Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-01-03
follows,

| oOetl0m. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 4,4lV
sherman ................. 5,ll5
Thomas. ............. 61S4
1OtA V,V0l
! The ten counties lie in the extreme
northwest part Of the state in two
tiers along the Nebraska line, extend
ing east from the Colorado line Eve
tiers. There is glazing need Of div
ision of the district. The work has
grown too great for one judge. and the
character of litigation in the eastern
and western portions Of the district,
the first being settled for wears and
the other comparatively newly settled,
is yer; different; making it great
burden on the presiding Judge. which
is rapidly growing. Our incoming
legislature must meet the demands Of
the people of this district for a proper
division, and the question is, how best
to divide the district? Two plans of
division are proposed: First, to div de
the district so that Norton, Phillips,
Rocks and Graham (the four eastern)
counties shall be one, and Cheyenne.
Rawlins, Decatur. Sheridan, Thomas
and Sherman (the six westerly coun-
ties, shall be the other; this might ap-
propriately be called the compact d.
vision; or, second. divide the distric,
so that Cheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur.
Norton and Phillips (the five northern
counties) shall be one, and Sherman.
Thomas, Sheridan, Graham and Rocks
(the five southern) counties, shall be
the other. This last is called the shoe
string division. The population of
the northern tier of counties ia case
of such division would be AZ, $50 as
against 81, 2Sl for the southern tier,
somewhat of q disparity. There is
only one argument which is in favor
of the shoe string division, and that is
of flimsey and temporary character
when it is examined. and that is as
the lines of railroad now are built the
different county seats Of each district
in case of such division would be con-
nected by rail. This argument is not
true in fact As for the southern tier
Stockton, the county seat of Roc ks
county, is off 20 miles from any line
connecting the county seats, and as
for the northern tier, the same is true
of the county seats of Rawlins and
Cheyenne counties. Even if it were
true that line of railway connected
all the county seats Of the northern
and another line connected those of
the southern, the reason would only
hold good temporarily, as in the near
future there must he cross lines OF
road which would invalidate that as an
argument in favor of such division
Every valid argument seems opposed,o|
the shoe string division and in favor
of that of the compact division. Tue
four eastern counties have interests in
common and somewhat different from
the six western counties, which SINH
larry have many, if not all interests
alike; the character of litigation IN
the four eastern counties differs in de-
gree and kind from that of the six
western; the population of the four
eastern counties is Il, 636, as against
&c, 425 in the six western, approximate
ing an equal division, and the differ
ence being in favor Of the older set
tied portion. The six northwestern
counties are now in one land district,
in time and upon change in our con-
stitution they are like to be formed
into a separate senatorial district If
the shoe string district be formed, it
is uncouth, unwieldy and d,scordant;
if the compact district be formed, tn 9
part of nUrthwest Kansas has the en-
tering wedge into vast field Of in1u-
ence in the not distant future, when
she will be able to bring glory If not
riches into her midst
ADVERTISED LETTERS.