The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-07-11
COURT HOUSE PROPOSITION WILL RE
SUBMITTED TO COUNTY VOTERS AGAIN
Sentiment at Mass Meeting of Township Chairnen Seem
to be in Favor Of Second Decision-Failure to Carrv
Was Due to misunderstanding.

Grand Forks court house is
thirty-three years old. A frame
structure, veneered. Vault room
Inadequate and valuable public
records would be destroyed by fire
because vaults are not f%ireproof.
This would cause inestimable
damage.
Meeting on al court house this
afternoon. attended by represent
tatives from various townships to
confer on advisability Of submit
ting new cour house ballot to
voters at fall election.
Sentiment seems to be almost
unanimous in favor OF another
election. Develops that bonding
resolution was defeated at pri-
mary In June, because county Vot-
ers did not have knowledge of
true facts.
II new court house is to be
built. 1t will be on same site Of
present structure, will cost not
more than 100000 completed,
and be the best that the money
can buy.
Every voter in the country is
urged to study up on the merits
OF the question, so IL there Is an
other election, they can decide
fairly.
se%venty-nve representatives from
various townships throughout Grand
Forks county and the commissioners
are In session at the court house this
afternoon talking over the a%dvisability
OF again submitting the new court
house proposition to the voters.
Up to the time Of going to press,
practically all of the men present had
voiced their opinion on the PROPOSE
resolution to have another election
Will dOubtedl carry
misunderstanding Defeated Building.
From the various talks delivered
Dy those present today, it developed
tnat the new court house vote went
against the resolution merely because
people throughout the county had had
question presented to them. Speaker
after speaker stated that they had
voted no." but that they would vote
yes" h next time, because they
could now see why it was essential
70 put up another structure. Hun
dreds Of farmers and residents of the
county did not know whether or not
OF the new court house, or whether
some other property in Grand Forks
had been decided upon. Others
thought the present court house ade-
quate and still others thought the
100000 provided for on the ballot
Wouid only be q small share of the
cost of the court house when COM
pleted.
Arc Set Alright.
various speakers set those who
were misinformed, Alright on the mat
ter. Mayor Murphy of Grand
Forks city, delivered an Interesting
talk. stating that he" knew of no
our house in this part of the north
west, as. poor as that OF this county.
The present building might do for
ten years. and then again it might
collapse at any time.
Mayor Murphy blamed the citizens
OF Grand Forks city for the defeat at
the primary. He decried their negli-
gence in not informing their farmer
friends, and stated that when the
issues were thoroughly explained he
did not Think a township in the
county would vote against bonding for
another building.
Freeman Presided.
John Freeman of Falconer town.
ship. presided. He briefly explained
the purpose of the gathering and then
called upon Commissioner Poupore.
MI. Poupore said he had no per-
sonal interest in the matter and was
willing to abide by the decision of
the people. We have the second
poorest court house in North Da-
Aota. ne dOueUs anu the vault room
was inadequate. 1t cost considerable
money to heat the present quarters
and 1t was not in keeping with the
other buildings in the. city. If the
people in the city. already heavily
taxed through special assessments and
improvements. were willing to bear
the extra expense. the farmers and
those throughout the county should
be willing to bear the small expense
1their share would amount to. The
question for the meeting. he said,
was to decide whether $40, 900 would
be expended for repairs now or a new
court house be built this year, or in
two or three years after it had be-
come a positive necessity.
Lawson Points Out Defects.
County Engineer and Surveyor
Lawson stated that he had made an
examination Of the vaults in the
cour house several years ago and his
written opinion was still on file to
the effect that the vaults in the audi
tors office. probate judges quarters,
and register of deeds Office were de-
fective and not fireproof. The treas