The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1909-08-18
The County Farm Al lII-C0nsldeFed
Stem.

Step.
Il will doubtless strike most OF
| the people Of Lincoln county with
establishment when they read Ia to-
days Leader that the Board Of
Supervisors held called meeting
last Saturday and ordered the sale
Iof the county convict and poor
house farm, lock. stock and bar
lreI.
ID view Of all the facts and cir
cumstances attending this action
land all that is involved to the in-
terests Of the county BY such step,
liz certainly struck this writer.
who had never even 50 much as
heard that such . proposition was
being seriously entertained BY any
member Of the Board Of Supervis-
Tors or any other citizen Of the coun-
ty until the Board had held this
called meeting. passed its order
and adjourned. as most iIl-advis-
led and short-sighted action.
In the order passed providing for
the sale Of the county farm proper
ty for the sum Of SIS. 900 net cash
within 30 days, reference is made
to the original agreement made
with H 6. Mills, and it is fur-
| lther along provided that if the cash
sale now planned falls through,
then the original order authorize
ling the sale shall remain in effect.
etc.
When it is borne in mind that
there is no record or mention any
where in the previous proceedings
of the Board Of any original agree
ment with H. G. Mills or with
anybody else to sell this valuable
county property and no original
order" of record to that effect.
that the people have never heard
of such a proposition before, and
that now the Board holds called
meeting and orders the sale within
80 days, it looks as if it were de-
signed BY somebody that the people
of the county should not be inform
Jed or be heard until too late. as to
what was contemplated in regard to
one of the most important subs
jects that has ever come before the.
present Board.
The Leader does not charge that
lit was the willful design OF inten.
ton of the Board to keep this i'm
portant business hid Off in corner
from the people until its private
sale of valuable county property
had been officially clinched beyond
recall. but last Saturdays action
and the lack of any previous men.
ltion in the Boards proceedings
that such a proposition had been on
twas being entertained. certainly
looks as it the Board has been do
ling some exceedingly important
public business out Of school
land keeping the public in the dark.
By inquiry outside Of the record
ed proceedings of the Board since
last Saturday s meeting. The Lead
Ter has ascertained that the
1original agreement referred to
was an agreement entered into by
members Of the Board with Mr..
H. c. Mills, real estate agent. some
time ago, to give him an option on.
the $40 acre county farm tract until
the 1st Of January, 1910. for $I7 Z
800; one-half to be cash. and the
balance in deferred payments.
This is the basis to which the
deal is intended to revert, in case
1.-THE SIS 900 cash deal mentioned III
last Saturday s order falls through
Happily. as we believe for the
ultimate interests Of the county,
when the order was adopted last
Saturday and recorded. BY inadver-
tence Or other cause. no provision
was made for any official and
authorized transfer Of title to the
farm property, even if the $15, 600
Iin cash is rendered. 50 the deal
cannot be legally consummated be-
fore another meeting Of the Board
President Jones attention was call
led to this omission Monday BY the
leditor Of The Leader after We had
obtained an official copy of Satur-
day $ proceedings. and Mr. Jones
promptly replied that this being
Etrue. he would not assume the
rnsnoneihilifv If sionino decd III