The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-01-04
COURT STOPS
CONTRACT FOR
COURT HOUSE
Judge Linn Restraints Commits
siOners from Further Action
Until January IL
ATTEMPT TO PURCHASE SITE
Supreme Court Halts Proceedings in
Bond Issue Until Hearing on
January 10

Commissioners Clements and Nc
Neill last Friday morning oiled up
their court-house-building machine
and set her in motion for another lit
tie Joy ride. Before they had finished
they had purchased court house site
and instructed the auditor to pay for
it out of any funds that might be
available, had advertised for bids for
court house, had adopted plans and
specifications and engaged supervis-
ing architect, had placed the bonds in
escrow and contracted for their de-
livery to Keeler Brothers and had or
dered the auditor to countersign them
and furnish the purchasers with tram
scripts Of the record. The machine
the while was guided by w. w. Zent
with Clements and McNeill reclining
on the cushions in the tonneau.
Saturday morning further proceed
ings in connection with the bond is
sue We're stopped by telegram from
the supreme court which issued tenn
porary restraining order and set the
case for a hearing January 10. This
writ was issued at the request of II.
A. Bier's attorneys who have appeal
ed from Judge Grady's refusal to per-
manently restrain the commissioners
from putting thru the bond deal. The
hearing the 10Th will be to determine
whether or not the supreme court will
continue the restraining order pending
the appeal.
The supreme courts order, however,
did not prevent the commissioners
from completing the purchase of the
site and letting the contract for the
building. The contract for the build
ing was to have been let tomorrow,
the advertisement specifying that bids
were to be opened at 10 o'clock. This
action has been headed off by tenn
porary restraining order issued by
Judge Bert Linn, who calls halt on
further proceedings until the case can
-,-S.-a - haeard January IL. This order was
signed by Judge Linn in Pasco yes
terday evening and served on the COM
missioners this morning. 1t restrains
them from letting the contract for the
court house and also forbids the aud
itor from issuing the warrant in pay
ment for the site. This action as the
former one, was brought in the name
Of HI. A. Bier.
From December % to December 20
the board remained in continuous ses-
sion but transacted but little or no
business, their chief aim being to
mark time until Judge Grady should
render his decision. The first act Of
the commissioners after word had
been received that the court had or
dered the case dismissed was to pass
resolution offered by McNeill. The
resolution authorized the chairman tn
enter into contract with Keeler Bros.
, to have the bonds placed in escrow
to be delivered to the purchasers as
soon as litigation had been disposed
! of. This action was taken to make
the delivery Of the bonds and the re-
! ceipt of the money definite and GER
, tain"
| Nelson Rich then appeared before
the board and offered to sell the
county Block B in Rich's addition for
? $1,000, the same to be used as a
' court house site. Propositions were
: also received from B. e. McGregor
: and G. w. Hamilton. AS soon as the
{ bids We're received McNeill offered q
E motion in writing accepting the bid
E of Mr.. Rich for Block B (Which is just
E across the street from McNeill's
E home). McNeill and Clements voted
"Aye" and Bash "No."
0 Later in the day McNeill offered
E in writing the following motion: 81
: move that notice be published in The
official county paper commencing to,
e day, the 29th of December, 1916, call.
{ ing for bids for the erection of couri
: house in the city of Prosser, in &C
: cordance with plans and specification
e to be on file with the county auditor
: not later than the Both day Of, De
: cember, 1916, and that said bids b,
Il