, 1889-02-27
THE PETITION DENIED.
Governor Moonlight Finds Natrona
County Disqualified.
Organizers Unrepresented at the
Final Hearing.
Seems TO Be a Lack of Both
Property and Population.

Vi three commissioner TO organize the
county OF Natrona, the enabling act for
which was passed at the last session of
the legislature. The movers for organi-
cation failed to have a representative at
the final hearing before his excellency
yesterday. Last evening Governor Moon
light addressed this communication to
Attorney G. q. Wright, who appeared
here some time since in the interest of the
proposed county:
Hon. Carl G. Wright, Casper, Wyo.-
DEAR SIR:-On the 3lst day of January
last, you personally presented the execu.
tive with a petition signed, or purporting
to be signed by some three hundred and
ten (310) electors and property taxpayers
in that portion of Carbon county desig-
mated by legislative enactment as Natrona
county. The three hundred and ten
names are sworn to as being resident cleo
tors and property taxpayers, by men
claiming the same qualifications. and who
swear they witnessed the signatures to the
petition.
NV pASoShSSa a. RSbiAAOhY w
hurredly ran over the signatures in a
general way. and at a glance pointed out
some, to me personally known to be
neither electors nor property taxpayers;
and yet they are sworn to with all the
solemnity of so help me God" A pro-
test was Immediately filed against the
granting of the petition and its sufi-
cheney was challenged. BY agreement
between yourself and some of those OPP
posing the organization, all papers were
to be filed in this Office on or before the
18th inst. aud a final hearing upon the
papers in the case, on the Goth at 9 a. III.
Petitions have been filed by those origi-
nally signing for the organization, to the
number of about forty. now @ithdrawing
their names. Afidavits and proofs of
disqualifcations have been submitted COW
ering about twenty other cases, so that
the petition in this way has been reduced
to about two hundred and fifty ESQ.
There are fled petitions and emon-
strances by residents and property tax
payers in Natrona county against the or
ganization; and also a petition by nearly
all the county officers of Carbon county, of
which Natrona forms a part, praying
against the organization. In addition to
these there has been filed a certified copy
under the seal Of the county clerk OF
Carbon county, showing the whole num-
Der of qualified electors in hat portion of
Carbon county embraced within the limits
of Natrona county to be two hundred and
eight (20S), as exhibited by the poll books
for 1888, giving the names and voting
precincts. There has also been filed a
certified copy, under the seal of the county
clerk of Carbon county, of the tax roll for
1888, of that portion of Carbon county
known as Natrona, giving the names of
the persons assessed and the amounts, and
showing the total valuation of taxable
property to be five hundred and twenty
two thousand nine hundred and thirty
three dollars 1892, 933), which includes
SO. 400 on the property of the Wyoming
Central. This then represents the entire
taxable property of Natrona county for
1888, as certified to on the assessment
roll. The signers to the petition for an
organization represent less than forty
thousand dollars 100000 of this taxable
sum of over half a million, and many of
the largest taxpayers are among those re-
monstrating. OF those assessed for tax
alton purposes upon property, there are
only thirty signers to the petition for or.
ganization, covering less than the $40, 900,
and there are one hundred and four
are thirty ,signers representing $40, 900,
and seventy-four (74) who do not sign,
representing 1881 OO.
1t is considered hat the entire taxable
property of Natrona county at the pres
ent time, upon a liberal estimate, will not
exceed six hundred and twenty thousand
dollars $500, 000) and aside from all
other considerations, the principle of fair
play, would hardly give the right to the
one hundred and thirty-seven thousand
dollars 1917, OOO) to dictate to, and con-
troll the other four hundred and eighty
three thousand dollars ($4S3, O00) OF tax
able property, particularly as the larger
sum would have to pay of taxes, over
four and one half times as much of the
running expenses of the county as the
smaller sum represented on the petition,
and that too against the will of the own
ers. 1t should also be remembered that
the owners of this large, unrepresented
sum, are the men, the county if organized
must lean upon for support, morally and
financially
The petition is denied. Very Respect
fully. THOMAS MOONLIGHT,
Governor.
Sunergae Entertainment.
Tlo Ill ~. .