THE COUNTY SEAT
A Letter Thai Should be
Read ly Everbody.
r A VERY TRANSPARENT SCHEME.
Section C
of The Enabling Act a Snare
For The Unwary.
Tklocaskt, May 10th. 1S!X.
Editor Okkgo.v .Scokt:
Tlio Gazctto of May 2nd makes a
desperate effort to convince the peo
ple of Union county that their finan
cial salvation depends on the removal
- of the county seat to La Grande, and
were it not for the fact that there arc
several points at issue designed to de
ceive the people 1 should pass its
arguments by unheeded. We are al
ways ready to reccivo with due con
sideration any arguments ha-ed upon
reason and common sense, but arc
not willing to bo stalled with
a lot of balderdash that will not
bear dissection, deferring to section
G of the enabling act the Gazette says:
It may bo stated as a fact, which
everybody will admit, that the ona
blingact was gotten up by friends of La
Grande, and Section G of that act was
originated and inserted by the friends
of La Grande. The object of the sec
tion is to guard the taxpayers. It is
restrictive in its cnaracier. aim puts a
limit on the amount the County Court
may expend in case the county seat is
removed. It would be foolish to have
the enabling act passed without restric
tion, because in that case La Grande's
cause would stand before the public
of the country the same as Union's now
is, and there would be no limit to the
amount that might bo expended for
new county buildings.
By the friends of La Grande, indeed!
Not by the friends of the county of
Union irrespective of any particular
town or locality ; not by the friends of
the taxpayers of the county, that their
burdens might be lessened, and taxa
tion reduced; but by the friends of La
Grande, that La Grande might build
up at the expense of the entire county.
Every precinct, and every individual
taxpayer in Union county is not only
asked to contribute, but asked to make
it more binding upon themselves by
voting for a law. compelling them to
pay a stipulated sum yearly and for
what? Is it asked for the purpose of
relieving the citizens, or even a major
ity of them, of any great inconvenience
or hardship to which they are sub
jected by reason of the inaccessibility
of the present location of the county
seat? Was it because there was a
general murmur of dissatisfaction all
over the county demanding that this
change be made? No. 13 at it was
"gotten up by the friends of La Grande"
that the people of the entire county
might be compelled to pay tribute to
her.
We herewith submit section (! that
no one may misunderstand the con
'text:
oeeiion o. nnouiu me icgai voters
of said county decide to change the
location of said county seat, and should
the same be located at tome other point
than wln't-o the same is now located,
the county court of said county shall
not have the power or authority to an
propriato any sum of money to exceed
tfzo.OOO for the construction of now
county buildings, and shall not have
power or authority to levy any tax up
on the property of said county in ex
cess of two and one half (2.1) nulls on
the dollar of tho taxable- property of
said Union county annually for that
purpose. '
Tlioy claim that tho object of this
Eection is to protect the taxpayer, as it
is restrictive in its character and "puts
a limit on the amount tho county
court may expend in case the county
seat is removed." Now Mr. Gazette,
' section G does not say any such thing,
and tho only reason you use the
word "expend" is simply for tho pur
pose of deceiving the people into tho
belief that $25,000, is tho limit of ex
penditures that the county court may
make for new county buildings, as tho
following plainly shows :
Itemenibcr, again that not moro than
2 mills can bo levied in any one year
to make up this gross amount of .f 2V
000. In Sec. 0 tho word "appropriate"
is used instead of tho word "expend"
which places a limit only on that
amount the court may appropriate
but places no limit on what it may ex
pend for county buildings, for which
it shaH not have power to ."lovy any
tax upon the property of said county
in excew, of two and ono-half (2J) milbj j
on the doll r of the taxable property i
of said Union county unnualy for that j
Viurposo." Kor what purpose? Not, 1
as you make it aj.p ar, for the purio j
of ' makiui; ap tins gruos amount of J
!f2."),ooo.'' hut for the purpote of ton- ,
btuc tiii- new county huikliugb. j
It is at-urJ to contend that a county
Fine Line of Watch
lULKUUf!
court cannot o iisfru. t county budd
iius Willi, nt lir.-t getting a permit
from the legifhturo; it is also just as
abs-urd to presume for a moment that
the county court mast consult the
legislature as to its requirements in th j
line of buildings. Oregon might juH
as well ark the congress of tho United
States what kind of state buildings she
roquires.
