The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1912-02-17

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To the Taxpayers of Latah County:
At a meeting of the taxpayers of
Iatah county, held in the county court
house on January %, 1912, the under
signed were elected a committee TO in
vestigate and report on the court
house proposition under the following
resolution adopted by said meeting
| Resolved, That it is the sense of
! this meeting that Latah county rec
ords are now in an exposed condi-
ton; that it's court house is entirely
inadequate to the present needs of the
county. And be it further
Resolved, That a committee Of nine
be elected by this assembly from the
taxpayers of the county, but two of
which are to be chosen from the city
of Moscow, which said committee shall
be authorized to examine into the
present condition of Latah countys
to employ such experts as said com
mittee shall deem necessary; which
said committee shall report to meet
ing to be held in the court house on
the 18th day of February, 1912, at 2
o'clock p. m. said committees report
to be on the subject of the advisability
of remodeling the present court house,
or building new one"
The taxpayers which elected our
committee designated Mr.. Harland as
it's chairman. The committee met in
the court house on January 80, and
completed it's organization by electing
Mr. Lewis as secretary.
Under the scope of the resolution as
read the committee judged it's work
to be divided into three general sub
jects 1st A complete report on the
present condition of the court house;
3D. A report as to the advisability of
repairing the old court house, and Sd.
A report as to the advisability OF build
ing a new court house, and it was on
these lines that the work was taken
up. The committee was in continuous
session during business hours from
2 o'clock on the 30th till after O'Clock
on the 31st. During this time a
thorough personal inspection of the
court house was made, the following |
witnesses. called and examined and
notes taken of their tes-
timony: Mr.. Rooney an architect OF
Spokane; Mr. Lee, an architect OF
Boise; Mr.. Whiteway, a building con-
tractor of Boise; Mr.. Estes, county |
auditor; Mr.. Gemmill assessor; Mr.. |
probate judge; Mr.. |
Brown, sheriff; Miss Broman, treasur-
er; Miss Dryden, superintendent; and |
Mr. Nelson, deputy auditor and clerk |
of court, the substance of our report |
was outlined in a lengthy discussion,
and a sub committee, consisting OF
Mr. Lewis and Mr.. Green, was appoint
ed to write the report The above wit
nrsses were examined touching all
three subjects under consideration by
the committee, and their testimony
will be given under each heading.
1t may be stated here that Mr..
Rooney has had plans before the coun-
Iy commissioners, both for a new
court house, and for remodeling and
adding to the old house, for some
time. At our meeting Mr.. Whiteway
and Mr.. Lee presented plans for a
court house, which plans had been
made by Mr. Lee and built by Mr.,
Whiteway in Caldwell, the county seat
If Canyon county, about six years ago.
It might be inferred from this that
hese people would be interested in
ng up the old one, and that their tes-
imony would be prejudiced on this
account, but in the opinion of the
committee it aimed to be very fair
n the main. These men were certain
y better acquainted with modern
and requirements in this
lass of buildings than any member
# the committee present, Mr.. Laird |
having been excused from attendance
It $3.50 on the Goth.
The Court House as it is Today.
The court house has a stone founda-l
ion, brick walls and shingle roof.
t is nearly square, with small single ,
tory projection on the south side as Is
art of the auditors vault, and a cor I
one on the north side
Orming nart of the nrnhata iudge'S Of