Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-04-07
LONG NEEDED BUILDING.

At a cost of only 26 cents on $1,000
to the taxpayers living outside the city
of Dallas, Polk County at last gets
what il has so long needed-a public
building large enough to accommodate
any crowd that may gather on import
ant public occasions. The small ap-
propriations made by the county ana
the city and the larger appropriation
made by the state for an Armory nave
solved the problem for all time 10
come. No longer will it be necessary
to crowd the farmers into some neon
venient. poorly-lighted store room or
vacant barn when they come to Dal-
las to exhibit their blooded goats or
poultry, or sheep, or other livestock
that has made the name "Polk Couh-
tv" a household word throughout the
Pacific Northwest. No longer Will IL
he necessary to crowd the teachers
and school officers and patrons into
some cramped and uncomfortable hall
while they are holding any of the nu-
merous institutes or educational raj
lies that are becoming so popular IN
the county. The new Armory Will pro-
vide a roomy, comfortable meeting
place for the largest public gatherings,
and after it has been used Few
months, the people of the county Will
wonder how they ever got along with
olIt it. This has been the experience
of every county that has built an ar
mory.
For gatherings of a purely public
nature. no charge will be made for the
use of this building. For gatherings OF
a public character, intended to pro-
mote some worthy public object, but
where an admission fee is exacted, a
nominal rental sufficient to cover the
cost of heat, light and janitor service
will be charged For all exhibitions
and entertainments given solely for
private profit, a rental similar to that
charged by theaters and other amuse-
ment halls will be asked.
The only cost Of this building to the
taxpayers will be the cost of construc-
ton. After its completion, 1t will be
kept in repair by the state, and there
will be no farther expense to the peo-
pie of Polk County. AS stated before,
the cost of construction to each tax
payer living outside of Dallas will be
26 cents on each $1,000 Of taxable
property. As Polk County has ap-
proximately 5000 taxpayers, 1t Will be
seen that the county tax will average
less than 81 to-each individual.
Here in Dallas, where the people
are giving an amount equal to that ap-
propriated by the county, the Armory
tax will be about $3.68 on each $1,000
worth of property-$3.42 city tax and
26 cents county tax. The people OF
this city do not feel that the armory
will benefit them financially over their
outside nelghbors in anything like
proportion to the higher tax they Will
be obliged to pay; in fact, they have
not considered the project from nm
ancial standpoint. They feel that, as
residents of the seat of the county
government, IT is their duty to take
the lead and bear the heavier share oi
expense in providing comfortable and
modern accommodations for any
gathering Of Polk County citizens that
may meet in Dallas, no matter how
large the crowd may be. They are
proud of the militia company-not as
a Dallas company, but as a POLK
County company, for already enrolled
on its roster are the names of young
men from Monmouth, and Rickreall
and Falls City, and 1t Is certain the
building of a modern and commodious
armory will attract the favorable at
tention Of other young men living out
side the city. Dallas viii reap no fin
ancial benefit from this building. II
asks none, expects none. The voters
OF this city have cheerfully assumed
the heaviest burden of the cost OF It's
construction because they feel that
Polk County should no longer be with
out a building large enough to accom-
modate any gathering OF people. They
are glad TO pay their money TO assist
a movement whose object Is TO make
better citizens OF the boys Of Poll
County.
The voters OF Dallas, and especially
the heaviest taxpayers. are TO be con
graduated for their enthusiastic sup
port OF the armory project. Th'
County Court is also entitled TO th'
thanks OF every friend Of the risini
generation for It's loyal assistance IL
providing for the greatly-neede'
building.