The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-02-04
THE COUNTY DIVISION

THE COUNTY DIVISION ..
Considered In Com mittee OF the w h oil,
and the Line Changeu to Leave
the Valley Intact.
HELENA, January 31.-At 2 p. m, as tn
special order of business, House Bill No. 9
with the reports ofthe majority and minorit,
of the special Committee, came up, Garlocl
in the Chair. Sedman and Donnelly absent
The Chairman announced the bill and Blak
moved IL be read by section with the majorit,
report referring thereto.
On section one, establishing the line pla
cling everything in Deer Lodge county soutf
of the first standard parallel in Silver Row
county being read, Cullen moved its adoption
and was seconded. ...a #......
Humber offered an amendment establishing
line beginning where the first STANDARD
parallel strikes the eastern boundary of the
county running thence west to the Deer Lodge
guide meridian about mile east of Vitanoi
crossing), thence south to point opposit,
the mouth of German gulch, or thereabout
and thence west to the western line of Dee
Lodge county. Glenn seconded it and hopet
it would be adopted in view of the represen
tation made by petition of the citizens o
upper Deer Lodge county asking to remain
therein. ri
DeWolfe said this called up the bill in al
its bearings. He believed some legislation
was needed to correct the Inconvenience
and vast expenses to which the citizens Of
Deer Lodge county were now subjected. He
believed it was conceded that some relief
was imperative. He read from the report Of
the Auditor and Treasurer for 1880, showing
the increase in taxable property, the increase
in expenses and the cost Of administering the
comfy for the past two years, estimating the
latter at over $4,000. After paying his re
spects to the NEW NORTH WEST, he read
from the issue Of January 10, showing Deer
Lodge county had outstanding, January 1,
1881, warrants to the amount Of SCI 1852, on
which the estimated accrued interest was
1900, and while admitting large portion oil
the criminal expenses originated in Butte
claimed that 1t would be relief to the tax
payers of every portion of the county to have
the county divided. He recited the inconve-
nience and expense to which the people of
Butte were subjected in going forty miles to
attend court or have access to county records
and In eloquent terms culogizcd that young
city. He disclaimed its being personal
question, or local issue, as between Deer
Lodge and Butte, rs IL was really one that eff
fected all alike. Montesquieu had said what
ever benefited the individual benefited the
State, and whatever benefited the State must
therefore benefit the individual 1t would
follow that whatever injured one must in
jure the other, and this was a measure of al
deviation. He suggested comparison be-
tween Butte and Helena, and the difficulty
the people Of the latter would experiences il
all their legal business had to be transacted
at Deer Lodge. &m a@ @..n@ y
He then referred to the immensity of Mon
taaa, stating the mileage allowed tbs men,
beers from Custer and Missoula. the early Or
ganization counties. and the two removals of
the capital rendered necessary by the changes
Of population.
-n------ -assrup-svu was mare on tine question
Of admission as State, the bearing of which
on this question your correspondent did not
perceive, but the conclusion was that as re-
garded Butte, Deer Lodge or Montana, pres
ent or future, every consideration demanded
favorable action on this bill. .sa
He believed in the settlement and eonse-
quent dividing up of counties, and it was a
question with this body whether it would in
augurate system of wise legislation in this
or defeat it. He had heard soon
cessions" spoken Of by the opponents of this
measure, but he believed concessions were
made by the stronger to the weaker, and
that Butte was the stronger. Some
of the opponents Of this bill were opposed to
any division; others favored division if q
line could be had. Butte had
only asked one-fifth of the area of Deer
Lodge county, and would leave it still larger
than Connecticut or New Jersey. He thought
the demands made were fair, equitable, mod
crate and just. Referring to the petition
from the upper valley, he said these people
assigned only as a reason that they did not
want to be separated from their neighbors
that this bill did not contemplate any change
Of nature that the same rains and, he appre-
hended, the same SHOWS would fall upon
them; that no ties would be severed. and the
only difference they would experience would
be in their meeting once year a different
tax collector.
The distance from Butte to the proposed
northern line is eight miles from Deer
Lodge to the proposedsouthern line, eighteen
miles. No line for a school or road district
could be established that some one might not
claim he was Aforementioned, but 1t does not
follow that a Legislative Assembly sho lid
be guided by what may only be imaginary
evils. If this held, no county line In the fu-
ture could ever be formed. What then was
our duty? Ts adopt fair line to end the in
delays and expenses existing.
So far as the valley people were concerned,
Butte was their market and nearer to them,
and we should be guided by general consid-
erations rather than by the narrow views of q
few who wish TO reinainsin asparticular coun-
ty. 1t should be the, policy TO establish = new
county whenever circumstances demand, and
to defeat this win retard and do injury to ev.
cry county. TIE, wrong 70. one would be
wrong to all. sF
Referring to Deer lodge as the county seat,
he said he had searched the statutes, but had
never found any law removing the county
seat from Silver Bow to Deer Lodge. II there
had been no such law, Deer Lodge was not
today, unless usage and custom SO made it,
the county seat of Deer Lodge county.
Col Dewolfe's speech was strong presen-
tation of the argument for division, was
highly creditable rs an oratorical effort and
engaged the close attention Of the House.
Humber said IL was with pleasure NOT un-
mixed with pride he had listened to his col
league. He was glad to know the orator Of the
HOUSE was amember ofthe Deer Lodge deIega-
don and was ofus. He had espoused the cause Of
Butte most eloquentIy, but he should not al
low his zeal therefor TO obscure his vision Sd
he could not see the rights Of . people who
against being put into the new
county. He had not desired to stop 80 fine .
speech which had finally come to the ques-
lion before the commistee-the question of
he dividing line. The speaker then traced
he proposed lines, showing the contest was
In relation TO the settlsmenn In two town
hips in upper Deer Lodge valley, and refer
red to the petition signed b. 6ftyseven
,ut u sixty-three Of the settlers and