The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-01-18
aII4sEa now COUNTY.

Yesterday morning we Published a bill
which provides for the formation OF a new
county to bear the above name. The bill
fixes the dividing line or the first standard
parallel north of the base line. This line
crosses the Deer Lodge river near the point
where the Deer Lodge road crosses it, and
runs about four miles south of Girard's, leav-
ing all the valley, together with Philipsburg,
GEORGETOWN and we believe Gable in Deer
Lodge county. With the line established on
that parallel it gives lis a county OF an average
width north aud south of "a MILES and an av-
erase length east and west of SO miles, con-
tanning an area of 1872 square miles. This
creates a very small county, so far as area is
concerned, but a wealthy one in property val
uation. If our Deer Lodge %neighbors are not
satisfied with this line of division, no line al
all can possibly please them. We are not
prepared to say how it suits the people of the
proposed new county. There are some adj
vantages that a small county possesses that a
large one does not. 1t is not so expensive to
run. In the matter of mileage alone that is
paid to peace officers and witnesses at courts
no incsnsiderable sum-, in the aggregate, is
saved. Area is not always wealth. 1t is the
property upon it that constitutes its value.
If a new county b. formed with the above de-
scribed boundaries, it would contain more as
sessable property than any other county i'll
the territory except Lewis and Clarke, and 1t
is safe to say that in one year from this date
it would exceed that county IN wealth. 1t
already has Il greater voting population than
any county in the territory.
The bill provides for the apportionment Of
the Indebtedness of Deer Lodge county as
follows: First, all money in the hands of
the treasurer shall be deducted from the in
dehtcdness. Second, one-hhlf of the cost Of
The court house and the entire cost Of the Jail
shall also be deducted. 1.-The remainder Of
the indebtedness shall be divided between
said counties in proportion as the taxable
properly ia each Of said counties bears to the
taxable property in the entire county Of Deer
Lodge"
As We do not know the exact Indebtedness
of the county, nor the exact cost of the court
house and Jail, 1t is impossible TO state the
part Of the present Indebtedness Silver Bow
county would be called upon to pay. Last
year the county was assessed at about 81
$4,000, and over sos, 900 Of taxes were col
lected. The Indebtedness of the county last
600. We understand the Indebtedness is
now reduced to about $4,000.
From this sum must be deducted the
ameuut Of money in the hands of the county
treasurer, one-half the cost Of the court
house and all the cost Of the Jail. We are
Informed the court house cost $4,000 and thc
Jail $4,000. Half the cost of the court house
and the entire cost Of the Jail amounts tt
S $4,000. If these figures be correct it will be
seen that Deer Lodge pays the Indebtedness
Of the county and holds the court house anC
jai, clear Of any claim Silver Bow county may
have upon them.
The money in the hands of the county
treasurer is thus left to be divided between
the two counties in the proportion that til,
property of each county bears to the propert,
OF the whole county as 1t. now stands. A
this portion of the county was assessed las
year at over 81, 500, 900, and the northern
portion at about $2,000,000, Silvc
Bow csnuty would be entitled t.
oyer five-niuths of the county funds now i.
the hands of the treasurer. While we do no
claim exactness for our figuring, it will no
probably vary much from the truth. Ii til,
bill is the result of a compromise amon;
Beer Lodge members, there can be 10 ques
ten in regard to til. certainty of its passag
through the legislature. 1t is certainly
great concession of territory to the northern
portion of the county. We repeat it, if thi
bill dses not satisfy them, no bill looking t.
a division Of this county will.