The new North-west., 1897-01-29
FACTS ABOUT POWELL COUNTY.

and figures that cannot be controverted'
the many good reasons why the county
of Powell should be created. The whole
matter is laid before the legislative body
in such a clear and concise manner in
this circular that every member cannot
fail to see the gross injustice that
would be committed in denying the ap
peal of 1900 voters and 1000 inhabitants
for justice and political freedom. We
believe there is sufficient number Of
honest and patriotic men in that body to
grant our petition. Among the many
strong arguments set forth in the clrcu-
lar why our people want division are
l. To save value of present grounds,
court house and Jail, otherwise practi-
cally lost.
2. To avoid the payment OF 40 per cent
of the expense to secure new county
buildings and grounds.
3. To prevent being taxed without be-
ing represented in county affairs.
A. To avoid paying 20 per cent. of the
expenses incurred by the territory south
of the proposed line of division, in addi-
tion to paying all the necessary expenses
incurred by the territory in the proposed
Powell county.
s. To bring the taxpayers resident in
Powell county 80 miles nearer to the
county seat (75 per cent. being resident
within 20 miles of Deer Lodge.)
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT.
That part Of Deer Lodge county south
of proposed line of division:
Assessed valuation, 1896 $3,9 ,99l 39S 90
voters 4ln M
Taxpayers on 1896 tax roll ..............9 9l9
Population of Anaconda (eStimated) 900
Assessed valuation Anaconda, city, go 81 1884, 09l
Voted for county seat removal. lao
Voted against county seat removal. 2o5
Furnishes 80 per cent of district court expenses.
Pays 62 per cent. of the expenses.
Furnished 1893 commitments to Jail. 1895.
Pays 62 per cent. of the expense.
Furnishes so to S5 per cent. county poor.
Pays 62 per cent. OF the expense
Furnishes 80 per cent of justice court expenses.
Pays 62 per cent. of the expense.
Powell county as proposed north OF
proposed line of division:
Assessed valuation, 1896 S2399, 7130C
Voters, ,50t
Taxpayers on 1896 tax roll oll...................T Tt
Population of Deer Lodge ge...................1,5E ,5E
Assessed valuation Deer Lodge city, 1896 S56l ,391
Votes for county seat removal. l................y 81.
Votes against county seat removal ,12
Furnishes 20 per cent. of district court expenses
Pays 38 per cent. of the expenses.
Furnished 81 commitments to jail, 1896.
Pays 3S per cent of the expense.
Furnishes IL to 70 per cent county poor
Pays 3S per cent. OF the expense
Furnishes 20 per cent of justice court expenses
Pays 3S per cent. of the expense.
Thus it will be seen that that portion
of Deer Lodge county lying south of the
proposed line of division, with an
assessed valuation of S3,991 ,39S and 4,20C
voters, has within its borders only 919
Taxpayers; while north of the proposed
line of division, with an assessed valuation
of $2,399,713 and 1900 voters, we have
77G tax -payers-only 143 less tax payers
than the Anaconda end of the county
And tLat while more than half of the
voters of the proposed Powell county are
payers, less than onefourth of the
voters south of the proposed division line
are taxpayers.
COUNTY DEBT AND CAUSE OF INCREASE
The following shows the Indebtedness
of Deer Lodge county and causes of
increase:
valuation. tax levy Mar. l, '9i .$l099 3:
1894 $6,l0lS S71. 2 mills Mar. l. .95 1858 533 4;
1885. 5,967 ,205. 6l2 -. Dec l. '95. 15l O6l. 0,
1885,. 6,39l, I'LL Sic Dec l, 96 it'd 237 5.
(Note-The debt of $171,237 .52 con
sists of bonds for $150,000 at > per cent
interest, payable 1910, and floating deb
above cash on hand, $21, ,237.52)
(a) Debt increased in 1894. $55,545.13
because of failure to make levy sufficien
to pay running expenses
Cd Debt increased in 1896, $20,116.45
principal reasons are as follows Markley
contract, S2,79617; excessive election ex
penses allowed and incident to removal
OF county seat, estimated, $3,421.10: eX
ira deputies allowed officers in excess oil
number allowed by law, estimated, So,
G00.00; excess books and printing charges
by reason of contract to highest bidder
estimated, $2,5O000; excess county ply
sican and medicine contract to highes
bidder, $4,000; vault furniture and ex
pense incident thereto, $2,50000; roat
maps. 100000; weights and measures
S29s.3O; patent voting booths, $7494
Another cause of increased indebted
ness is as follows:
Increased expenses, owing to increased
population and wealth. but NO cores
ponding increase of assessed valuation
for taxation. illustrations:
Smelters, refinery and other
works at Anaconda, valued ut 81 ,000,0 ,00
Assessed for taxation, 1896, at. 1887, ,4G
Improvements and additions to
works in 1885, as per report of
superintendent ............ 1869, 10
BY a combination of democrats ant
populists in the Idaho legislature yester
day, Senator Dubois was defeated.