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VOL. XIV.
nni ITPHI nnMniimr min npTMni. T
rULIIbllL imbnint m IftlUil III
Read Official Document of
Records Telling of Plan
to Bond..
MOB OF HONEST
Think of it-Wilson Now Dares
Office
Believelng in fair play at all times,
whether it be a horse race or a polit
ical campaign, the Observer has felt
that the thrusts made by B. F. Wil
son, candidate for county Judge on
the democratic ticket against Judge J.
C. Henry, were uncalled for and,with
out foundation. The ring of 'every
sentence of the first circular letter and
the one following it, seemed to hiss as
a serpent in th? grass.
With the knowledge that Mr. Wil
son had been Judge of Union county in
the past, it was decided to look up the
career of this man who had issued a
Utter full of so many reflections and
direct charges. That investigation has
proven about what all investigations
prove when the one investigated places
himself in the attitude that Mr. Wil
son has assumed.
It is found that under the Wilson
administration the extravagance in the
use of county, money was appalling.
It is found that Wilson as Judge was
not one to improve the county; was
not even an official who looked to the
gcod of the many,as he now claims he
will if elected ; that he was not a busi
ness man, mit to put the matter plain-
ly he was a politician who built a po
litical machine in this county at the
expense of the taxpayers. Today he is
given credit by all sides for being the
' "foxiest" man in Union county.
Do the people of this valley want a
"foxy" man to handle the money ob
talnted by taxation?
Do you want a politician, who is so
rated by his fellowmen, to hare his
hand on the throttle when Union coun
ty Is Just now taking her rightful place
In the state?
Do you want to return this county to
the dayB of burdensome debts, of poor
highways, or discounted warrants?
Men are Judged by the past not by
what they say they will do.
Thls'being true the Observer invites
careful attention to some of the past
records when B. F. Wilson was county
Judge.
WOULD BOND THE COUNTY.
Peculiar Transaction Shown by a Few
Records.
The following copies of records
shows a deal under the Wilson admin
istration whereby an attempt was
made to bond Union county with Jef
Ma
de
Coimiy; WHle
TAXPAYERS PROTECTED RICHTS
of Judgeship Once More
ferson Scriber as a party to the tran
saction. Be it remembered that at a regular
term of the County Court of the State
of Oregon, for the County of Union,
begun' and held at the Court House
in the City of Union in said County
and State on Monday, the 6th day of
February, 1899, and from' day to day i
thereafter during the continuance of
said term, when on Wednesday, the
Sth day of February, 1899, or the third
Judicial day of eald term the said
County Court opened for the transac
tion of business with the follownig
officers present, to-wit:
THE HON. B. F. WILSON,
County Judge,
HON. R. T. LANGRELL,
Commissioner,
HENRY HUG,
Commissioner,
' G. W. BENSON,
County Clerk,
D. Y. K. DEERING,
Sheriff.
j When, on Friday, the 10th day of
February, A. D. 1899, or the 5th Ju
dical day of said term, the following
i proceedings were had, to-wit:
In the matter of the Propo
sition of J. W. Scriber to
purchase bonds for the
funding of the Warrant In
debtedness of Union County.
Now at this time this matter came
on for consideration of the proposi
tion of J. W. Scriber to purchase from
the County of. Union funding bonds to
be hereafter issued for the funding of
the present warrant indebtedness of
the County of Union.
It appearing to the Court that it will
be advisable and beneficial for said
County and be of great saving to said
County to bond the County to pay off
the present warranted indebtedness.
It is hereby ordered and considered
that the said proposition of J. W.
Scriber be and the same hereby is
accepted and B. F. Wilson, County
Judge, and R. T. Langrell and Henry
Hug; County Commissioners are here
by authorized and directed to enter
Into an agreement with the said J. W.
Scriber or his assigns for the sale of
the. said funding bonds In accordance
with his said proposition, said funding
bonds being payable In ten or twenty
years at the option of flald County to
,n., UjNiU,N LUU.NTY, OREGON. , THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1910. & NUMBER 31(
to 'Bohdj'Uni
1
the
1
to Aisk for the
bear interest at the rate of 5 per cent
per annum,' interest payable semi-an
nually.
(Signed) B. F. WILSON,
County Judge.
Scriber's Proposition.
To the Honorable County Judge and
County Commissioners of Union
County, Oregon.
Gentlemen:
I hereby submit to you the following
edness of Union County, not exceed
Ing the sum of one hundred and seventy-five
thousand dollars and not less
than one hundred and sixty thousand
dollars or so much thereof as will be
necessary to fund all the outstanding
Indebtedness in warrants of said coun
ty together with accrued Interest, said
bonds to be ten twenty year bids, to
be payable in gold coin of the United
States of America or its equivalent
and to bear Interest at the rate of five
per cent per annum, interest payable
semi-annually at New York City In
tho State of New York or at any other
place at option of myself, and I here
b7 agree to pay par for said bonds.
