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Free Agricultural Short Course at Prineville, February 23d to 28th, inclusive. COME!
Crook County
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COUNTY. OFFICIAL PAPER FOR CROOK COUNTY
COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER, $1.50 YEAR PRINEVILLE, CROOK COUNTY, OREGON, THURSDAY, FEB. 19, 1914.
Kntre4 ftt the fHMitofllr at PrtnevlU
Oregon, econl-cIH matter
VOL. XVIII NO. 13
All is Serene at the
Court House
A Rieclul session of the county
court was held Monday and the
atmosphere about tho courthouse Ih
ctarlfylnif. The judge and HhcrifT
have never been very chummy but
there was no oien rebellion until
the delinquent tax rolls were taken
from tho cuHtody of the sheriff.
Thin won the Hlraw that did the
business and Het both sides by the
earn.
The county expert Rot the rolln
from the sheriff's olllce and took
them up stairs for examination.
That name evening Sheriff Klkins
went up stuirs, unlocked the door
of the room In which these books
were held and took them to his
office and locked them up in the
vault where they are kept. When
the exjH'rt demanded the books in
the morning he was informed that
he could have them under certain
conditions. Tho expert could have
desk room In tho sheriff's office or a
room leading into the sheriff's office
would bo placed at his disposal but
that all delinquent tax rolls must
not be taken up stairs at any one
time.
Now, the judge and the expert
Itoth thought they were acting
within their legal rights when they
demanded tho books and the sheriff
held a like view. Hoth men got
heir necks bowed and neither
would yield. Lawyers were con
sulted; In fact Attorney Hert
Hancy of Portland was called in to
act for the district attorney who
was attending to county business
before the supreme court at Salem.
Attorney Haney agreed that the
sheriff was tho legal custodian of
the books so that part of tho con
troversy wus cleared.
Judge Springer then announced
that as the purpose of the meeting
was to see whether tho expert
should go ahead or not ho would
ask those present who were in
favor of going ahead to stand ud.
Nearly everybody stood up.
After a good deal of squabbling
on the part of the memlera of the
court about the order authorizing
the judge to employ an expert Com
missioners Brown and Bailey took
issue with tho judge about up
proving the report of the expert
until tho whole report was made,
Commissioner Bailey thought it a
one man affair from start 10 finish.
Strong delegations were present
from the north end of the county
urging further investigation into
the affairs of the county. They
wanted tho delinquent tax books
gone over and If there were any
evidence of wrongdoing wanted it
uncovered. These delegates were
backed by a petition from the
Farmers' Union of Crook county.
Upon motion of Judge Springer,
it was ordered that A. M. McE.
Ball be and he is hereby employed
to continue his work of exporting
and auditing the books and official
records of the various officials of
Crook county and to make his re
port to this court and his compen
sation is hereby fixed at the sum of
tlO per day per man together with
expenses.
Mr. Ball was asked to read his
report. That gentleman prefaced
his remarks by stating that he was
engaged to investigate the books of
the various county officials and to
get at the truth no matter who was
hurt- Tho expert was also re
quested to criticise tho work of the
officials. This report, unaccom
panied by any explanations from
some of the county officials, was
manifestly unfair.
The county treasurer was found
to be 0. K. with the exception of an
item of (11.63 in the First National
Bunk of Bend which was found to
be in excess of the balance as
shown by tho treasurer's books.
The records of the clerk's office
were found to be in order. The
revenue for 1913 amounted to
87G8.G4, while the expenditures
were $5206.33. The expert recom
mended that the clerk file sub
vouchers showing how 1100 a
month for extra help was expended.
"We are under the impression, how
ever, that the help he employs, viz.,
two young men on the record books
and one young lady in the office a
portion of the time, receive more
than f 100 for their combined ser
vices, but in any event sub-vouchers
should bo filed for the disbursement
of this 1 100." Other minor recom
mendations were made.
The county assessor did not get
off as easily as the clerk. Expert
Ball says: General laws of Ore
gon, 1913, Chap. 370, page 761, sec.
8, provides that "The county as
sessor may appoint five deputy as
sessors whose salaries shall bet 100
per annum each, etc. We would
direct your attention to the wide
discrepancy between the provisions
of this law and the number of
deputy assessors as set forth in
Schedule 9, whose compensation
amounts to 14710 73.
