The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-11
THE SWEET GRASS PLAN.

Pull to Defeat the New County.
| Special Correspondence OF the Standard
LIVINGSTON, Jan. 9.-The citizens of this
city are preparing to make a strong and
aggressive fight against the division of
Park county, as proposed by the people of
Big Timber and vicinity. They recognize
the fact that the advocates of the pro-
posed county of Sweet Grass are united
and determined and much better prepared
to make it interesting for anti-divisionists
than they were two years ago, when the
scheme was first sprung.
The people of Big Timber, the proposed
county seat of the new county, have been
alert and active for several months on the
subject of county division, and if they
fail to win it will not be because of any
apathy on their part.
The first public movement in this city
looking towards the defeat of the Sweet
Grass county bill was inaugurated Mon
day evening, when a meeting of the BUSH
ness men and others interested in MAIN
tanning Park county intact was held at the
office of Savage & Day. A. w. Miles was
elected chairman and T. j. Bouton secre-
tary. A plan of campaign was outlined
and committees we're appointed. A COM
mittee, composed of James S. Thompson,
A. w. Miles and Herman Orschel, was
appointed to solicit subscriptions for a
fund to be used in carrying on the battle.
Another committee, consisting of I. j.
Bouton, j. +. Swindlehurst and T. A.
Krieger, was appointed to draft a petition,
praying the'legislature not to pass the
Sweet Grass county bill. A petition in
the shape of a remonstrance was drafted
to-day and is now being circulated for sig
natures. 1t reads as follows:
A REMONsTRANCE.
To the Members of the Senate and House Of
Representatives., Fourth Legislative Assembly
Of the State Of Montana:
Gentlemen: Whereas, There has been in
PRODUCED and is now pending before you for
consideration BILL No. ..... for the crea-
ton of sweet Grass county out of what is now
the county of Park, and whereas the creation OF
said county would be, in our opinion, contrary
TO the best interests Of Park county and its in
habitants;
Now, therefore. we, the undersigned bona fide
residents of and taxpayers of the present
county of Park, would respectfully petition
your honorable bodies to refuse to pass said
BILL and do hereby protest strongly against its
passage, giving as our reasons therefor the fol-
lowing facts:
First-That in 1887 the present county of Park
was created out of the then county of Gallatin,
assuming as its portion Of the Indebtedness of
Gallatin county $4,000, no part of which amount
IL has since been enabled to pay.
Second-That the county's present indebted
ness, including bonds. warrants and outs and
Ing obligations, is nearly S2OOOOO; its assessabe
property valuation is only S4,7O0,OOO as raised by
the state board of equalization, the actual valu-
alton being properly placed at little over
SLOOO,OO0 and a tax levy of n mills was neces-
sary the past year to raise revenue sufficient to
meet the needs of the county government.
Third-That in the event of the dismember-
ment of the present county of Park whereby it
would be deprived OF about one-third its as
sessible property the resulting increase in the
burden OF taxation would be grievous and un-
just to the taxpayers
Fourth-That the hope OF the future growth
OF Park county lies in the development OF its
resources and the proposed disme mberment OF
the county would be a serious and unfortunate
obstacle in the was Of its industrial progress
Fifth-That the trainers of the bill for the
creation OF the proposed county OF sweet Grass
have included within it boundaries the cream OF
the agricultural DISTRICT of the present county
OF Park, thus largely depriving the said county
of Park of one Of its most profitable and impOr-
tant resources.
SlNth-That the benefits to be derived from
the creation Of the proposed county OF Sweet
Grass would be reaped wholly by the prospec T.
i've ofliceh and owners of town lots In Big
Timber, the proposed county seat, without
whose assistance the issue would have no
standing in the community.
Seventh-That the proposed county of Sweet
Grass would, if created, cont lin less than 500
votes and an assessed valuation Of not more
than 81 100000