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Present County Courthouse ....
■	When this Hancock County Courthouse at Bay St. Louis was i constructed nearly a half century ago for only $25,000 it was ! considered one of the most handsome seats of county govemmen I in the state.
special order of the attorney general the board of supervisors was authorized to borrow the necessary money out of the overplus in bond | funds, and early in 1948 work was j started to reconstruct and reopen !the beach drive. By utilizing coun-j ty labor and observing rigid econo-Imy, the job was completed with j the expenditure of $30,000 — less I than half* of what a similar con-t struction job would cost on bid. i The new repaired Beach Drive was opened in 1950 —without a cent of ]tax increase.
ADDITION MADE TO COURTHOUSE j Following that, plans were com-: pleted and construction started on
I	the addition to the court house, the .present vault adjoining the chancery clerk’s office. Again by saving every dollar possible and getting full value for every dollar spent this project amounting to $17,000 was financed out of the General Fund — again with no tax increase.
NEW OFFICE BUILDING .
In this same 1951-55 period the building of the former Cooperative Creamery on Necaise avenue was purchased and remodeled as an office building. It is now known as Hancock County Agricultural Center Building — providing offices for the county agent, welfare, home demonstration agent, Forestry Service, PMA and FHA, and other county organizations in addition 10 an auditorium that will seat 250 people for use of the general public. It is considered one of the finest buildings of its kind in the state.
This new office building, which is worth between 50 and 60 thousand dollars was also financed out of general funds with no tax increase.
NEW COUNTY HOME
Following the 1947 storm which dramatically demonstrated how much at the mercy of high water and fire was the existing county home on Bayou LaCroix, plans
County wai for several months: without hospital facilities or even1 first aid. Realizing that the great work of the King’s Daughters over so many years must be continued the county purchased and reopened this hospital as quickly as possible. There was a levy of three mills set up for the maintenance of this now called Hancock County Hospital on Carroll avenue, but that levy was absorbed by the reduction of certain other levies,, again providing the county with' hospital service without increased taxation. Before the county reopened it for operation necessary repairs had to be made and a fire prevention sprinkler system and added heating facilities were installed at the cost of several thousand dollars so that the citizens of the county would have adequate hospital facilities until the new county hospital is built.
For the plans and specifications are in progress and it is hoped construction will start before the end of 1958 on the Hancock County Hillburton Hospital to be erected on the county ground on Dunbar avenue. This new hospital is the first major project in the last ten year period fra- which the board of supervisors was required to seek additional tax revenue. This hospital bond issue of 2% mills, levied in 1957 and payable in
1958	taxes, was approved and passed and the county’s share of $175,-000 of the total appropriated cost placed on deposit. The government will provide the balance of the $450,000 which is the estimated total cost.
The board of supervisors has pledged itself that, as the present Hancock County Hospital is maintained without any increase in over-all taxes, so will the new and larger Hancock County Hillburton Hospital be operated without any additional tax levy.
ROAD RECORD
During the past ten year period