While Chap. 184, page 348, sec.
48 of the General Laws of Oregon,
1913, provides for necessary clerical
assistance, there is a difference of
14210.73 between the number al
lowed by law and the amount they
should receive, and the number
actually employed and the amount
they did receive.
Assessor Foster nays that the ex
pert's report is unfair to him. He
called the expert's attention to a
later law "General Laws of Oregon,
chap. 184, page 348, sec. 48.
Headed, Deputies and Clerical As
sistance for Assessors or Tax Col
lectors, which reads as follows:
In addition to the deputies and
the clerical assistance now or here
after provided and specified by law,
each county assessor or tax pollector
shall be entitled to such additional
deputies and clerical assistance as
may be necessary properly to trans
act the business and perform the
work of his office. Such deputies
and clerical assistance shall be
furnished by the county court at
the expense of the county.
The county surveyor was the next
man to be hauled over the coals.
The expert siys: We would direct
vour attention to this office in or
der that you may determine whether
or not the amounts drawn in com
pensathn are regular. Sec. 3003,
L. O. L., 1910, regulates the fees of
this office and in our opinion the
rate of 10 cents per mile is allowed
in lieu of all other compensation.
That is to say, that where the sur
veyor uses the day to go to and
from the place of his labors he is
not entitled to 15 per day and 10
cents per mile. If he charges mile
age he is not entitled to per diem
compensation. During the year
under examination this official has
charged 374.40 for mileage and
admitted to us that he charged per
diem for the time of going to and
from his -labors. It is our opinion
Reasons for Attending
the Short Course
The Short Course of the Oregon
Agricultural College will be held
here next week and it is hoped that
a large number of Prineville citi
zens and residents generally of
Crook county will attend to take
advantage of the helpful, practical
program that has been prepared for
the occasion.
There are so many reasons why
all taxpayers and patrons of the
edncational system of Oregon
should attend this course that an
unusually large attendance should
be the result.
The primary reason for the peo
ple of Crook county to be interested
in the Short Course is that they
will have an opportunity to observe
at first hand the methods of one of
our greatest state schools, it is a
case where the "College comes to
the people," and the people should
be present to judge the value of
the extension work which is a regu
lar department of the Agricultural
School.
Another good reason why peoole
should attend the school course is
that they will have the privilege of
listening to the advice of scientific
experts men and women who have
specialized in their particular work
and have had years of practical ex
perience to supplement their know
ledge. ' J
Then there is the .opportunity to
make comparison in a free un
biased way, of the old "learn stock
raising, dairying, horticulture and
farming," as tried out by the
methods that these instructors ad
vocate. To convince yourself of
the success of these methods you
should first hear them, and second,
practice them. Visit any of the
schools or extension farms for visual
confirmation of the statements
made.
The agricultural work in our
county high school is along these
practical, useful lines and you will
more clearly understand its great
value to Crook county after you
have heard the "College Farmers"
explain the co-operative plan of the
trained agriculturist with the indi
vidual farmer.
The great movement called
"back to the farm" had its incep
tion , in the schools. Work which
has previously been dreary drudgery
is now a successful business because
business methods and a love for
this oldest of all industries is being
instilled into the youth of the land.
Agriculture is the chief occupation
of tfie earth, scientific agriculture
the most successful. '
Come to the Short Course and be
convinced. - .
that the court should cause the sur
veyor to reimburse the county to
extent of $374.40 for irregular mile
age collected by him, etc.
Mr. Rice, who was present at the
meeting, ask Judge Springer if he
might say a word in explanation.
The privilege being granted the
county surveyor stated that he
Coutioaed on tarth page.
DAIRYMEN! DAIRYMEN!
We have arranged our work so that hereafter the use of our testing
apparatus will be reserved for the use of our patrons on Saturday of
each week. Prof. Pratt has kindly consented to give instruction in test
ing, and we hope that our patrons will take advantge of this opportunity.
Come in and learn how to do your own testing. Don't forget the
Agricultural Short Course at Prineville February 23d to 28th inclusive.
8
P
iomeer Cream Go
PRINEVILLE
mpaimy
OREGON