The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-04
II IS SAID THAT They Can
While On the Other Hand 1t Is
Argued That They Can
i not.
Which Has Reference to a e2ues-
ton Which Must Be
Settled.
rha Commissioners Are Tol d q Good Deal
Ahout Both Sides of tho
Cemetery Question.

The county commissioners have reached
no conclusion regarding the cemetery
question. The only action they nave SaAen
annaars in the minutes of the September
meeting when they authorized survey OF
1 portion of the poor farm for burial pur-
poses. Yesterday they heard arguments IN
favor of con timing the work OF providing
for a county cemetery. 1t was also con
tended that beyond providing for the pau
mar dead the commissioners had no author
itv 10 maintain a public cemetery. Judge
Mcconnell. the president OF the cemetery
association took the latter position. Mas
sena Billiard represented the petltloners
who have asked the commissioners to go
ahead with their cemetery project.
Mr.. Billiard. who is one of the petition
ers, said that it was urged upon the COM
missioners to withdraw from their project
in the interests of a private corporation
which had been organized fer the purpose
of furnishing burial facilities to the people
of Helena and Lewis and Clarke
conntv. II seemed TO him that it was a
wise thing for the county to maintain o.
cemetery of its own. not necessarily IN COM
petition with private corporations, but IN
such 4 way that it should prevent them
from becoming monopolies. tie would
quote the old saying about corporations
having NO souls. If private corporation
Of that character had control of the burial
grounds close to the city II couia pc seen
Glow they could use them to the detrlment
and damage of people in unfortunate cir
cumstances. The position of the petition
ers was that the commissioners mao acted
right to set apart a portion OF It's lana, as
had already been done. for burial purposes,
and to make rules and regulations with ref
erence to it. The county has large tract
Of land adjacent to the CITY
and for which it has no special
use at present. The land produces no reve-
nue., and the county does not want to hold
it for speculative purposes. Setting apart q
portion of it for cemetery purposes would
keep il under the control of the county and
IT tho same time would bring in revenue
10 the county. The proposition OF the
Cemetery association did not seem reason
able to Mr.. Billiard He was interrupted
L by Commissioner Edgerton, who said that
t6sre was no proposition from the associa-
stiou to purchase; it was q donation to the
county which was offered But that does
not take away the other objections about
using your own ground" said Mr.. Billiard.
s.You can bring it into market and receive
constant source of revenue" The petit
tioners, he said. also asked that the com.
missioners build suitable receiving vault
in the county cemetery, to be used during
cold weather Driyeways. walks and ar
xan0emepts for irrigation purposes were
also asked for. Calculations had been
made that the county would receive over
$4,000 revenue from the cemetery. The
Petitioners did not want to be considered
o. antagonistic to private corporations.
Those who wished the luxury of an ele-
giant lot could bny frorl the private corpor-
alton and put on as much style as they
wished. But the county should not put it
self in position where it could not give to
III citizens burial lots at reason
anle prices. II the private cor
lporation would SO nix iss reRula-
ti0ns that lots could be obtained without
any red tape it would be more satisfactory.
hard provisions that would make man
hesitate before putting any of his relatives
Ia tho ASSOCIATE ms grounds. 1t seemed
reasonable and desirable that the commits
oionors should pursue the sam. course that
they had in the past since the organization
Of the county. There had been no opposi-
tion 70 the exercise Of their power in this
hostile to it i'll the way of legislation. II
they could use portion of the county
grounds for burial of the pauper dead. they
could dispose of county lands to others Tor
burial purposes. 1t was question of ex--
pediency as to whether or not they should
do so. Now they were asked to depart from
tho old order of things and put
themselves under obligation to q pri-
,vate corporation. Was it e1pedient to
40 that? "You not only represent the pau
pers but you represent the people who are
able to bury their own dead, and the Ques-
tion is whether you shall put them undel
obligation to private corporation. All w
ask Is that you pursue the course you havt
been pursuing, and that you shall furnish
reasonable facilities for the burial of thu
dead at fixed rates and upon REASONABLE.
terms. and that You make no alliance will
any private corporation. The county II
able to maintain and own its own burla
grounds"
Commissioner Edgerton said that tn
board had received many complaints fron
people about the old management OF tn
county cemetery. The present board ma
examined into it and could not get head
tail Of it. They were informed that n
present grounds were 30 full that peopl
had been buried in the paths. Tho boar
found that they had no room to bury eve
> pauper. They ordered . survey {
etraiRhten the matter out. No prices yer
dxed and no lots we're put on the market
Tho plat Of the survey was ordered To-
presented at the September meeting. VINE
they met in September they did nothing
Representatives OF the association 81
peafed before the bourd and said they di
not know the county intended to go int
the cemetery business. Then the associ'
tion submitted its proposition. A
that the commissioners did vi
simply to suspend all expens'
on the county cemetery and Il
tho matter over until it could be brougt
up Ut this hearing. There Was nothing {
tho records showing that the board vi
1eyotutionizing anything. There was
proposition before the board of receiving
00nAtion Of 80 many acres of land.
Continuing his remarks MIR. Billiard IA
that the board had gone on in entire ha
& mony with the past history of the count
They had plated ground and put it in
shape for cemetery. That was Just wh
1hey ehould do. But the proposition M
800 that they abandon this and ally thel
11ayss with private corporation.
Ia addition to the gift the rules and reg
i 3a&i0n1 OF, the cemetery association shou
~ xeasonably fixed for all time. II q
4 &oNulAtions were such as would appeal
If - pablo sense of fairness, and not
1ah3ecf 70 change at every meeting of
III N9teGa or their whims, the objectio
odd be done away with.
4a6ko Mcconnell then presented the OF
r ado Of the question. Brother Bulls
: = Iiko any other lawyer. He would ma
"a - - GOOD an argument as he knew he
M - th1s case his knowledge of the ia,