AN ACT concerning a jail in Meagher county. Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Montana: SEC. I. That the board of county commissioners of Meagher county, if in their judgment the public interests will be promoted thereby, may, during the year 1885, construct at Lewiston, in said county, a county jail, not exceeding in value the sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars, of the most approved plan for that sum, with cells and cages of steel, and may pay for the same by warrants on the county treasury of said county of Meagher, drawn as other warrants [are] drawn; and the deputy sheriff may be appointed keeper thereof. SEC. 2. In the settlement provided by law to take place between the board of county commissioners of the county of Meagher and the county of Fergus, when the same shall be organized, the cost of said jail shall be added in a sum of money which, upon the settlement, shall be found to be due from the said county of Fergus to the said county of Meagher, and thereafter the said jail shall belong to the said county of Fergus. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved March 12, 1885. AN ACT to enable the county of Lewis and Clarke to erect a court house. Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Montana: SEC. I. That the county commissioners of the county of Lewis and Clarke, of the territory of Montana, are hereby authorized and empowered to build a court house for said county, for the convenient transaction of public business and the preservation of public records; and are hereby authorized and empowered, from time to time to issue, on the faith and credit of said county, coupon bonds to an amount not exceeding, in the aggregate, the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary to enable them to erect a court house, and provide the same with necessary and proper furniture, fire-proof vaults, and safes, which said bonds shall be redeemable at the pleasure of said county after six years from their date, and shall be dated July 1, 1885, and shall become due and payable twenty years from their date. SEC. 2. Said bonds shall be of the denomination of five hundred dollars and one thousand dollars each, and shall bear interest from the date of their issue at a rate not exceeding six per cent per annum, payable semi-annually. They shall be in such form as the board of county commissioners may direct, and shall be signed by the chairman of said board and the treasurer of said county. They shall also be sealed with the seal of said county, and countersigned by the county clerk. The coupons attached to said bonds shall be signed by the chairman of said board and the county clerk. Each bond issued shall be registered by the county treasurer in a book provided for that purpose, and such registration shall show the date, number, and amount of each bond, and when and to whom issued; and the faith of said county of Lewis and Clarke is hereby pledged for the payment of the principal and interest of said bonds. SEC. 3. For the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this act, the said commissioners are hereby authorized to have engraved or lithographed, at the lowest possible rate, suitable bonds, with coupons attached, and shall pay therefor out of any moneys in the treasury of said county not otherwise appropriated. SEC. 4. The county commissioners shall, whenever it becomes necessary, advertise for bids for the sale of said bonds, in one or more newspapers published in the cities of Helena and New York, and shall accept the best terms offered, to be paid in lawful money of the United States, but shall not be sold at less than the face thereof. SEC. 5. The treasurer of said county shall pay in lawful money of the United States, on the first days of July and January in each year, which dates the coupons shall be r, the interest due thereon, and semi-annually thereafter, upon presentation at his office of the proper coupon which shall show the amount due and the number of the bond to which it belonged. All coupons so paid shall be reported to the county commissioners for cancellation at their first meeting thereafter. Should the holders of said bonds to an amount not less than one thousand dollars give the treasurer notice in writing that they desire the bonds so held by them, and the interest accruing thereon, to be paid in the city of New York, then the said bonds and coupons so held by such person or persons shall be payable in the city of New York; otherwise said bonds and coupons shall be payable at the office of said county treasurer. SEC. 6. The proceeds of the sale of said bonds shall be paid into the county treasury of said county of Lewis and Clarke, to the credit of the court house fund, and shall immediately become available for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this act. SEC. 7. The county treasurer shall register in a book to be kept for that purpose all bonds redeemed by him, which shall show the amount of the bonds, their numbers and dates, when and to whom issued, and when and from whom redeemed. Said treasurer shall also write across the face of each bond, when paid, in red ink, the word "Redeemed," with the date of such redemption, and shall subscribe his name thereto: he shall also cancel such bonds with a canceling stamp, in the presence of the county commissioners. SEC. 8. No pay or commission shall be allowed any person for negotiating the sale of the bonds issued under this act. The county commissioners shall superintend the work of constructing said court house, see