Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 June 1901 — About the Court House. [ARTICLE]

About the Court House.

The Board of Review is called to meet, Monday, June 17. —o — The wolf scalp business is still flourishing in Jasper, county. The amount of unloaned school funds on hand June 1, was $2,315, —o — In the release of A. M. Bushongf the county jail is again without an occupant. —o — Under the act passed by the late legislature, all the laborers employed to assist in the construction of the new bridges just contracted for will be entitled to not less than 20 cents per hour for their work. o The two crates of vault furniture for the recorder’s office, which have been given storage room by the county for the past 2£ years, still occupy their old position near the south stairway in the basement. —o — The county council is called to meet in special session Monday, June 17. At this session, we understand, it will be asked to appropriate money to pay the Burford stationery claim, also more bridge money, etc., etc. —o —

Marriage licenses are few and far between nowadays. The only one issued since May 25th was issued Tuesday to Mr. Fred Arthur Hicks and Miss Hattie Belle Y"eoman, both of Remington. The groom is a prominent young merchant, a son of Andrew Hicks of Remington, andJhe bride is the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs, Ira W. Yeoman, well known here, and who has been a teacher in Carpenter township schools for several years.

—o— Bids have been advertised for twice for the completion of the Keener tp., gravel roads, and now the attorney employed by the county to look into the legality of issuing more bonds for its completion has decided that it is impossible to issue bonds for the purpose, and the Keener people will be obliged to do without the balance of the 16 miles of gravel road which they anticipated they would get several years ago and for which they are paying. —o —

With the big attorney fees, witness fees and other costs connected with the Burford stationery suit, it looks as if the county would have been considerable money ahead to have paid Mr. Burford’s claim in the first place. The officers who, without any authority whatever, ordered the supplies of Burford at a time when the county had a contract with another firm to furnish all such supplies, and were paid in full todo so, should be compelled to reimburse the county for all of the expense it has been to in this matter. —o—

In response to the “invitations’* sent out by the auditor, as a result of the tax-ferret investigation, quite a number of the 6olid men of the out-townships have called to explain matters regarding alleged omitted property from the tax duplicate. One widow lady residing south of town, is alleged to have paid SSO which the investigation disclosed that she or her husband’s estate was owing. By the way, this tax-ferret investigation contract is beautiful, tinanchilly, for Jasper county. Under its terms the ferrets get one-half, or 50 per cent, of all that is collected as a result of their investigation. As only about one-fourth of tho tax levied belongs to the county proper, and the county cannot bind the state, its institutions or the townships by this contract to give one-half of its tax to the ferrets, the county must pay the 50 per cent, out of the county fund, and Jasper county is therefore out about 25 cents on every dollar collected.