Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1889-02-04
AT BOISE.
The Fight Which Engr0sses the Atten.
tion OF the legislature and Lobby
Speaker Burkhart's Able Speech
The Bill Finally Passes the House.

To THE EDITOR OF THE TIAxs:-
The big fight over the division Of
Alturas county occurred in the House
Friday, at the evening session. For
several days the two opposing sides
of the House have been having an
occasional skirmish over the question,
and it was finally decided to have a
square fight over the matter in com.
mittee of the whole last evening
Shortly after 7 O'Clock the session be-
gan. with Mr.. Bruner, Of Boise coun
ty, in the chair. After about an hour
of wrangling over minor points of
order, the substitute proposed for the
four bills was given back to DeHaven,
its originator, for amendment. As
soon as the substitute was out of the
way Burkhart called up the Gilmore
bill by offering an amendment to pro-
vide that the new county shall as
sumo $4,000 of the debt of Altu.
ras. Sargent wanted to amend this
by making the amount $4,000,
Mr.. Burkhart then made the best
speech of this session in favor of
leaving the county as it is at present,
and he quoted many figures and sta
tistics in support of his views. Mr..
Burkhart held the floor for nearly two
hour-and. half, and his clear, fore.
ible manner of stating the case went
very far to convince his hearers.
After Mr.. Burkhart closed DeHaven
sent up the amended substitute, and
as a matter of course there was an
other big row on hand. The amend
ed substitute provides for the annex.
alton OF the eastern strip to Bing-
ham; for the creation of Gilmore
county with Rocky Bar as the county.
seat; and Logan county with Sho-
shone as the county seat. Many
kilograms, letters and protests were
read against the division, one letter
from Tikura saying: gig Alturas
county is divided, l want to stay in
Alturas, even If there is nothing left
of it but the NAME"
Mr.. Bailey, of Ada, is the leader Of
the divisionists, with DeHaven and
Clay as lieutenants. In tho House
they have majority, the vote SO far
standing about Is to 9, with the
other two members to hear from.
kurtz, of Ada, had introduc q bill
to take away a portion of the west
end for Ada county; but his con
sti,uents made kick, and he is now
one Of the strong ant-divislonists
Min'zer, of Lemhi, Sargent, of Sho.
shone, Bruner, of Boise, and Emery
of Custer, are all strong supporters Of
the anti divisioEists, and in the fill.
clustering part of the business Mintzel
stands head and shoulders ahead oil
them all. Last night Bailey ap
pealed from decision of the chair
and Mintzer raised point OF order
was overruled and moved to table the
appeal. was again overruled, moved
the previous question, with the same
result, and kept up these tactics JUS
as long as possible. He gave it GU
cold that he intended fighting on Thu
line to the last.
The whole night was put in in con
sidering the bill, and at last the com
mlttee rose aud reported back to TIT
House recommending the passage o
the substitute as amended. On mo
ton of DeHaven the substitute wa
ordered engrossed, but in the mean
time Bruner had gone with the bill
in his possession, as he had not pre-
pared his report as chairman of tn
committee of the whole. The mex
day Bruner 1t q his report and tn
bill together with protest from th
leaders OF the anti division,sts, and q
soon as engrossed the bill will b
brought up on its fnal passage.
is pretty certain to pass the Hous
unless dilatory motions will defeat il
but its chances of finally becoming
law are very meagrr. The session |
so near ended that it will not TAX
much filibustering to get it pigeon
hold in the Council, and even were
to have the speediest consideration
is doubtful if the Council will pass il
The final vote ia the House may b
taken Monday: vet it is by no mean