that all work is done and material is furnished, according to the contracts, plan, and specifications, and shall certify to the correctness of all bills and accounts presented therefor, and shall each receive for his services while actually engaged in such superintendency the sum of five dollars per day, which shall be paid out of said court house fund, on the allowance of the county commissioners, subject to the limitations hereof. SEC. 9. The said county commissioners shall cause suitable plans and specifications to be made, and shall let contracts for the material, and for the construction of the court house provided for in this act, and may let the several classes of work to be done to separate contractors, as in their judgment shall be for the best interests of the county. The contract or contracts shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder or bidders, and said contractor or contractors, to whom bids shall be awarded, shall give bonds, with sureties to be approved by the board of county commissioners, for the completion of their contracts according to the plans and specifications upon which the bid or bids shall be awarded. SEC. 10. It may and shall be lawful for the board of county commissioners to advertise for plans and specifications for the said court house in some suitable newspaper in this territory, and if they shall so elect, in one suitable newspaper, most likely to reach the attention of architects, in St. Louis, Chicago, or New York, in which advertisements they shall designate the amount that the court house is to cost, as herein provided, with such information as to the site and costs of material as they may deem useful in preparing said plans and specifications. SEC. II. It shall be the duty of the county commissioners to employ a suitable architect, in no way interested as contractor or furnisher of materials, who, under said board of county commissioners, shall supervise and direct the construction of said court house, according to the plans and specifications adopted; and they may discharge him, and employ another, whenever in their judgment the interests of the public require it. SEC. 12. It may and shall be lawful for the said board of county commissioners, if in their judgment the tract of land upon which the court house now stands is not sufficiently spacious, to condemn adjacent or other lands, and to occupy a portion of the streets surrounding the present court house with said building: Provided, that sufficient space shall be condemned to constitute a thoroughfare around the said court house for the public use: Provided further, that the county commissioners are hereby authorized, and it shall be lawful for them to purchase such lands as they in their good judgment may deem proper. SEC. 13. The said court house shall be constructed of brick, and trimmed with stone, unless in the judgment of the board of county commissioners and the supervising architect, or a majority of them, some other material will be better; and said building shall be constructed in every respect in a first-class manner for a court house of the value prescribed in this act, and according to the most approved plans therefor. SEC. 14. No money shall be paid any county commissioner for services rendered by him in supervising and attending to the construction of said court house, and other services in connection therewith, exceeding five hundred dollars per annum, which may be allowed; nor shall any money be allowed therefor until the governor, secretary, and one of the justices of the supreme court shall be satisfied that the services for which compensation is claimed have been actually rendered, and that the prices charged therefor are reasonable, and are within the limitations prescribed by this act, nor until said governor, secretary, and justice shall have certified to the amount in writing. SEC. 15. It may and shall be lawful for the said board of county commissioners to temporarily lease rooms or buildings for the public officers of the county, if the same shall be required, while the new court house is in process of construction, including a court room and jury rooms for the courts held in Lewis and Clarke county. SEC. 16. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the sixteenth day of March, A. D. 1885. Approved March 12, 1885. AN ACT to ratify and validate certain bonds issued by the county of Choteau to erect a court house and jail. Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Montana: SEC. I. All those certain coupon bonds issued and sold by the board of county commissioners of Choteau county, by virtue of and pursuant to the authority conferred in that certain act entitled "An act to enable the county of Choteau to erect a court house," approved March 3, 1883, and in that certain act entitled "An act supplemental to an act entitled ‘An act to enable the county of Choteau to erect a jail,' approved February 22, A. D. 1881," approved March 2, 1883, shall not be invalid by reason of any neglect, failure, or omission to advertise and give notice of the time and place of sale of any such bonds, as required by law, and all such bonds are hereby ratified and declared valid. Approved February 5, 1885. AN ACT to enable the county of Choteau to pay a balance due for the erection of a court house. Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Montana: SEC. I. The board of county commissioners of Choteau county is hereby authorized and empowered to issue, on the credit of said county, coupon bonds to an amount not exceeding the sum of eight |