Said bonds to be of the denomina
tion of One Thousand Dollars each,
that said bonds shall be a valid and
legal obligation of said County of Un
ion which shall be satisfactory to my
self, said county to furnish me all
proceedings necessary to determine
the legality of the issue of said bonds.
That I will furnish the blank bonds
and all lithographs etc., so that the
county will not be at any expense In
the Issue of said bonds.
J. W. SCRIBER,
2-10-99.
In the County Court pf Un
ion County Oregon, sitting
for the transaction of Coun
ty business. .
Proposition of J. W. Scriber
to purchase funding bonds.
Filed Feb. 10, 1899.
G. W. BENSON,
County Clerk.
(Extracts from file of Observer, com
menting on the above transaction.)
Such combinations too often result
In such schemes as ths following
wherein a few months after the 1893
election, the county court catered Into
an agreement to bond the county In
the sun of $175,000 without any com
petition whatever on the bonds and
at par, when about the same time the
'nion
La Grande School District disposed of
less man 15,000 in bonds, which was
duly advertised, there being several
bidders and the district received sev
eral hundred dollars. In premiums.
The first news that the people re
ceived, that such a scheme was on was
the five line notice in the published
county court proceedings that Mr.
Scriber's proposition to bond ihe coun
ty had been accented. Th rcnnlf was
that at the time the Observer brought
the mater to the attention of the pub
lic and like the "tax sale" last year,
the protests that went up were so
many that the matter was dropped and
the contract was annulled.
Memorandum of Agreement
Made and entered. Into this tenth
day of February, 1899, by and between
the County of Union, State of Oregon,
party of the first part, and J. W. Scrlb
er, or his assigns, party of the second
part
v WItnesseth: That the tfarty of the
first pan'toereby agrees to and does
sell unto the second party funding
bonds of said county amounting to one
hundred and seventy-five thousand
dollars ($175,000) or such en amount
as may be required to fund the present
outstanding general or county indebt
edness represented by orders or war
rants of said county, with accrued In
terest thereon; said orders or war
rants to be funded being from No., is
sue the day of 18. .... to No.. . ,
Issued the .... day . of .... 18..,
both numbers inclusive.
The party of the second part hereby
.grees to and does purchase said bonds
paying therefor the purchase price
of the par value of said bonds with
any accrued interest thereon ; provided
not less than one hundred and sixty
thousand dollars ($160,000) bonds be
Issued; and also agrees to make the
exchange of warrants for bonds with
out charge. x
Said sale and purchase Is subject to
the following terms and conditions.
Said bonds to be dated not later than
the first day of July, 1899, and said
county agrees said bonds shall be
ready for delivery not later than said
date. Said bonds to be divided into
series, numbered and
; and to be payable as follows;
In ten or twenty years at option of
party of the first part .... both prin
cipal and interest on all of said bonds
to be payable at the banking house of
In the city of New York, state
of New York, and bonds to bear Inter
est at the rate of five per cent per an
num, payable semi-annually; both
principal to be made" payable In gold
coin of the United States of America
of or equivalent to the present stand
ard of weight and fineness; the bonds
to be in denominations of one thous
and dollars ($1000) each; and to be
properly signed and executed.
The party of the first part shall
cause all Bald warrants to be funded
to be called for payment, provided,
fcowever not such call shall be made
till the party of the second party has
notified the party of the first part as
hereinafter set forth; that said bonds
are a valid and legal obligation to the
satisfaction of the attorney of the par
ty of the Becond part and has desig
nated to the party of the flrBt part
what warrants are valid and legally
bo funded, and until such bonds are
properly signed and execute and
ready for dellevery.
And as fast as said warrants are
presented for payment said party of
the second part shall pay the holder
thereof the full value thereof, and
thereafter present such war fits to
the county treasurer, whereupon such
warrants shall be cancelled and equal
amount of bonds simultaneously de
livered. ' -'
The party ot the first part shall fur
nish the party of the Becond part, all
certificates, transcripts and copies of
proceedings required by the party of
the second part to satisfactorily show
the legality of said bonds free of
charge and expense.
The bonds shall be In the form pre
pared by the attorney f thm ! ?
the second pare and shall be a valid
and legal obligation of the county to
the satisfaction of the attorney of the
party of the second part; and the par
ty of the second part shall be allowed
a reasonable time to obtain, the opin
ion, of its attorney upon the validity
of said bonds, and when said opinion
is obtained shall , Immediately notify
the party of the first part of the pur
pose of said opinion. ;
in. witness thereof, the parties here
to have hereunto' set their hands and
seal this 10th day of February, 1899.
B. F. WILSON,
County Judge.
R. T. LANGRELL,
' . , . . x Commissioner?
HENRY HUG, '
I ' Commissioner.
Attest: G. W. BENSON, County Clerk,
Endorsed, Filed Feb. 10, 1899.
