Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1909-06-03

Last summer the Record gave to
the public the facts in regard to the
illegal building Of bridges BY the
board Of county commissioners.
The editor had no desire to win the
unfriendliness Of the board or any
one else. for that matter: but he
had certain duties to perform toward
the public that for twenty five
years he'd supported his Newspaper.
The first We knew Of the way things
he'd been going in the bridge-build-
ing line was the week before the
primary last spring. when the editor
Vas campaigning in the Winona
country. The people down there
wouldn't talk legislature" they
wanted to talk bridges. We
were informed by dozens that there
was material At Pollock for the
building Of bridges which the people
in the vicinity Of their location said
had not been petitioned for. and
which were not necessary. After
returning to Linton we found that
bids had never been asked for doing
the work. rs the law requires. For
months the Record has had moth
ing to say regarding the subject.
Tor the reason that q grand jury
was to be called to consider the mat
ter. Recently we have received two
letters and we have been several
times asked-if the Record had been
scared out" on the bridge deal.
We have also been asked Is to this
and that thing done by the grand
jury. As the work Of the grand
jury is entirely private. we can give
no further positive information than
that given in their report. which we
published. We have been informed
that that body presented a report
to Judge Winchester. and that he
returned it to them for modifica-
ton. Is terms were used, Is he
claimed. which should not be used
unless the jury intended to indict
the persons accused. Inquiry by
the writer establishes the fact that
there will probably be some resigns
tons 1T the July meeting, and that,
in case there should be none. the
states attorney will take the action
he was asked to take by the grand
jury. In the mean time two men
who have absolutely no right their
continue to sit with the board Of
county commissioners and transact
business just rs though they were
bona-fde commissioners. We refer
to Messrs. Sherwood and Casey.
The former has not for more than
six months resided in the district he
claims to represent. which leaves
the Fifth district entirely unrepre-
sented. The latter was appointed"
by the board. after the people Of the
First district had been refused an
opportunity to choose q successor to
Mr.. Buchanan at the election last
fall. The Record has never accused
the members Of the county board Of
anything it couldn't prove. It has
never alleged that there were ras-
Gals on the board and that they had
been bought by the Hennepin Bridge
Company; but the Overwhelming de.
sire Of the old courthouse combina.
ton to retain a majority on the
county board law or no aw--leads
ono to believe that there may bt
reasons for such desire that are no,
apparent to ordinary observation
Whatever may take place at tn,
July meeting will be truthfully con
veyed to the public through the col
umns Of the Record; but 1t is impos
sible for US to give information Z
to grand-jury work that neither th
writer nor any one else not Z mem
Der Of such jury has . legal right t
know.
Tsachsss' Exasniaatjes.
Following il . list Of those VIII
took the teachers' examination laa
Friday and Saturday:
Antoinette Cornelison.
Maude Hamilton.
Mrs. Alice B. Ferguson.
Ethel Spfiggle.