Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-10-12

NGMONs c0uN
ings are handled. But, because we
know the Free Press will never give
the facts, we will do so now.
The attorney, Mr.. Niles, of Fargo,
started his preliminary investigation
at Linton on Friday. He worked
three days and, among other things,
he found that, three bridges-orsc ul-
verts, or both, as you please-had
Just been .compietA for which peti-
lions had never Been fled, or thirty
days. adyertisingsof receipt Of bids
given. He found that the commission
ers were scheduled to meet foursdays
later ard that there was
every reason. to believe that bills
would be presented by the bridge
company for the work, and that they
would be allowed at such meeting.
Hessleft post-haste for Fargo, took
the matter up with his partners, hur.-
riedly prepared the necessary pa
pers secured a temporary injunction
from the, first Judge he could get to
(who was Judge ;Cole) and fired the
papers back here for service. They
had to be served before the commits
sioners met if they were to be effective.
Thy arrived on Thursday night, four
days after the attorney had gone
back from Linton and were served
the next morning, a few hours before
the commissioners convened. M
stead Of spending. two. days trying
to reach udge..Allen or Judge Nc
Kenna. the attorney did what the
law allows them to do: They made
their application to the first district
Judge they could reach. Some mystery,
wasn't it? p 5 -
Now, as to the setting Of the date
of hearing on Oct. 25th. Another
fearful mystery; deep-laid plot.
Well, the answer is easy. The at
torneys proposed to attack the valid
ity of other bridge jobs for which
warrants had been. issued and not
cashed, somewhat different TECH
meal proceedings, but based on the
same arguments as in the other case.
Well, the other papers were duly pre-
pared, the necessary order issued by
Judge Cole, and both hearings-simi-
lar in nature-set for the same day,
Oct. 25th. My, wasn't that knot
ty problem to solve.
Now, as to the hearing being held
in Fargo. Certainly it doesn't have
to be held in Fargo just because the
action was initiated there. Lynn
knows ttst very well, so does any
other person pretending to be an at
tcrney. All that is necessary is q
request yfor change to, this district:
and they would get it without oppo-.
siticn.
W. publish the above facts Is show
that the Free Press is purpesely at
tempting to befog the issue, and to
shake the confidence of those who are
financing the inyestigstionfsa- The
final hearing was set for Oct. 18th
That is nearly two weeks prior to
election. if the election can be- said
to have anything to do with It. !. And
it is up to the Court to deeidesMheth.
er or not the bridges shall be paid
fer. The action is brought On the
ground that two specific methods o1
building bridges are outlined by law.
one by the emergency route and ths
other by petition. Neither course
was followed, but rather sort o,
mixture of both. Whatever the tina
outcome Of the case should be vii
have no bearing politically that vi
1 r 81 Ia
can see. If the commissioners ant
the bridge company are able to wig
gle out Of the position they are ii
by getting verdict, it will no
change the fact that they have bee,
needlessly extravagant. Many. o
the things which are the most bitterl,
complained Of by the taxpayers ar
things which the law cannot touch
Commissioners are given vast dis
cretionary powers under the law. Fo
instance, they cannot be forced to fir
the county engineer. Nevertheless,
we will wager that, If the people Q
this county could vote on the :propo
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