The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-03
FOR A CITY OF THE DEAD.
The County Commissioners Will
Hear the Arguments Of Coun-
sci this Afternoon.
The Authority Of the Board On
der the Present Law Cues
toned.
The Strong Divorce Suit with the Jury
Little Business Transacted In the
Supreme and Circuit Courts.

The county commissioners were IN SEES
q ion yesterday until late in the afternoon
consi dering routine business. The ceme-
tery question was not brought up as an
nounced. The time set for the hearing of
this proposition Is two O'Clock this after
noon. So much has been said about it, and
there being considerable interest manifest
ed in the outcome of it, the commissioners
will give full hearing to all persons who
may have any views to present. There is
now before the board proposition sub
mitted by the Helena Cemetery association
Offering to donate to the county about five
acres of their ground recently surveyed
into burial place. In connection with
this offer is request that if it is accepted
the land laid out by the commissioners as
cemetery be abandoned for such purposes
and all interments be made in the associa-
TONS cemetery. A protest against any such
action being taken by the county commits
sioners is before them in the shape of
petition signed by about $50 citizens of the
county. The petitioners also ask that the
grounds set aside for burial purposes by
the county be maintained. Messrs. Nc
Connell and Clayberg will appear before
the board to-day to present the associa-
TONS side OF tho matter. and County At
torney Nolan will represent the commits
sioners.
The principal point which it is thought
will be brought up in the argument is as to
the authority of the board under the pres
emit law to 90 into the cemetery business. as
now proposed by them. The commission
ers have SO far expended between 81, 100
and S.. 1000 OH the county cemetery. This
amount it is stated will not be loss in the
event that the cemetery association's offer
to donate five acres for county burial pur-
poses is accepted; and that it has been ex.
pended for good and necessary purpose If
the proposition is not accepted.
The subject was brought before the board
in an incidental way. shortly before they
adjourned last evening. The county at
torney Mas present. but would not say just
what line Of argument he would follow.
Commissioner Edgerton called reporters
attention to statement made in the
Helena journal yesterday that member
of the board had stated the commissioners
had already expended the sum of ST., 900 in
plating the cemetery laid out near the
poor farm. Mr.. Edgerton said that the
statement was incorrect; that about xl.lOO
or $1,000 had been expended on the GENE
terry. He said that another statements IN
the same paper to the effect that the GEM
etery association had offered to sell Ger
tain portion of its grounds to the county
was also incorrect. The proposition, he
said, submitted to the board by the associa-
ton contained an offer to donate, or give.
to the county certain part of the associa-
tion's ground for county burial purposes;
there was no offer to sell any ground to the
county.
Commissioner Burns said he understood
that there was some talk about the malnte-
nance of county road from the city limits
to the Cemetery assooiation's grounds,
poses Nothing Of such nature has been
presented to the commissioners.
An order was made by the board requir-
ing that in the future the clerk OF the dis
trict court report to the commissioners at
the regular quarterly meetings the total
amount of orders sent to the county clerk
for the payment of witnesses and jurors.
Orders for warrants from the district
court clerk to the county clerk of witnesses
anu jurors, and warrants issued, were ex-
amined and checked up.
The report of the county treasurer Of
licenses collected during the quarter,
amounting to $22, .93 was examined and
found correct.