The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-10-25
COURT HOUSE BOND ISSUE.
Z Correspondent Presents Reasons
for Its Adoption.
To the Editor of The Republican:

10 the Editor OF Inc Republican:
Being a taxpayer and a resident Of
Garrett county. | feel a good deal of
concern about the protection of the pub
lie records in the county, and the proper
administration of Justice in our courts.
By Chapter 787, of the Acts of 1906,
the qualified voters of Garrett county
will be called on the 9Th day of Novem-
Der next to vote on the question of the
issue of bonds to an amount not exceed
ing the sum of $75, 900 for the purpose
of purchasing lot, erecting a court
house and furnishing the same.
| don't know that it will be necessary
to issue all of these bonds for this pur-
pose and by an economical management,
it may be that the court house can be
put up and furnished without the neces-
sity of using all these bonds.
understand that good many of the
farmers are Directing to this issue be-
cause the bonds will go into the hands
of some banking or trust company. |
want to say that this is an error on their
part and that by Section of this law,
it is provided that the County Commits
sioners shall issue these bonds in sums
of not less than one hundred nor more
than one thousand dollars and further
more it is provided that said bonds shall
be sold at public auction, so you see that
everybody in the county, who desires to
buy any of these bonds, can do so from
one hundred dollars and upward, and
that they will have an equal chance
with any one else bidding in the mar
ket. These bonds will be sold in front
of the Court House and three weeks no
tice is required to be given Of the time
and place of sale so that there ought
not to be and can't be any objections
on that score.
| see also another very excellent pro-
vision in that Law and that is under
Section Z. The building of the Court
House and the expenditure of the
money, shall be under the control of the
three Judges of the Circuit Court for
Garrett county, the County Commits
sioners and five other citizens and tax
payers of Garrett county, to be selected
and named by the Judges Of said Court.
These men are to employ an architect or
builder at a fair compensation, who
will be under bond and held to a strict
account of his duties and is to furnish
an itemized statement of every dollar
expended in building and furnishing the
new court house.
ms law says that these bonds shall
not bear more than five per cent. inter
est, but II does not say now much less
the county is to pay and ] am sure with
the splendid credit that Garrett county
has, that every one of the bonds can be
SOld at TOUR per cent. ana thaJ there are
large firms in the country which would
like to have them at three and one-half
per cent, but at the same time ! would
IKE TO see as many OF these bonds as
possible held by our own people, and II
adopted, l nope that our farmers and
tax payers Will come forward and put
Their own money IN them as good and
safe investment.
Now as to the necessity Tor court
mouse, ana 1t seems to me That TINS can
De answered IN very lew words. The
present court house and old lalI was
erected IN the year 1879, when the coun-
~ mad less than IZ,Oo4 IN habltants, and
the people have gotten along falrly well,
but with great deal OF inconvenience
to the, courts and everybody else con-
nected, with 1t.
l beheVe the population OF the county
IS now something over 2OO0O, and the
aSSesSable BASIS Tor taxation has IN
creases from three and one-haIi to eight
and one nan mllIlons.
The Old court house was built huIIeG-
" and was, not puC, up under the man
2gement OF an archItect and II mas a.
ways been the OPINION OF some OF the
best builders IN our community thaI the
present building Is not safe, and every
taxpayer. should consider that II this
building IN some ilerce storm should tall
down from the inherent weakness OF It's
walls, and should XIII a lot CT people, the
county OF Garrett would be responsible
Tor every lie lost ana every limb brok-
en-, because OF the tact that the county
authorities have had ample warning OF
the danger, and TINS would De all that IS
necessary to hold them responsible: !
base TINS statement upon expressions
maze by the Judges OF our Court, and
1t Is presumed That they know what the
law is; besides 1t IS well known, tact
IhaL the vault IN when our recordS are
Kept Is not large enough now, Tor the
accommodaJlon OF the papers that are
required to be Kept there, and 1t IS I'M
possible Tor the Clerk OF our Court to
protect them much longer, unless there
IS an aqdltlon punt TO the present vault.
a further serious, objection IS the dan
ger from hrei as there IS absolutely no
pfotectlon' II TINS court house should
take iife the wooden 1io0rs would SIMPLY
permit every paper and record book to