People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1895 — JORDAN. [ARTICLE]

JORDAN.

Correspondence to People’s Wlot. Maurice Besse commenced husking corn Monday. George Kissinger has been spending the week on his farm, in this neighborhood. Mrs. Eliza Reed is visiting in thißvicinity. Jasper Lister shelled corn for William Bringle this week. Willis Kissinger spent Saturday and Sunday at Pleasant Ridge. It must be a pleasant place to him for he goes there often. James Bulks met with a very severe accident the first of the week. He lost two fingers and thumb in a corn sheller try-

ing to get some husks from between the cogs of the wheels. There was a dance at John Reeds December 13. Henry Welsh of Remington was in this vicinity Sunday. Miss Jennie Kissinger visited her sister, Mrs. May Reed, th ; first of the week. Any one wishing seed potatoes call on Mort Ritchey. Bachelor Maid.

When the Pilot was first started it was understood that its columns were open to any taxpayer who wished to express himself on the management of the county. As an humble taxpayer I beg leave to be allowed “to print a few remarks.” Up this way we have just learned that the commissioners have decided to build a SIOO,OOO court house. Being 25 miles from the county capital we of course have not as much interest in the appearance of your city as those who live nearer. A fine new court house of Bedford stone would be quite an ornament to Rensselaer and would o" course add, to the value of city property. Could an one hundred thousand dollar, or even a million dollar court house be let down from the skies on the court, house square we would be very willing, but for us to be taxed to ouild one now when we can scarcely pay our present tax is something we can not well bear. The majority of the people here do not believe that there is any need of a new court house at present. We do not think any of our dear county officers would resign if they had to remain in the old house, nor do we think there will be any lack of candidates if a new house is not built. Is there no way of persuading our commissioners to postpone this court house business? We fellows up here are poor, very poor, taxes are high, we have ditching to do, new roads to build; we have just really began to open up this part of the county; a new court house is one of the improvements we have least expected.

I do not think one in ten believes the court house is likely to fall soon. Who is back of this scheme? Is it the countv officers? Why have they been so sneaking, secrete and sly about it? Why did they not in some way get an expression from the people? I see when you town people want to make some expensive improvement you vote upon the question; this of course could not be done with the court house but some plan could have been adopted that would have gotten an expression from the people. This story of the court house being dangerous, likely to fall, burn, etc., nobody believes. We are some how persuaded that the commissioners will reconsider this matter. believe in progress, in improvements; we know that Jasper county will some day need a good court house, lets wait ten years and then see about it. Sandlapper.