Chapter 251. to create and organize the county of Latah
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CHAP. 251.— An Act to create and organize the county of Latah.May 14, 1888. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Latah County, Idaho, organized. That all that portion of Nez Perce County, in the Territory of Idaho, lying north of the following line, to wit: Commencing at a point where the middleBoundaries. line of township thirty-eight north intersects the line between Nez Perce and Shoshone Counties in said Territory: thence west to Big Potlatch Creek, where it first intersects the said middle line of township thirty-eight; thence down said creek southwesterly to a point where it intersects the middle line of township thirty-seven; thence due west to the line between the Territories of Idaho and Washington be. and the same is hereby, formed and organized into a county, to be known and designated as the county of Latah, with all the rights, power, and privileges of counties under the existing laws of the Territory of Idaho.
Sec 2. That W. W. Langdon, J. L. Nailer, and William FrazierCommissioners. are hereby appointed commissioners of said county of Latah, and their annual compensation shall be the same as now provided by law for the commissioners of Nez Perce County. Sec. 3. That the county commissioners above named are herebyAppointing county officers. authorized, within twenty days after the approval of this act, to qualify before a justice of the peace and enter upon the discharge of their duties as such commissioners, and are hereby empowered to appoint all necessary county officers to perfect the organization of said county of Latah under the laws of the Territory of Idaho, and the said county commissioners and other county officers appointed as aforesaid shall hold their offices until the next general election provided by the laws of said Territory, and until their successors are elected and qualified according to law.
Sec. 4. That the justices of the peace, constables, road supervisors,Justices of the peace, etc. and other precinct and school officers heretofore elected and qualified and now acting as such, residing in said county of Latah, are hereby continued as such officers in said county of Latah until the next general election aforesaid and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Sec. 5. That the county of Latah shall pay to the county of NezIndebtedness. Perce a just proportion of the net indebtedness of said Nez Perce County, the same to be determined as follows, to wit:
The county treasurer, recorder, and present county assessor of Nez Perce County are hereby constituted a board of adjusters, who shall proceed to ascertain theAscertainment of proportion. net indebtedness of said county of Nez Perce, which shall be done as follows, namely: Ascertain all the county justly owes in warrants, scrip, or other just debts, which amount shall constitute the gross indebtedness of said county, from which deduct the amount of the unpaid portion of the assessment-roll of eighteen hundred and eighty-seven and the amount of all delinquent assessment-rolls which are considered collectable up to that date, and the amount of all moneys, and other credits due the county then; and the balance so found shall constitute the net indebtedness of said county of Nez Perce; and the net indebtedness of said county of Nez Perce, ascertained as aforesaid, shall be divided equally between the counties of Nez Perce and Latah in proportion to the taxable property of said counties as it legally appears on the assessment-roll for the year 148FIFTIETH CONGRESS.
Sess. I. Ch. 251. 1888. eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, and the said county of Latah shall cause a warrant or warrants to be drawn upon its treasurer payable to the county of Nez Perce, which said warrant or warrants shall take priority in payment over all other warrants, scrip, or other indebtedness of the said county of Latah. Sec. 6. That the county commissioners of Nez Perce County areRecords. hereby authorized and required to furnish to the county of Latah transcripts of all records, indexes, and documents and other papers on file and of record in the offices of Nez Perce County, which may be necessary to perfect the records of Latah County.
They may contract with the auditor of Nez Perce County to make the above-named transcripts, the compensation for which shall be in addition to his regular salary. The necessary books for the aforementioned transcripts shall be furnished by Latah County, and the expense of making the said transcripts shall be paid by the counties of Nez Perce and Latah equally. Certificates of the correctness of said records, made as aforesaid, shall have the same legal effect as if made by the auditor of Nez Perce County.
Sec. 7. That the county of Latah is hereby attached to Nez PerceAssignment of courts. County for judicial purposes until the next meeting of the judges of the supreme court of Idaho Territory, when it shall be the duty of said judges to fix a time for holding court in said county of Latah as provided by the laws of said Territory for the other counties thereof. Thirty days after the time of holding said court is fixed as aforesaid, the said county of Latah shall assume and be vested with all the judicial rights, privileges, and powers of a county under the laws of the said Territory of Idaho.
Sec. 8. That the county of Latah shall remain with Nez PerceLegislative representation. County for legislative purposes until otherwise provided by law. Sec. 9. That the county seat of Latah County is hereby located atMoscow to be county seat. the town of Moscow in said county. Sec. 10. That the commissioners of Latah County be, and they areIssue of bonds. hereby, authorized to issue bonds to an amount not exceeding twenty thousand dollars, of denominations not less than one hundred nor more than one thousand dollars, running for a term of not less than ten nor more than twenty years, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding eight per centum per annum, with interest coupons attached, which bonds shall be signed by the chairman of the board of county commissioners and the auditor of said county, and be authenticated by the seal of said county.
Sec. 11. That the said board of commissioners are hereby authorizedBuildings. to make sale of said bonds and apply the proceeds thereof to the erection of a courthouse and jail, and such other public buildings as may be necessary: *Provided*, That no bond shall be sold by said commissioners for less than its par value. Sec. 12. That the said board of commissioners and their successorsTaxation. in office are hereby empowered and required to levy such tax as may be necessary to promptly pay the interest on said bonds, and also to levy such tax as may be necessary to pay the principal of said bonds as the same shall become due.
Sec. 13. That in the event said board of commissioners shall issueInterest coupons receivable for taxes. bonds as hereinbefore authorized, the interest coupons thereof shall be receivable in payment of the county taxes of said county of Latah. Sec. 14. That the commissioners of Nez Perce County be, and theyIssue of bonds, Nez Perce County. are hereby, authorized to issue bonds to an amount not exceeding thirty thousand dollars, of denominations not less than one hundred nor more than one thousand dollars, running for terms of not less than ten nor more than twenty years, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding eight per centum per annum with interest coupons attached. which bonds shall be signed by the chairman of the said board of commissioners and county auditor, and be authenticated by the seal of said county.
FIFTIETH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Chs. 251– 253. 1888.149 Sec. 15. That the said board of commissioners are hereby authorizedBuildings. to make sale of said bonds and apply the proceeds thereof to the erection of a courthouse, jail, and such other public buildings as may be necessary, and for the building of necessary bridges: *Provided*, That no bond shall be sold by said board of commissioners for less than its par value. Sec. 16. That the said board of commissioners and their successorsTaxation. in office are hereby empowered and required to levy such tax as may be necessary to promptly pay the interest on said bonds, and also to levy such tax as may be necessary to pay the principal of said bonds as the same shall become due.
Sec. 17. That in the event said board of commissioners shall issueCoupons receivable for taxes. bonds as hereinbefore authorized, the interest coupons attached to said bonds shall be receivable in payment of the county taxes of said county of Nez Perce. Sec. 18. That the county of Latah shall not be entitled to any portionProperty rights. of the property, real or personal, of the said county of Nez Perce. Sec. 19. That all acts in conflict with any of the provisions of thisRepeal provision. act be, and the same are hereby, repealed.
Sec. 20. That this act shall be in force from and after its ratification.Effect. Approved, May 14, 1888.