The Helena independent., 1890-12-12
The County Commissioners Not Of
One Opinion on the Gene
terry Question.
The Offer of the Helena Associa-
ton Is Appreciated But
Declined.
The Board Granted Number of Exemp-
tions and Then Adjourned for
the Session.


,he cemetery proposition yesterday by prac.
tically leaving the matter in allegiance. As
announced in The INDEPENDENT of Thurs
day, there has been some difference of opin-
ion among the commissioners Chairman
Knight prepared paper which he asked to
have adopted as the views of the board in
the matter, but Commissioners Edgerton and
Burns did not favor the proposition. Mr..
knights statement read:
ION the subject of cemetery for Lewis
and Clarke county, to be governed, con-
trolled and conducted by the commission
ers, which has been SO fully and ably dis
cussed before the board, we beg to submit
that cemetery has been maintained by
the county as a necessity for the past twen-
ty-tive years to meet the requirements of a
community like Others that are passing
away and do not make any provision for
the last earthly resting place until the
urgent necessity exists. and then in accord
ance with long time usage depend upon
the cemetery organized by the county; we
deem it would not be wise to abandon the
county cemetery until fully assured that II
cemetery has been organized and ample
substitute for a physical dying community
to meet the requirements OF the people,
That such county cemetery should be
conducted on a fair business basis with
healthful rules for its government and pro-
vision for its maintenance, and suitable
and sufficient record kept and a fair per-
centape of the proceeds of sales appropri-
ated to the Improvement of such grounds
with fixed prices for graves and lots and
without any competition to the new Gem
etery corporation, in as much it their ar
rangements if completed, will command
ample patronage and the county will be do
ing its fair duty to its citizens. The pres
ent county poor farm is not adequate to
meet the requirements, and in the near fu-
ture some arrangements should be made
for farm of 100 acres.
It seems clearly the duty of the county
commissioners that they maintain ceme-
tery as now laid out on the poor farm, and
for the improvement of the place to set
aside certain percentage of the proceeds
of the sale of graves and lots. say at price
of IS per grave and $40 per lot and assign
ing to the superintendent of the poor farm
the ARRANGEMENT of the cemetery with Il
fixed price for digging graves, and
arrange for reasonable compensation for
taking care of the same, and requiring that
records of the sale of lots and graves in the
county cemetery be kept in the county
clerks office. paying the clerk such compeI-
sation as would be necessary at this time
until the county commissioners would be
satisfied that the immediate and adequate
wants of the community ate fully met by
other cemetery arrangements. 1t seems q
prudent measure that the present poor farm
be disposed of either for cemetery or other
purposes, and poor farm of larger dimen-
sions, say 100 acres. be procured q little
farther out Of town that the requirements
may be fully met
Messrs. Edgerton and Burns presented
their side of the matter as follows:
"Whereas, Our honorable chairman has
presented his views on the cemetery ques-
tion in writing; and, whereas the same are
not fully in accord with those entertained
by US, and feeling that it is but just. right
and respectful to the parties representing
the new cemetery association, and also to
the various parties who have petition
ed us regarding the county cemetery
that IN dissenting and differing from those
entertained by the various parties in inter
est that we should be explicit and particu-
lar. We therefore respectfully ask to SUBJ
NIT and offer for consideration of the
board the following resolution:
''Resolved. That while we respectfully
appreciate and heartily thank the Helena
of five acres. or more ground, in their lands
devoted to cemetery purposes, We do here
by most respectfully decline to except said
gift OF land for the reason that we do not
feel at this time that it would be expe6ient
to cucumber the county with any implied
or conditional arrangements, and In de-
cllning this proposition we shall be glad to
have it considered as of temporary
nature and rather in the nature
of suspension than otherwise, feeling
that if the new cemetery association should
60 forward and do all that it has promised
that we might and probably would be very
happy to avail ourselves of this offer later.
Gov Il Svs,H ~, khnA <tnnnn
is no absolute certainty as to just what
course this association will pursue.
ut is also resolved that We do not con-
slider it expedient to incur the necessary ex-
pense to properly tit up and maintain the
cemetery grounds commenced at the pres
ent poor farm now that there is prospect
of another cemetery doing all that is neces-
sary in the premises. and thereby relieving
rs from the necessity and exiRencies thai
prompted this action when first taken, be
lievlng that if done at all it should be done
in such a manner as to be credit to tn
city and county. And. also, believing tina
if entered upon, 1t should be pushed viRor
ously and sufficient money expended t
make it a success in every way, as otherwis
the ceiling of few lots and the burying o
few people would very materially damag
and detract from the value OF adjoining
and remaining property owned and held b
the county and known as the county poo
farm. In consideration OF the foregoin
reasons it is, therefore, in our opinion an
Judgment, expedient and proper that we L
the cemeterv matter remain as 1t now
without further expenditure by the count
or the selling of any lots in the propose
new county cemetery until another summ'
and until the further order of the board
GRANTED EXEMPTION
From Paying Taxes on Mortgages Give
ms Securities.