Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-10-27
RATmDRuMs FALsE PLEA


Rathdrum has fred her big gun.
II Is a printed pamphlet containing
half tone pictures OF the interior OF
the various Offices in the old wooden
court house at Rathdrum. These
pictures do credit to the building.
After one has looked at them and
read the mistatements and false
hoods nicely concealed In the figures
and language contained therein, II
he - at all familiar with the actual
facts the conclusion is reached that
the authors Of the little document
are past masters In the profession
Of falaitiers. Their statements are
not true in more respects than one,
and this fact alone shows the weak
ness OF their CAUSE.
The Rathdrum argument starts
out with the statement that "The
vault il sufficient TO hold 316 rec
ords," but there Is nothing said
about the further fact that $40 rec
Ords does not comprise more than
one-half OF the number and these
are exposed to destruction In case
Of IRE In the old shell. Their
picture Of the vault shows 1t to be
Allied to full capacity.
The jail Is referred to as Two
story brick costing $4,000" At
the time Of It's construction there
was much talk OF graft and the
building could be replaced today for
$4,000. exclusive OF the steel cells,
which may be easily aud cheaply
moved to this city.
Il IL claimed that Occur d'Aiene
Is "but nine miles nearer the center
Of the county than Rathdrum,"
which statement Is proven false by
the map and by the fact that the
court allows jurors and witnesses
mileage for IA miles between the
two places. Lying flve miles only in
this case Is not very long stretch
Of the truth from Rathdrum's point
Of view.
Another argument contained In
Rathdrum's statements Is that they
DO not believe the taxpayers OF this
county win vote 70 move the county
seat when such removal means the
abandonment of the county build
ings and property" worth all told
about $4,000, And why not vote
to abandon this property II 1t is
all that Rathdrum claims It may be
sold at least for so cents on the
dollar after abandonment and the
county would receive In addition to
this, property IN Occur d'Alene, con-
servatively valued at $4,000
pretty good real estate deal IL any
one should ask you about the trade.
1T Is reasonable to say that II the
county seat Is moved. the county
win be called upon 10 issue bonds for
at least $4,000 to provide court
house, jail and hospital" To show
that this Is a deliberate attempt to
deceive and practice fraud on the
voters Of this county in the selfish
interest Of Rathdrum. we viii plaln-
" and honestly analyze the statement
for the purpose OF ascertaining hew
much truth It contains, The peo-
pie OF this city do not propose 70
bond for $50. geo. and II they did
the question must first be submitted
TO the voters and receive the ap-
prevail OF two-thirds before It would
be- effective. and We are frank to
say that when two-thirds want
public improyent they are entitled
10 Il. Until they decide the matter
IN this way Occur d'Alene offers the
county the free use Of It's new brick
city hail with fireproof vaults. This
oIger ID made regardless OF the fact
hat the Rathdrum pamphlet attempts
70 belitte our iiberallty by telling
the people OF Kootenai county that
they are placing themselves ION the
charity list" II they accept the OFFER
by voting for removal.
This plea for retaining the county
seat Is followed by a TRADE of mis-
representations. and falsehoods re-
gardlng Occur d'Alene.
An attack Is made on the deed
which conveyed the Rathdrum court
house site to the county and the
false claim Is set up that the ground |