Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-08
Letter TO THE VOTERS.

In the last issue Of The Enquirer
reference was made to a letter to be
sent to the voters Of the county on the
court house question. This letter was
prepared by a committee consisting of
Messrs. John r. Hart, E w. Pursley,
B. F. Scoggins, w. B. Moore, and ]. o.
Moore. The text Of it is as follows:
AS you know, the registered voters
Of York county will by their votes, de-
eide on November 5th next, whether or
not bonds shall be issued by the coun-
ty In the sum of seventy five thousand
dollars for the erection Of a new court
house. That new and adequate court
house Is needed, cannot be doubted by
any one who has had business with
the county officials, or who has been
called upon to act as juror or wit
ness in recent years. The main build
ing of the present court house was con-
structed nearly one hundred years ago.
To this building there were added some
rooms after the fire in 1892, but these
additional rooms failed to give the
space needed. York county Is one of
the richest counties in the state, and
yet has among the poorest court
houses. Aside from the necessity of
new court house, pride in Our county
should lead us to have a court house In
keeping with that Of other counties Of
equal wealth and population. This fact
Is 80 evident that in 1911, the then
grand jury was moved to make the
following report:
"The committee on County Buildings
reports that the Jail Is in as good con-
dition as possible. The court house is
inadequate for the present needs, as
ho Of ha ho fn
outside Of the court house to keep part
Of his books; also the treasurer and
auditor are badly crowded, as has been
reported by former grand juries. Also,
auditorium and jury rooms are too
small. All officers need more room and
light. The county supervisor has to
give up his room to the grand jury
while they are in session, and 1t Is too
small for their comfort. The auditor
has to give half of his room to the
petit jury. The grand jury, in a body,
request our delegation in the legisla-
ture to give US a modern court house
our prosperous county, for any one can
see we have outgrown our present one
by several years."
m. L. Carroll, Foreman, (York), s.
J. Sturgis (Catawba), A. o. Jones
Fort MilD, w. P. Boyd (BetheD, ].
W. Belts (York), N. S. Black (York)
w. I. Brison (King's Mountain), ]. s.
Wilkerson (Broad River), ]. M. Camp
bell (Bethesda), M. 4. Dickson (York),
]. A. Harshaw (Bethesda). H. E. Moore
(King's Mountain), ]. N. Hogue
(Broad River), w. H. Hill (Catawba),
w. H. Ford (King's Mountain), B. F.
Bennett (Fort MILD, T. M. Ferguson
(York), ]. E. Jackson (Kings Noun
tain)."
The present bill provides that there
shall be levy Of one mill upon all the
taxable property in the county. This
levy is too high and will pay off the
bonds in about ten years. 1t Is there
fore proposed and will undoubtedly be
done, that the York delegation at the
next session Of the legislature cut this
levy to one-half mill on the dollar-or
five cents on every one hundred dollars
of assessed property in the county.
This sum is so small that 1t will hard
ly be felt by the taxpayers.
We have taken the liberty Of examin-
ing your assessment and find that your
property is assessed by the board at
-. Your increase in taxes, there
fore by reason Of the bond issue will
amount to only s..