The record-union., 1893-01-24
COUNTY DIVISION.
THE OBSTRUCTIONISTS GET A
TURN ON THE FLOOR.
More Arguments for and Against the
Riverside County
Bill.

The Senate Committee on Counties and
County boundaries met yesterday after
noon, with all members present. Sena-
tor Eli Denison presided.
Mr.. Atherton of San Bernardino was
granted permission to explain and excuse
his action in attacking Assemblyman
Casterline at previous meeting. He
said that he had been accused of trying
to effect combination against Riverside,
and admitted the truthfulness Of this
accusation. 81 am with anyone" said
he, who can help me. refused to show
Mr.. Casterline the petition because he re-
fused point blank to support or introduce
the bill which brought from San Jacinto.
AS to Mr.. Newport and his signature to
our petition, this is easily explained on
the ground that Mr.. Newport has recently
changed his mind in the matter of county
division. He may have written to Caster
line as he asserts, but he Newport said
70 me not long ago, that he had found the
riverside people TO be pretty hard"
crowd, and had decided to withdraw his
support from their proposition.
Captain Gill OF ElSinore was then intro
duced and spoke briefly for the San
JacInto bill. I'VE want county of our
own" said he. at is not true, as has
been stated, that two-thirds of the people
Of northern san Diego favor Riverside.
y ou have before you a petition signed by
800 property holders protesting against
being disturbed. We are prosperous and
only ask TO be let alone. We do not
blame Riverside. We are better treated
by San Diego than is Riverside by San
Bernardino. If we can't have san ia
cinto County we don't want anything"
fV.f. IHfar
highest terms Of Mr.. Atherton, and re-
gretted exceedingly that any unpleasant
ness had taken place at former meeting.
X. A. Bledso, an attorney OF San Ber-
nardinO, spoke against the Riverside bill.
He said that the people of the orange
center could not snow a single reason
why new county should be formed, and
he had never heard of any bitter feeling
between the people of San Bernardino
and Riverside. 1.-The latter town. said
he, wants to take away nearly one
half of our producing territory. Such a
thing will raise the tax rate in both sec
tiOns. The people have no reason to COM
plain of the building of new Court
house. 1t is a grand building and stands
as monument to the iron will of our
Supervisors. 1t would be a mistake to
cut up this beautiful section. The Santa
Ana valley was fashioned by the hand of
God for a political community, one and
inseparable."
ExDistrict Attorney Fording of San
Bernardino was the last speaker. 1t has
been said that Mr.. Fording is here for the
purpose of defeating the Riverside bill.
but after his speech of last evening there
IS much speculation as to his attitude in
the matter. At all events he was heartily
congratulated by the Riverside delega-
ton when he had concluded, and his re-
marks were frequently greeted with ap-
plause from the oranges growers.
Mr.. Fording commenced by remark
able admission. He said that the Court
house, on which the trouble really hinges,
was built for the purpose of preventing
an attempt at county division.
This statement came in the nature of
surprise, and Senator Mahoney could
hardly believe his own ears.
Did / understand you to say, sir, that
the Courthouse at San Bernardino was
built to prevent county division?" Ford
ing saw his mistake, but it was too late.
~ es, sir" he answered, "partlv,"
Continuing Mr.. Fording said: when
this Courthouse proposition came up |
was the legal advisor of the San Bernar-
dino Board Of Supervisors. They did
not ask me if it was Just or polite and
consulted me only in reference to the
legality of the act. on my assurance that
it was legal proceeding they ordered
the construction. | have not heard of
this better animosity between River
side and San Bernardino and do not
believe that it exists outside of the re-
spective delegations represented here be-
fore you.
I'm signing the Glenn County bill Gov
ernor Markham gave as his reason for
SO doing, that bad blood had existed
between the people seeking and fighting
division. From this those engaged in
the present controversy took a cue and
have acted accordingly"
Adjourned to the call of the Chairman.