The Arizona sentinel., 1885-03-07
We Object.

CIedIG luO COuHty Ol I0loIId DO- nita" from portions of Cochlse and Graham counties, will not pass, that's all. It is true, "it is none of our fight" and we haven't any business to put our spoon in that pudding. But we are humane, and "we love our neighbors as ourselves" and we dislike to see them imposed upon. But why slash up Cochise and Graham counties to create the county of "Sierra Bonita?" Is it for the purpose of benefitting the people residing in the propo> sed segregated portions of said counties, or to please the whims of few individuals who conceiv- ed the idea of a new county that they might possibly get office? We fear that the latter is a correct solution of the motive, and when thoroughly sifted and dis cussed the whole project will van- ish into thin air, and the county of "Sierra Bonita" with it's retinue of officers and emoluments, will remain a thing conceived, but not born. But again: Why destroy Cochise County by talking away all her agricultural lands, and compell her to depend mainly up on her mining interests, which, experience teaches, is very uncer> tain? Is it for the purpose, after awhile, in case there should be a failure of her mines, to wipe her out of existence? It looks so to an observer up d tree. The pros posed new county of "Sierra Bo- uita gets all the agricultural lands that are found in both Cochise and Graham counties, which again, to a man up tree, looks very wrong. But there are several reasons why this county should not be created. From a financial standpoint it looks very wrong, viz: The as- sessment roll for 1884, shows a total valuation of property in Co., chise county of$3. .627, ,S33 .O2; taxes collected thereon, $94,576.55. Ac- cording to fair division, the proposed new county would get of this amount S16,O99.55, leaving the County of Cochise with only SIS, ,476.55. The total number of miles of railroad in Cochise county: is 135.15, including both the s. P. of Arizona and Sonora railroad. Now for little head> work. We shall give the figures, and by little calculation we shall see how the financial condI- tion of Cochise county would be if the Bill should pass and became a law. Proposed new county will absorb of Southern Pacific Rail- road, 1875 miles. Leaving for Cochise county 56 40 miles. Rail- roads assessed a follows: New Mexico & Arizona Railroad, S3, 800 per mile, besides rolling stock, etc., $S,077.60; Southern Pacific Railroad in Arizona, with impro- vements and rolling stock, S28,- 0O733. Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, property and improvements, S2,579,69; totaI railroad tax, 38,664.62. The in- debtedness of Cochise county is as follows: Redemption bonds, $lOO- OOO,0O; District School, SIS, ,500.00; County Court House bonds, $50,- 0OO.O0; County Warrants now outstanding, (estimate) $50, 1000, ,00; total, $213, ,5O0.OO. Rate of taxation in Cochise county per $100 is 3.7O cents. Special rate for Tombstone school fund, per $100, is 30 cents.
 CThe above figures are taken from the Prescott Miner.
 Now, where is the benefit that Cochise county would derive by the proposed segregation? We leave that question with our readers. We have not investiga- ted what would be the condition of Graham county if seyenty-two square miles should be taken from her territory, and we don't intend to the showing that we make regarding Cochlse county is enough to defeat the Bill. So mote it be.
 Hon. J. w. Dorrington's Ter