The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1914-02-06
Commissioner Neff Admits Unsafe
Condition-Is Held Together
BY Hog Chains.
OPPOSES EXTENDING MORE
THAN $1.500 IN REPAIRS
Wants 10 Wait Years for Combina-
ton Court House and City
Hall Costing 100000.

structure held together with hog
chains.--County Commissioner C. V.
Neff.
And Notwithstanding this state
ment by the minority member of the
board of county commissioners ne
announced yesterday in an entereiew
with representative of The Bulie-
tin that he will oppose the expendi-
ture of any amount exceeding ST.
500 in repairs upon the building.
Mr.. Neff said that Alexander
county had a margin exceeding
100000 before reaching the
amoun. allowed under the state law
as the limit of its Indebtedness.
He further admitted that the
county had on hand cash in excess
Of $1,000 but did not state how
much more.
In this interview he said that the,
voters of the county would not au
thorize the imposition of more taxes
which would follow a bond issue,
their votes being necessary before
| bonds could be issued with which
to build a new ana modern court
house. He opposed the expenditure
| of more than $500 at this time
preferring to expcnd this amount III
stuCco en- the outside and paint and
paper on the inside as a temporary
measure which would answer for
several years when the present taxes
would be so greatly reduced a5 to
permit of the question of a bond
issue being submitted to vote OF
the people.
Mr.. Neff then said he favored a
combination court house and city
hall at a cost of 100000, the city
being taken into partnership.
When it was pointed out to the
| commissioner that the court house
in its present location would he in
convenient as city hall and the
people Of the City of Cairo would op-
pose any such combination wanting
their own building just where it
was most convenient on the block
on Washington avenue between Fiji
teenth and Sixteenth streets, he said
that the city would be financially
unable TO build its own city hall.
He was told that perhaps three or
four public spirited men of money
might be induced to build such q
structure and lease it to the city
on an equitable basis, the basis be-
ing one of percent for rent and part
to apply as purchase, the payments
extending over a period of twenty
years, this proposition involving no
violation of the state law in exceed
ing the Indebtedness, he laughed
and said find the men-you sea
what happened to the ferry PROPOSE
tion.
1t was shown that the city
would NOT incur any Indebtedness
if it agreed to lease a 100000 city
hall constructed according to tho
plans which it furnished, say leased
for a term of twenty years at an an
nual rental of $11,00 or less
1 laatf fFIn Il
ciers six percent on the
Investment besides paying 5000
annually on the cost of the building
the lease Incorporating a provision
that deed, in consideration of this
annual rental would be given tho
city at the expiration of the twenty
years.
The commissioner laughed and re.
peated; find the men who will put
up the money, then go ahead ant
have them build your city hall"
Returning to the court house an.
its unsafe ana unsanitary condition
Mr.. Neff said that the proposed re
modelling of the building accordins
to the way you fellows want it
hardwood floors, castings, big win
dows and lot of fol de rolls, woult
cost six or seven thousand dollar
and then what would you naveo'
He said that a new steel Jail woul,
cost alone $4,000. And yet with tai
unsafe structure he declined 1,
favor the expenditure of more thar