The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1914-10-15
THE VIEWPOINT OF
AN |RONS|DE WRITER
Ironsides, Ore, Oct. 13, 1914

|
To the Editor;
My attention has been called to a
clipping from the Vale Enterprise OF
the 9th. inst, which enclose as fol-
lows: "If there is ever another court
house built anywhere in Malheur coun-
ty Il will cost nearer 100000 than
$4,000. Vale will put land enough
under cultivation to warrant II in Is
years" Now Mr.. Editor this item is
enough to convince the average tax
payer what is in the minds of the Vale
people. Up to this time have tried
to remain neutral In this county seat
fight and have been inclined to favor
Vale, but II is evident to me just what
the Valeites will do II they win this
election. They will Immediately agi-
tate the bonding of the county for at
least 5000, 100000 with which to build
court house; and in my opinion they
will win. With solid vote from the
Vale country with enough outside
votes to win easily. You can see II
Will only require n majority vote TO
carry this bond election. II is gener-
ally agreed that the present court
house is inadequate for the county's
needs. II is the statement OF the Of
! ficers that the assessment roll,
sheriff's books and treasury books
have no vault for their safety and most
OF all these records comprising loads
OF books are exposed TO theft and
fire every night In the year as they are
left lying on the counters in the
sheriff's office. The whole building
IL unsanitary and In fact nothing but n
shell and would make second class
COW barn for n business dairyman.
While | abhor debt and do not like 10
see the county plunged into couple
hundred thousand indebtedness, fully
realize that this IN sure TO come about
In a short time II Vale wins this cleo
tion. As look nj the matter now
I will favor Il myself as know the
present pile OF stone is n disgrace TO n
great county like Malheur. Then
again Mr.. Editor. what kind OF court
house would we likely to get after the
Vale bunch had expended $500. 100000
OF the county money? Rigby In n
self confessed contractor. In your opin-
Ion what do you think he would give
us for the 100000 county money!
Do you know what Il means TO spend
county money by such people. Have
you heard OF the Vale water works
costing s1l0.000.00. Wonder II Rigby
and the bunch would give us some
thing like this for our money. RelL
able contractors say they got a $4,000
to $4,000 Job for this money. | am
not asking you where the balance OF
the money went. One business man OF
Vale told me they had just about water
enough TO swim duck In wet weather.
Mr.. Editor the Enterprise and the
Vale bunch is right. II would take
S200. 100000 10 build court house TO
be constructed from county money and
disburstd by or under the influence
OF this bunch living In Vale. They
might under these conditions get as
good building for the money as On
tario proposes to donate TO the county.
but am from Missouri. In this item
they speak OF the vast development
going on In this section. DO you know
this all joke. $4,000 for water under
the Billy Creek is a farce. The land Is
rough and OF doubtful quality and you
can not fool one farmer In this whole
country into the belief that this land
will ever be settled under these condi-
tions. This ruse going on now under
the heading OF Dirt Flying on the
Bully Greek Project" is all buncome.
with which they are undertaking to
cOlonize Grange precinct for election
purposes. only. II is simply one Of
Wales attempts to thwart the will OF
the people. From now on Mr. Editor
| am for Ontario first, last and all the
time. believe in fair elections and a
square deal and II Ontario is willing
TO donate TO the county free of charge
such a court house as they picture, |
for one am willing TO accept. and be-
lieve most of my neighbors look at II
In the same way.
TAXPAYER.