Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-12-26

by Judge Bland. Deputy sheriffs then
proceeded to drive other taxieabs
from the highways, and put them out
Of business.
Citizens of the county were arrest
ed by deputy sheriffs for offering
rides free of charge to their neigh
bors and friends whom they found
walking along the highways. The
Chesapeake & Ohio railroad conven-
iently cancelled some Of its passen-
ger trains from Logan to the outly-
ing mining camps, which had the eff
feet of increasing the business of the
bus lines.
Bus Line Virtual Monopoly
Under these conditions Chains bus
line has prospered, and has become
virtually the only means of transpor-i
tation over the county.
Four years ago the county spent
$500, 900 in the erection of new school
buildings at Holden, Omar and Ethel.
These buildings were modern, and
equipped with all needed facilities.
They were enthusiastically attractive,
and sufficiently large to meet the
needs of these communities for some
years to come.
This year the county is paying the
bus line a sum of $61, 900 to haul the
school children of Holden and Omar
to the Logan schools, and back to
their homes. The new school build
ings at Holden and Omar are closed.
The pretext is that the county does
not have sufficient funds to employ
teachers at these places.
Taxes in Logan County have been
levied largely on a basis of what it
was believed the taxpayer will stand
for without protest or legal action.
The tax levy is $3.50 per 800.
Tax Delinquency Saves Money
One citizen of Logan recites this
experience: In 1921 he was told that
his taxes were $1O0.07 on his prop
erty in the town. In 1922 he did not
pay his taxes and his name was sent
to Charleston as a tax delinquent.
When he paid these taxes later, with
the additional costs and penalties, the
sum was $67. In 1923 his taxes on
the same property were $98.50.
81 think l will let my taxes go de-
linquent each year after this" he
says. 81 will save money by doing
So"
Political gratuities are freely hand
ed out to Chains favorites. It is
stated that "Pistol Slipping" Walker
receives 5000 a month as a deputy
sheriff; another 5000 a month as a
teacher of manual training in the
Logan schools, and another 5000 a
month to buy water buckets, dippers
and stove pipe for the schools of the
county. The allegation is made that
these utensils are supplied by the
local residents.
Private Contracts For County Work
Sealed bids are seldom submitted
to the county commissioners for
prospective public building or con-
struction work. Private contracts
are made, with no provision for the
supervision of the work by a repre-
tentative of the county. The contrac-
ftOrs usually do the work to suit them
selves, and the county in its unpro-
tected condition must accept it.
A levy of $4,000 was made upon
the taxpayers of the county in con-
nection with the attempted invasion
by coal miners of adjoining fields in
1921. After this uprising the funds
of the county were used to purchase
$260,O00 of arms and ammunition,
which was stored in a local armory
that had been built with funds pro-
vided by the coal interests. In this
equipment are Is tripod machine guns.
The county paid $40 from its treas
ury for each man brought in from
another county to assist in repelling
this invasion.
Guns Trained on Polling Places
On election day this year some of
these machine guns were removed
from the armory to other places in
the county, and from concealed spots,
trained on the polling places. This
is asserted to be true at Omar, and
other places in that vicinity.
Coal lands in the county are valued
at from 500 to $500 an acre. Some
of these lands are capitalized to this
maximum. In the assessment of
taxes, however, a valuation of from
$50 to $40 an acre are placed upon
them. The coal operators contribute
private subsidy of $4,000 a year
to Chain for the payment of the sal
aries of his deputy sheriffs.
Treasury Aids Chain Machine
The county treasury is largely
source of profit and exploitation for
individuals belonging to the Chain
political machine. Bills presented By
these individuals are usually paid
promptly without audit. examination