prin. 3,624.O9, int.
S759.24.
Current expense fu d, issued
Jan. 25, 1904; prin. 50, 3,555. II, int.
s248. 90.
Total prin. and int. to Jan. 1905,
$15, 76 $3.50. 90.
The law applicable to the present
condition Of our county debt is as
tollows: eff sue h warrants
amount to less than one per cent
of such taxable property, then they
must levy such special tax on the
dollar as shown&y such preceding
| assessment rs shall be sufficient to
pay such warrants"
!. The assessment roll for 1904 foOts
up approximately 81, 600, 900. One
per cent of that amount is $26, 900,
and the warrants outstanding, with
interest to Jan. 1906, amount to
SIS, ,434. 90, which amount will be
probably augmented by the issue
of two or three thousand dollars of
deficiency warrants at the coming
session of the Board; but it is not
at all probable that the increase
will throw the total above the
S26, 900. 90 mark. 1t is therefore
apparent that when the commits
sioners meet in September, 1905,
TO make the tax levy it will be
their plain duty to make levy for
redemption purposes sufficient to
pay all Of the warrant Indebtedness
of the county.
There is another county debt
however to which the above law
does not apply and over which the
county commiss oners have no con-
troA The Legislature of 1900 and
1901 enacted statutory provision
for the payment of $3.50 on each
and every coyote, lynx and wild
cat killed in the county and for the
payment of this bounty. the same
act provides that the county COM
miseioners shall levy tax Of one
cent . head on oil sheep in the
county. This law may work very