O. W. BENSON, 'County Clerk.
State of Oregon, ., t
... 88. ' 1
County of Unlon l'4- ' '
I, the' undersigned County.' Clerk, In
and for Union County, Oregon, and ex
officio Clerk of tfie County Court of
said County, do' hereby 'certify that
the foregoing transcript of Memorand
um of Agreement between J. W. Scrib
er and Union County has been by me
compared with the original agreement
and that It Is a correct Transcript
therefrom and the whole of such orig
inal, as the same appears on file In
my office and In my custody.
Witnes my hand and seal of office
this 10th day of February, A. D. 1899.
G. W. BENSON,
County Clerk.
(Extract from editorial appearing In
Observer of February 24, 1899.)
Bonds.
To say that the taxpayers of Union
county were amazed upon reading the
county court proceedings last week
is presenting it mildly. A few lines
stating the court had accepted a prop
osition to Issue bonds to the extent of
notl ess than $160,000, nor more than
$175,000, to run not less than 10 years
nor more than 20 years, to draw 5
per cent interest payable semi-annually.
First of all few knew that the In
debtedness of Union county was any
thing like this appalling sum. v
Again what is the county making
by this action of the county court?
By what authority, can they do this?
and etc., are the questions that run In
rapid succession through the brain of
every taxpayer.
There are always so many ways of
figuring the . same proposition that
Borne favor the proposition, others
criticize the action of the court.
We believe those who champion the
bonding cause claim the saving In the
next four years will be about $175,000,
resulting from the reduced interest
rate.
Our understanding is the fact of the
outstanding warrants Is $175,000 as we
are four years behind besides accrued
Interests, which when these figures
were taken (which was several months
ago) is $4,000 making a total debt of
$179,000.
Thus It will be seen thaf the differ
ence In Interest on $155,000 at 8 per
cent for one year 1b $3450 or for four
years the time which they will draw
8 ner cent Interest (or all warrants
Issued now only draw all per cent)
will be $13,880 the balance of the sup
posed profit Is the saving the jounty
will make during the four years In
paying cash for Its necessary supplies
(Continued on Page 4.)
1G WORK
ASSASSINATED
' ' '' '
SEWS CWSELT CENSORED
ANl
EACTS CANNOT BE OBTAIN
ED THOUGH MANY RUMORS.
SECRET NQVS fillRMlHl
Outcome Indicates Kingdom Will b
Overthrown .Before Tommorroi
Night, Say A4f fees' Reaching Pari
Secretly What Is Aetnally Coin
on In the Interior Is Not Known
Many Troops Gather. r
: .London, Nov. 3 The Spanish caul
aron of revolt Is seething today an
despite the strictest censorship It I
known that a revolutionary movemen
is spreading. A force of 20,000 sold
iers has been added to the Madrid gai
rison and also forts at Baroelon.a, Sa
badel augmented with the pick of loj
4list-tro6ps.-MMitarr police are pr '
vlded wltr rapid fire runs". ; -'V
Long predicted strikes among th
(workmen has begun, starting at Bat
celona and Is spreading. Thousand
of laborers are Idle. Among, report
rrom tne French frontier last nigh
was that Alfonso had been assassin
ated and member of the royal famil
had fled. While tt Is little credited, 1
cannot be confirmed which shows th
disturbed condition of the countrj
More arreBts of political men wer
made today. '
The English admiralty office has ot
dered the concentration of the west
em Mediterranean fleet at Glbralte
and the Eastern Mediterranean flee
to Malta, both near the Spanish porti
Secret Advices Show Danger.
Paris, Nov. 3 Representatives c
the Spanish Republican society pre
dieted that Madrid and other Spanls'
cities will be In the hands of the rev
lolTitlonsts before tomorrow nlgW
They allege they have received sec
ret advices telling of the success c
the revolutionary- movement and de
sertlon of the army to the Republl
cans. Reports are current that Do:
Jaime, the Carllst pretender, ha
taken a hand In the movement.
in regard to Mr. Wilson's
communication published to
ln Which he says: "Mr
Wright will no doubt correct
himself in one statement 4
that he makes, and that Is, 4
that the Btatement made by 4
Mr. Wilson is a wilful mis- A
Btatement of the facts." I '2
nave the following to say. I
4
desire to be perfectly fair
with Mr. Wilson and will
qualify my statement by
withdrawing the word "wil
ful." I have no wish, however
to correct Ay former com
munication in any other re
spect, as a comparison of
Mr. Wilson's original letter
to the voters with the records
from which Mr. Wilson se
cured his data, will show a
misquotation of the latter.
Trusting that I have made
my position In this matter
clear and that this will end
a controversy which is as dis
tasteful to myself aa It must
bo uninteresting to the puh
!u vry sincerely,
ED. WRIGHT.
Co. Cler of Union County,
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Oregon.
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