The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1908-10-02

eISu, MI. SlnClalT gong into QetaliS
in describing its good condition, the
3-ieet thickness of its masonry
throughout, its ample capacity and
the fact that it is handily situated tor
the various offices. He explained the
findings of committee which recent
ly investigated the courthouse and
vault, told how officials were inter-
viewed, how they said the records
were kept in the vault, how there
was plenty Of room for them and how
they had never found it necessary to
ask the county commissioners for
more vault room. The charges that
records were not safely kept, he said,
were utterly groundless. No such
state of affairs exists, and he would
be glad if a committe were appointed
from all over the county to investi-
gate the matter and satisfy every Sec
ton as to the true situation. Turn
ing Indignantly upon Mr.. Dunn, the
speaker reminded that gentlemen
that, while he criticised the county
vault at Rathdrum, his own records,
those Of the land office, far more val
liable than the county records, are
without such protection. Don't
talk to us. said Mr.. Sinclair. THE
, county records are safe; yours are
not: 60 home and build vaults for
your own records"
Mr. Sinclair told how this same
court house was used when Bonner
and Kootenai were one county. Was
it criticised then? No, it answered
every purpose then as it does now.
1t was not until Occur d. Alene open
ed the present fight for the county
seat--not until then did this horrible
vision, this terrible fretrap and dam
ger to public records appear and be-
come falsely rumored about by Occur
| d. Alene. He referred to the recent
fires at Occur d. Alene, and noted
that none such had occurred at Rath-
drum.
The speaker then exposed the fall
lacy Of Occur d. Alene's arguments
on the bonding proposition, which
must surely follow county seat re-
moval, and pointed out how ridicu-
lous was the idea that $4,000 men,
ltioned by Mr.. McClear, would be
sufficient sum. He read figures
showing that the county property at
Rathdrum is officially valued at
$47, 900, yet is condemned by Occur
d. Alene as being inadequate. What
they would consider adequate must,
therefore, cost great deal more.
Ceur d. Alene has homes valued at
SIS, 600 or $40, 1000, and the new
city hall costs $4,000. County
buildings would have to be in keep
ing with those surroundings. The
people would not submit to using
leased or rented building. In case
Of removal the erection of good coun-
ty building would be demanded at
once and $1,000 would not be be-
yond the limits Of possibility to salts
fly the demand. But even take hall
that sum. Add 500, 1000 and inter-
est to the present debt of 100000,
Or to the 500, O00 that have to be
raised each year for county expenses.
When the speaker told how the tax
es resulting would affect the small
taxpayer, applause came from diff
erent parts of the house. The coun-
ty needs more school houses, more
roads and bridges, he said, not new
county buildings, and the people
should be taxed only for what is
needed.
Mr.. Sinclair discussed many other
phases of the issue before closing,
holding the attention Of the audience
throughout.
Mr.. Strathern closed the meeting
at IL o'clock, saying he was glad to
see SO many people present in Post
Falls and he wished to see them come
again. He said Post Fells was neu-
trail on the county seat question,
except the newspaper and" he
added, we have nothing to do with
that"
President Diaz OF Mexico is about