Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1920-06-10
In The County Court Of Iron County, Mo.
MONDAY, JUNE Z, 1920.

Among other proceedings, the fol-
lowing we're had:
II, the Matter of the Sale of
the County Road Bonds.
Now is presented to the Court cer-
tain questions propounded to it by the
Arcadia Valley Enterprise relative to
the above mentioned bond sale, to-
gethef with letter written by the
Presiding Judge of this Court, address
ed to said newspaper, and published
therein, as follows:
ANNAPOLIS, Mo-, MAY 18th, 1920.
Editor Arcadia Valley Enterprise
My attention has been called to several
articles in your paper of late in which
you ask the County Court number Of
questions relative to the recent sale OF the
County road bonds to VIM. R. Compton
Company Of St. Louis.
Without inquiring into your motives
for asking these questions through your
paper instead Of interviewing the Court,
as our citizens are accustomed to do,
win say that that the Court will be in ses-
sion in the near future for the purpose of
making the current tax levies and at that
time your questions will be considered
and reply made. In the meantime, if
you have any further questions you de-
sire to ask in this matter, please formu-
late them SO that one reply may cover all
points.
The Court does not propose TO enter
into newspaper controversy with any
one, but is always ready to inform our
citizens of the actions of the Court and
the reasons therefor, and any one may
have access to the Court records at any
time for this-purpose.
Referring to your suggestion that an
audit OF the books of the County be had,
/ am sure I,speak for the Court when
say that if you have any evidence Of Off
cial misconduct on the part Of any OF the
County Officers and will present it to the
Court or Prosecuting Attorney, it will
not be necessary for petitions to be sign
ed for such an audit. The Court will act
without them if the proper reason be
shown. In this connection would re-
mind you OF the fact that an audit is ex-
pensive, and that the County, NOT THE
STATE, must foot the bill.
Yours truly,
ADD REESE Presiding Judge.
And the Court, after considering the
matter, doth order that the following
reply be.made:
QUESTION NO. 1.
We beg to inquire of the Honorable
County Court if it is necessary for the
Highway Engineer to have attached
his estimate of money needed in or
der to draw any money from the
County Depositary?
ANSWER.
The Court will be guided by the law,
which is plainly set out in Article
VIII, r. s. l919,in withdrawing money
from the County Depositary.
QUESTION NO. 2.
Under your acceptance can you
withdraw any of this money until You
have furnished the VIM. R. Compton
Co. with the Highway Engineers es-
timaue as to the funds needed?
ANSWER.
No. And IL will continue to draw
five per cent interest until the first
withdrawal is made. The contract
with the VIM. r. Compton Co. is a
public record id the office of the Clerk
Of the County Court and speaks for
itself.
QUESTION NO. 8.
Is the VIM. R. Compton %. any bet
ter than the County Depositary?
ANSWER.
So far as the Court is informed there
is no basis for comparison. Ii you
mean to ask if one is better security
for $20O, 900 than the other we have
no hesitation in saying "yes."
QUESTION NO. A.
1t will Also be noted in the above
proposal that the VIM. R. Compton
Go. may place, if they so desire, said
proceeds on deposit with the Ameri-
can Trust Company, Of ST.. Louis, with
out the deposit Of any collateSalA Is
the American Trust Company OF St.
Louis an exception? If so, we can't
find it in Section 3065 as amended by
Laws of 1915, page 249. But we do
find that this Section states that the
County Court ssshall select as the De-
positaries OF all the Public Funds of
EVERY KIND AND DESCRIPTION go
ing into the hands of the County
Treasurer etc. If this is true, has
the County Court complied with the
law?
ANSWER.
Yes. When the County Depositary
was selected there were two funds,
numbered 1 and Q respectively,
neither of which comprised County
Road Bond proceeds. The creation
OF a new fund required, in the inter-
est Of the County, that the same be
deposited where security was ample,
and safety assured, as we'll as that q
good rate of interest be obtained.
The Court believed, and still believes,
that these requirements have been
compiled with. While the statement
as to the American Trust Company
\ was contained in the proposal made,
nevertheless, when the funds were
deposited 1t was done under the
provision which required the deposit
Of collateral for the. protection OF the
County.
QUESTION NO. 5.
Under this proposal and acceptance
would we understand that the Coun-
ty Treasurer can not draw check on
this Fund on deposit with William r
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