Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-02-20

at this Office to-day to correct some errors
which he said we're contained in an edi-
torial in Yesterdays issue. He said:
"John A. Miller in an interview says the
bill was amended in the council and was
sent to the house for amendment This
is exactly what I have been trying to
prove, because the house journals show
that the bill never was presented to the
house for amendment after its passage by
the council. Messrs. Cooney, Amado
Chavez and D. Martinez, who was at that
time clerk of the house, all swear
positively that the bill never was
presented to the house for amendment
after it had passed the council, and John
A. Miller, as chairman OF the senate COM
mittee on counties, reported the bill back
to the council without amendment, as
shown by the council journal. Conse-
quently the committee claims and sets
forth in its report filed to-day that section
s, of the original bill, and which provided
that Sierra county should assume GER
tain proportion Of the then existing bond
ed Indebtedness of Dona Ana and Grant,
was fraudulently inserted some time after
| it had passed the house and before it had
been sent to the governor. The original
bill was considered engrOssed and is now
on file in the secretary's Office, and it
shows this section, written in different
hand, and posted over another section of
the bill"
Mr.. Foster follows up the report OF his
committee by the introduction in the
house of bill which has for its object the
multiplying of section 8 in the present
Sierra county law, and he is working
earnestly for its passage. For Sierra
county's welfare Representative Foster
is ever alert and earnest.
Later-Despite Mr.. Fosters hard work
the house declined to reopen the case and
tabled both the report and the bill.
| oTERo COUNTY.
The bill creating the county of Otero
out of the eastern quarter Of Colfax and
Mora counties went through the house
with rush yesterday afternoon. The
measure goes into effect July next,
when the governor shall appoint county
board to act temporarily. A special cleo
ton is then to be called for the purpose
of electing complete set of county Of
ticers, and also for designating the county
seat. The new county shall pay its pro-
portion of Colfax and Morals present
debt, and is made part of the 4th judi
cial district, and is made representative
district, taking one of Mora's two mem
bers in the house.
The bill out lines the new county as
follows: Commencing at the northwest
corner Of fractional township 80 north, OF
range % east, on tie north boundary OF
the territory; thence south between
ranges q and % east to the southwest
corner of township IS north, of range rs
east; thence east between townships II
and Is north to the boundary line be-
tween the territory and the state of Texas
thence north to the northeast corner OF
the territory; thence west along the north
boundary line of New Mexico to the
place of beginning
| AsPLENDID BILL.
Col. Fountain has introduced into the
house measure which will meet with
the approval of every citizen who has at
heart the best interests OF New Mexico.
He proposes a radical change in the pres
ent complicated and burdensome plan Of
conducting the grand and petit jures. AT
present there are two complete sets of
grand and petit juries-one for the United
States and another for the district within
the territory. In each of the four coun-
ties where the United States district
courts are held Col Fountains bill pro-
poses that the grand and petit jurors sum-
moned on behalf of the United States
shall also attend to the terrific
rial business for these respective
districts, thus saving the territory the cost
of maintaining separate set of grand and
| petit jurors. In all other counties of the
territory, where only the local suits are
held, 1t is proposed to reduce the grand
jurors to twelve in number, nine of which
may find all indictment, and limit their
sessions to ten days. In the four counties
of Santa Fe, San Miguel, Bernalillo and
Dona Ana, where the United States and
territorial courts are carried on at the
same time this measure, if adopted, will
bring about saving to the territory OF
fully $4,000 in jurors fees, mileage,
grand jury bailifls, interpreters, etc. In
the other counties the saving will also be
great and it is figured that should thd
bill become law it will mean saving of
fully SAP 900 to the territory.
Since the above was placed in type the
bill has passed both houses and sent to
the governor.