So far as tho conctruclion of county
buildings is concerned tho court can
as well construct buildings under this
act costing $10,000, as sho can f2.",-
000 and that without going through
tho mockery of appropriating a single
dollar, merely by a levy of two and
one-half mills on tho dollar inrtclnnitc
ly, or until the completion and pay
ment for such buildings as the county
should require. We do not wish to be
understood as taking the position that
tho legislature had no power to restrict
in this particular act. but we do tnko
tho position that there is no restriction
as to tho amount that the expenditure
may ultimately reach by a levy of not
to exceed 2.1 mills on the dollar por
annum, and as there is no limit as to
time it is left wholly to the people of the
county, through the county court, to
say what these new buildings shall
cost. And again, had tho legislature
limited the coat of the now buildings
to $20,000, and it afterward appeared
that tho amount was insufficient, tho
legislature would not, and could not
well refuse to grant the county court
the power to expend any farther sum
which might be necessary for the com
pletion of said buildings, and this is
just what the taxpayers would have to
submit to, had there been such limita
tion in the act.
W. A. C.
THE PAKIC.
The Grain Crop Hews Notes Social Gath
erings and Personal Mention.
Fruit of all kinds will bo plentiful,
this year.
Several of tho Park children have
the ineasels.
liear, and game of all kinds is very
scarce this spring.
Crops are in and all of tho spring
sowing is cowing up.
Fine prospects for good liny crops.
Timothy, wild grass and rye look line.
Mr. Cornelias Van is in the Park.
He is in very poor health, being afllicted
with the shaking palsy.
There is more acres put in grain this
spring than ever before, at ono time,
since the Park was settled.
Tho poem "Busted in I3utto," by
13. W. Huffman, is a good ono for young
men to read and take heed to.
Many strangers are passing through
tho Park. We don't know whether
thej are candidates or Hunt's spies.
T.io mill company bore, have bought
tho boiler that tho Union flouring mill
had, and it is now here and will soon
ho put in operation.
The directors of tho Park school have
concluded to not have any school till
fall, Then they will give some good
looking teacher a chance.
Mrs. Ella Shaw presented her hus
band with a ten pound son, recently.
Mother and son doing well but San
ford hurt his toes kicking things out of
his way.
Mr. Sam'l Vanorder Avent to Union
recently after hay and ono of his hor
ses was taken with something like the
blind staguers and he had to leave his
hay till next morning.
Tho sawmill has been started again
and if tho candidates who come around
do not set up tho cigars they may get
"sawed off" next .lane. Where aro
all the candidates, anyway?
The folks of tho J'ark mot on tho
2Sth tilt, at tho home of grandpa and
grandma South to colobrato tho 59 th
year ol their married mo. All Had a
good time and wont home happy.
Mrs. Trtiesdalo, Miss Graham and
J3ud and Ed. Truesdale of La Grande,
returned home from a visit here, a few
days ago. Etta Truosdalo and her
pony, likewiso her poodle, is going to
stay i. the Park for a while. Every
body know Etta.
Tho Americans aro a poacoablo and
long suffering people. They will en
dure a wrong a long time but when
they get enough thoy will put things
to light. It is to be hoped that tho
monoplies will boar down on tho peo
ple so hard that they will gel enough
and do something for thenm-lves. Tho
farmer and workingmeu have got tho
power in their hands if thoy will only
ne it. Hut no, they must follow ono
or the other of the uld parties, rijjht
or wron. and complain mid growl and
talk "' out what ought to be done.
JloiKB.
ies, Clocks, Jewelry, i
SPARTA,
The Laiigrroll Planing and
Shingle Mills.
j E BUTTE CITY OF OREGON.
A Boom In Fl:cr Jllaint TS Littlo
PUtsburg to ba Sold.
Camp full of stranger.
Mines and mining interests are all
the talk.
The Lnugrell saw, plaining and
shingle mills commenced work Mav
oth and are busy filling orders.
Sparta is now called tho 13attc City
of Oregon and tho outlook justifies
the eompnrifon, and time will prove
this no misnomer.
The Windsor mine owned and opor
ated by Dr. Marrotte and brother con
tinues to improve in quantity and
quality as the work of develonment
goes on and when a mill is up tho
Windsor will prove a heavy producer
PKicer mining is more extensively
carried on than for many years past,
owing to tho large supply of fice wa
ter and tho gold yield will be larger
this summer than at anv time since
1S71. Everybody that can run
rocKcr or ground sluice lias money,
consequently everybody is happy.
A. G. Waldron, contractor has com
pleted a three hundred and fifty fot
tunnel lor (.Mougn it need, owners
of tho Gray Eagle and Union mines
and a second contract to drift five hun-
leet on tlio ledge m tlio same mines
has been lot by tho owners to the same
contractor.
