Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-05-15
SHALL WE BUILD A new COURT HOUSE?
Elmore Development League

In repsonse to a largely signed
'etitlon presented by taxpayers OF
Imor County the county commits
ioners, at their April meeting. pass
d unanimously the following resolu.
ion:
ut appearing to the satisfac-
ton of the board of county COM
missioners that the present court
house IS now SO old and dilapi~
dated that the same is not suit
able for public use without the
expenditure of a large amount
of money in repairs; that the
in.eIess of the county requires the
building, construction and furnish
ing of a new suitable court house.
Therefore, be it,
"RESOLVED, That a special
election shall be called for the
purpose of submitting the ques-
tion of issuing negotiable coupon
bonds in the sum of Fifty Thous-
and ($5O, ,000) Dollars to defray
the expenses of erecting and
furnishing a new court house
building for said Gilmore county.
lit is further ordered that a
special election be called to sub
NIT the aforesaid question to the
legal voters of Elmore county;
that the 22nd day of May, 1915,
shall he set for such special elec-
ton, and that the clerk Of this
board give due and legal notice
of such election.
GEORGE E. BUTLER,
Chairman of the Board
Attest: F. M. HOBBS, Clerk.
The urgent need of a suitable
building for the accommodation O
he various offices in which tht
business of Elmore county is trans
acted is so apparent as to render
any arugument in favor thereof al
waste of time, and yet
owing to the magnificent distances
If the county and the fact that many
If our citizens may not be familiar
with the true condition of the wretch
I'D cid shacks which are now used
t is deemed but just for the benefit
of those who seldom visit the sea
Of the county's government.
About twenty years ago Elmor'
county was without court house, and
The commissioners were under tn,
necessity of providing a place fo
the various offices, and place TO
holding court. The county at tina
time was heavily indebted, due t
the obligations assumed when it wal
cut off from old Alturas county, ant
the assassed valuation of the propert
In the county was so small that tht
county commissioners deemed it un
advisable to CALI bond election TO
building a court house. The Noun
tain Home school district had JUS
built new school building, and th'
old buildings were available for ot
flee purposes. The commissioners
purchased the old buildings
with the idea that they would answe
the purpose of court house for {
period OF perhaps eight or ten years
and until the assessed valuation Q
the county was such as to warran
them erecting a new court house
These old buildings have served as
court house for double the length Q
time that anyone deemed them to ID
serviceab.e. OF la.e years they hav
become so dilapidated and have falle
SO into decay that they are no longe
suitable for the purpose for whic
they were originally purchased, an
they are subject to condemnation a
unsafe and unsanitary.
The county superintendent of pull
lie instruction and the county trea!
urer are housed in quarters that ar
absolutely unfit for the use of huma
beings. They are 50 low of ceiling
lily ventilated and so poorly lighte
that electric lights are necessary o
any cloudy day; the floors are rottin
away In the treasurer's office tw
or three layers of old linoleum is a
that prevents the desk falling to tn
sump hole below. This sump hole
damp and unwholesome, a breedin
place for mosquitoes and disease.
Th sheriff's office In anotht
shack next door, is in no better col
dition and the safe has broken throug
the floor, while the Jail in the rec
al ttFf