The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1910-05-06
A H. LOGAN, Manager.


people against Trail with $4,000. Trail
has put up $4,000 court house and a
$4,000 Jail. What would be the price
OF court house at Cavalier correspond
ing IN wealth, and dignity for Pembina
county?)
IA Parallel Case" is the Chronicles
headline for an article from the Grand
Forks Herald that favors the building
of new court house in that city to
cost 100000 which has present
b Hiding that cost 100000.
MUST HAVE VOTE, BEFORE BUILDING,
We also note that in it's figures it
accepts the cost of an election for bond
ing. This is guessed as $1,000 by us,
but the Chronicle did not apparently
notice that such acceptance destroys
its oft repeated statement that "a new
court house will have to be built by the
county commissioners whether it is
moved or not.' No new court house
can be built either at Cavalier or Penn
bina without a vote of the people.
Even if the county seat were moved
then several months would be taken to
get fayorible vote of the people for
bonds and the bonds might be voted
down half dozen times and it be
even years before a new court house
be bonded for and built, and in the
meantime the county records, the
safety of which the Chronicle is so
anxious, would have to be stored in
such places about the village of Cava-
lier as might best be found.
CHRONICLE FIGURES S45 PER TAXPAYER.
The complete cost of the new build
ings the Chronicle thus estimates at
s9l 600. Even this sum when divided
equally among 1000 taxpayers of the
county would amount to about $40,
each-while the Chronicle says it would
be from S. to $40 each.
AN AUTOMATIC COURT HOUSE.
But our 6gurative friend has what
he denominates a "credlt column" by
which to Offset the cost of the court
house. To begin with the last and
most amusing of these we find him
gravely saying "there would be large
saving in janitor fees" That's one on
Janitor johnson the present good
natured official. He gets the munif-
cent sum of $50 a month. The only
possible explanation of this sort of
saving, (which also includes the light
ing, heating, insurance, etc. all of
which are to be also "saved"] is that
the Chronicle proposes to build far
larger and finer building that will be
a sort of self-acting, automaton
which will light up, heat up, and
sweep out itself. Now if that is possi-
BILE why not 60 little farther and have
the new building so constructed that
all county, officials be dispensed with.
For instance put type writer in the
registers office, an adding machine in
the auditors stead, and sort of nickle-
in-the-slot business to take the place
of the county treasurer. Have them
attached to the Chronicles windmill,
wind up every morning and let all the
taxpayers Of the county on their custo-
mary morning walk to view the pleasant
places around Brynjolfson & Laxdal's
Addition, do the rest. An automatic
court house would certainly be
winner-it would heat the "excess
; mileage" racket all to thunder.
VARYING VALUES OF PRESENT BUILDINGS
But as the above isn't put in definite
figures by the Chronicle, we will let
them 60 for the present and take up
the item of "sale of old buildings and
fixtures, $4,000" AS an auctioneer
the Chronicle man is q beaut. He is
gong to sell the old buildings for $4,000
and this is how he has been recon-
mending them to prospective buyers:-
ut is safe to say that $4,000, would
cover the value of all the buildings,
!, safes, vaults and fixtures the county
, owns in Pemb $4,000 is nearer
I their rightful value. 5000 to 81, 600
!. is movable and the property loss to the
, county would be only 81, 600 to S1O,OOO.''
Henry Webber would duplicate the
!. structure for S8, ,OOO. !" .35
j County Judge and register do bust.
j ness in couple Of old shacks and
4 superintendent in q small outbuildin n
4 Court house and buildings far in
lferior to any in the state. .