Tho tunnel on the Arkansaw IJelle
has been driven four hundred feet, and
Mr. Garandthc contractor is instructed
by the owners, who live in Portland, to
continue the tunnel one hundred feet
farther unless the ledge is out before
that time. ' Several small str.itas of
ore, rich in gold, have been cat, and
several hundred tons of a low grade sal
phurate oro has been dumped, and the
indications are favorable for a rich ore
body when the main pay chute is en
countered.
Contracts are let for sinking an in
cline wing on the lodge, at the bottom
of the air shaft, in tho M7 foot tannol,
on tho Del Monte now owned by Geo.
Henderson, and thus far, this is the
most promising property in camp, as
tho pay dirt is over three feet in thick
ness and while it carries lino gold
enough to pay all expences of mining
and milling tho sulpharots assay !?!()
in gold to the ton.
The Little Pittsburg owned by W
P. Arble & Co. will soon pass into tho
hands of a wealthy Portland syndicate
and from mill runs made, and from
ore in sight the Little Pittsburg will
soon be enumerated among tho heavy
dividend payers of tho country.
O. S. 15.
INDEMNITY.
The Summervllle Annotator Sizes up tho
Last Scheme of tho La Grande Ballot-Box
Stuffera to Defraud tho People.
For months tho La Grande Gazotto
has been paving marked attention to
the tax-payers of Union county. I3ut
its billinir and cooing, sighing and
wooing is not a moro passing fancy or
an irresistible fascination toward tho
tax-payers of the north end of tho
county. It is not an affair of tho
heart, but a well matured plot to capti
vate their vote by fulsome flattery and
a hollow proteiiho of sympathy and
affection. Tho heaviest load of their
intimidation and bribery was heaved
upon thej people, in .100 extra copies
of tho Gazette, last week in tho fol
lowing language :
"A bond was drawn up yesterday
and is now being circulated for signa
tiues in which tho signers of the same
bind themselves to pay to tho county
court of Union county an amount
equal to tho valao of Union county's
buildings."
Tho bond rcforrod to was hatched
out in the nest of the political bribers
who attempted to stuff tho ballot box
in tho recent city olectio'n of La Grande,
and is not worth as much as Snodgrass'
nolo to tho tax-payers of Union county.
"Como into my parlor, Haul tho spider
to the fly." Aro tho tax-payers of the
north end of tho county willing to
play lly for tho La Grande spider?
Aro tho people of tho county generally
gullible enough to play cat's paw for
the La Grande monkoy?
No fair-minded man will believe tho
honeyed buncombe which is being dealt
out so liberally to tin tax-payors by
those ultra polluters of the ballot box
in La Grande Money can prooufo
almol anything, and has procured, in
Silverware, Guns
this county, blind decrption of ilu
j enple, which deception is fast passing
away, and the robbers' occupation will
soon be at an end. Then W. .1. Snod
grass, X. Blum and their followers
"will go back into their kennels and
lie down and go to sleep."
The Gazette see.-.is to think that the
honest tax-psm rs of the north end of
the county should vote a tax upon
themselves, by voting for La Grande
for the county seat, simply to gratitly
the selfish, insane ambition of a few
contemptible ballot box stuffers, of the
town that wears nit air of: "Yon all
shall sweetly obey my will."
Wo will admit that there are some
truly good and honest jeople in La
Grande, but thev aro throwing no
court house mud, and will not sacrifice
their honor by signing a deceptive
bond in order to pluy a confidence
gnme and thus dnpo their neighbors.
THE GOVS.
May U, 1890.
Tho destructive wire worm Iiks mado
its appearence on tho Sandridgo nnd
attacked the grain. Several fields have !
already been resown.
There are several cases of tho measles
in the vicinity. All are doing well.
Tho disease has not yet interfered
with the attendance at school.
J. T. Jewell, road supervisor lias
been leveling the principal street of
Cove this week. It will help appeal-,
ences very much, besides improving the
thoroughfare as a driveway.
Advertised letters in the Cove post
oflico May U!th: Mrs. .lane Cameron,
Miss Anna Makin, (2) .las. MeMann,
1). H. Perkins, J. G. Smith, W. L.
Tuekor. Jasimih G. Stevkxi, P. M.
Tho cherry crop excepting sour va
rieties will bo a failure this year, apples
will yield very well, plums, prunes
and pears will bo short. Tho prospect
for a good supply of strawberries is
Haltering. Thoy will commence to
ripen in about thrco weeks.
