Delta chief., 1885-09-30
A Word AbO0tOur COnnty Affair.".
To the Editor of THE CHIEF.


in this part of the county in regard to the
manner in which the commissioners have
acted on the county seat question. as Well as
the methods employed by Them in forcing
the issue OF a bonded Indebtedness upon the
voters of the county in tins ina,ispic nstilne,
believe Il few items upon these subjects,
showing up the peculiar workings OF the
aforesaid honorable body, would be decided
| ly interesting to at least ohe-niuf of the
| voters and taxpayers of this community.
| And As The CHIEF continues lis mercIless
scoring of the above officials few hints may
assist in placing the wrong .i"in. anl mis-
management where it rishtfullv belongs, and
prevent the innocent trom su1erih; for the
acts of the guilty.
AT the meetin. of the commissioner the
| first of the month To consi'ler thr question OF
bonding the county for public buildings,
| renionsirancc against any action beng taken
upon this matter this year was presented,
! signed by over one hundred citizens. many OF
| them being among the heaviest taxpayers nt
| the county. The subject was then dropped,
| it was hoped for good. request was also
presented asking that proposition be sub
initled to the electors of the county at the
| ensuing election tn vote upon n permanent
| locaiion of the county seat. This was
promptly rejected on the ground that the
| county seat WAS already located, Messrs.
| Hart and Hamilton voting against the psti.
,ion and Mr.. Stephens and the one hundred
| or more petitioners IN favor of il. AT the
next meeting holden on the 22nd another PEE
| tition, signed by two hundred and one tax
| rayers, WAS presented To the hon"rahle board
| PRAYING that the same question he submitted
| IN accordance with the act "i legislative ere
| atiny Delta county. After coL ur NJ up
| about every excuse the human min cou.d
invent which excuses were met ani pruInpt-
| lv retuted by Mr. STEPHENS. Nessrs. Hart
and Hamilton finally, after long consulta-
,iuns and a nights dclii'eration, decided t"
reject the petition. on the sr"nnh that .ul
WAS not = majority Of the iaIraSers "t the
county, Ne,>rs HarI and Ham ltnn voting
against the proposition and Mr.. stephens IN
| favor of u.
H,ss popular belief that all public serv-
ants are elected tn office 10 eSxcnie the Will
Of their master, t:ie l'e"p.s. Bat IN t'is case
| the servant becomes the MASTER ana act, IN
| direct oppo.ition To the power tnat made h M
and sets up his ind.v .dual opiL.oi un.up-
| ported by u single reinou>traice against over
! Two hundred uf his fellow citizens. WnIie
/ the discussion was hottest Mr.. Hart came
near letting u waolr bA .iu!l of cats escape
| by remarking if lie 'tnou mt the people "i
| Delta we're Ia favor Of II he should feel dif-
,erent." whereupon Me,srs. Kellogg, F"sg,
| Brown and several other prom ,nent citlzens
of Delta, who were present, whose hanitness
| and sense OF honor rcsui'ei ut ths Pslpable
| injustice of the proceedings eNciaiuic't that
they 'eelicvs,i the question "u:"t to be Sub
ln,itcl" and that they were ready to sish the
petition. This shot irpni the rear csinI'ie
iy deiioral zcsi the ho '"rable { ,Intn l-sioner.
After the slaus shter of the 2Jl snn"ce"ts, An
other petition WAS presented, -iSnei by my
| names. mostly citizrns of Delta. asking that
a proposition be submitted To the voters OF
the count, to create n bonded Indebtedness
| for the purpose Of build,n. court house
and bird. .e across the Gunnison river nj
| Delta N.ssr. Hart and Hamilton vigor-
ou>ly supported this measure while Mr.
.tr a.,l
phens proposed to omit the clause relating
to public building. and build wn bridges.
Opposed 10y Hart and Ham itn,, IN the
ground that the ferry al the canon WAS snih-
cient for the eastern PARTON of the county.
even if the people did have To pay ferriaye.
Mr. Stephens finally proposed to allow the
| people to decide where the hr,,i &c should be
| placed. Promptly voted down as Mr. Hatt
! naiviIy renIarke ed 1t w"uid he mighty
handy for some of the nchm n TO have n
| bridge near town To enanic ,ism to 90 out to
the hills to get ~o'd and fence l,nsts.
1t WAS a clear case ST To S. How the hon.
ornble board find 1t convenient or in harmony
| with their inner conscience to reject u petit
ton asking them not to do tins thing, which
petition was signed by over 100 and then
| grant a petition in favor of it, signed by only
80 names is one of the questions taey viii
| some time be called upon ta answer I" thSir
constituents. 1t was tmaiiy voted to bond
the county. the people wiling. in the sum
Of SIS, 900, So 900 for II court huuss and S..
900 for bridge. One tnen,ber remarked
he had friend who would build 1t at about
that amount. No African naier tnAt propo.
| sition? Messrs. Hart and Hamilton voting
aye and Mr.. Stephens nay. Now then one
OF the chief objections made by the board
| against the county seat question WAS lear
that the comfy would be involved in u long
and costly litigation, let the question I've de.
ciicd either way. Did il never occur to
these honorable members that the niauner in
which this bond question was engineered and
the remarkable parliamentary tact,cs used in
forcing il to y vote and passing the same, Us
we'll rs the some what dubious character of
the act of the legislature by whicn this coun-
" was created, leaves open II hole Tor litisa.
ton Us big us u barn door, And did it never
occur to them that in the discharge Of their
duty every motion OF = pecnn,ary nature, the
payment of money etc. should receive n sec.
| onu, then he discussed, aud then formally
voted upon. A mere motion witnuut II sec.
ond, even If declared $50 ordered" by the
chairman, would be considered rather poor
law, even by "Brudder Gxriner's Lime Kiln
Club"
Now then Mr.. Editor, continue to throw
your shot and shell into the enemy's ranks
and the people in the near future will rise
up and cnil you blessed. But, bear in mind,
an accidental shot may kill an innocent man
Just as quick rs though fred with malice and
aforethought. PIONEER.
The above is somewhat overdrawn as to the
proceedings of the Commissioners, rs VIC
learn from Mr.. Hamilton, in that MIR. Steph.
.n. r.,.. -, ~ny n nm ~;thJ Jru ~