Copies of tho Gazetto containing
not much besides county seat scrib
blinga are being sent in a perfect tor
rent over tho county. Every voter
gets one or more. Several deluded
Coveites have already said tlioy would
vote for La Grande for tho county
seat.
It is whispered that two couplo,
born and bred in Cove and grown up
together, will hie themselves to La
Grando early next month for the
avowed purpose ot launcning tneir
barks on tho sea of matrimony. May
their experience in double harness bo
as ono long summer day.
Wo had tho pleasure of a brief call
at the Cove tannery this week. Tho
gentlemanly superintendent, Mr. Adam
Crossnian took in through the differ
ent departments and pointed out tho
various processes through which the
hide passes boforo being finished into
loa'hcr ready for the niarkot. A largo
water wheel furnisho. power for tho
establishment and it is proposed to
run a dynamo and light the premises
by electricity. The products of the
tannery have boon pronounced by ex
perts' to bo of tho very best grudo.
Sovoral thousand dollar's worth of
stock is now on hand, and every sad
dler and harness maker in Eastern
Oregon should patronize home indus
try by sending in a sample order, ft
is found that Covo leather is choapor
than that of California manufacture
with freight added.
Free
Reclining Chair Cars
Pacific System.
via Union
Train No. 1, "Tho Limited East
Mail" leaving Portland on tho Union
Pacific System at 7 a. m. daily, in ad
dition to Pullman Palaco and Colonist
Slecpors and Dining Cars, is also
equipped with elegant freo declining
Chair Cars, both first-class and Colon
ist, which run through from Portland
to Chicago without change.
Both first-class and Colonist Chair
Cars aro furnished with Reclining
Chairs of tho latest improvod pattern ;
aro uttcd up with sinoKing rooms,
lavatories for both ladioH and gontlc-
men, and aro lighted by gas.
All classes of passoiigcrn aro carried
n these cars without additional charge.
Passengers desiring tho quiokost
tinio and host possible- service from
Portland and tho northwest to all east
ern points, should purchase their tick
ets via tho Union Pacific System
Their Agents will tnko pleasure in
furnishing ratos, tiokots, through bag
gage chocks, detailed information, etc.,
upon application.
A Pointer For You.
If you want to make every dollar do
full fluty, catch on to some of the cheap
largaius in farm or city property now
offered by Wilson fc Haokott, manii
gorw Union Heal Kstato Association.
and Amunition Just i
cKE-inEvroioorassiRrar-xraian-jr, .-yr-ggtir-T.' .1 u. ., , ,, m,
jii. mm liiaii! m
-:- M rs , Rinehart, the Milliner, -:-
'Sis isiiilfe 2 s
3 r Jvtirmm ciu rk
o mwMk'AW h r
M X m w I ;. S i o
& 3 i aR ? & g
1 V:vi C ,ny i 1 ik l ine if
Ladies' Filing (loois id Fine Siloes.
All of which wili bo told at bottom prices.
-di:am:i!s in-
Fililj
hemes
4Sp
Iffl
mm Mil
GENTS" FURN
'Ji'.-!i'23 ifiT"OrdcM from all parts of
EES
We Guarantee the Lowest Hates.
No Commissions. No Delays, whore
wtiwwwjnntniiiwiwiisM ii iMtiniii MiiisMmiwswawwwiaMBwwsMsiswswsiSMPMMsw
Title and Security is Satisfactory.
CORRESPONDENCE -:- SOLICITED.
Wilson & Ifuckutt, Union, Or.
ContGnnifll
I ;gj
Union,
A Jo COODBROD, - Proprietor.
; llecognlzed
Leading Hotel of Eastern Oregon!
I'IN'i: LAUGH HAMl'M", HOOMS For tlio Accomodation of Commerclnl Travelers
CI fA KG US REASONABLE.
11
1I1L m-
(OPPOSITE CENTENNIAL HOTEL.)
S. ELLIOTT, - Proprietor.
Everything First Class. Terms Very JtoaBonsblc.
'Hus to and Piom the Depot Making Connection with all Trains.
HOTiO GR A PHS !
lirttll'MJlMltlllllMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIMIIIIIIIIIMIIIIMIII1IIIIIMIUIIIMII
The Jones Bros., Photographers, Union,
Oregon, are now prepared to do finer work
than ever before.
NEW SCENERY
All work guaranteed to give Mitiafaetion
Received at A. N.
GOODS.
the county promptly attended to.
Oregon.
by all as tho
d FEU STABLE.
and ACCESSORIES.
or no charges.
Gardner & Cok
i '.
ISHING
Hotel