Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-10-18
SCHOOLS NOT MTECIED HERE.


year or at least greatly shorten the
term, from the records ii appears
that no districts in Fergus county
will seriously suffer.
1t IL claimed that the Great Falls
schools must close al christmas time.
while those OF Ncihart, Belt, Havre
and other points in Northern Nom
tana must close by the first Of Febru
airy unless some means be devised for
the raising Of funds to pay the ex-
penses. Many of thenewspapers and
those interested in education, are
urging upon the governor the pro-
priety OF calling an extra session at
once to remedy the detective statute,
but as the taxes would be quite gen.
orally collected before the lawmakers
could possibly provide legislation, it
is believed that the emergency would
have to he covered by some special
act allowing the borrowing Of funds,
and there appears an unwillingness
To take this course, SO the schools in
many cities are likely tn be greatly
hampered during this term.
The only district in Fergus county
at all affected is No. |, Lewistown. and
here it will only entail a delay i'm pay
ing for the heating plant for the new
school building. No special taXesfor
maintaining the schools have been
voted this year, but n fonr mill levy
was voted to pay for the heating
plant, which cost $4,000 and is now
completed. When the outlines OF the
decision were received last Wednes-
day it vas thought that a public
sentiment could be established which
would result in all paying the tax,
but, on further consideration, this
appeared impracticable, for tho
four-fifths Of the taxpayers might
pay the tax without protest, yet it
would be unjust to receive from them
moneys which are not equitably col
lected and the law would not permit
of the district enforcing payment.
Monday, clerk Kelly, to whom the
trustees OF this district had that day
certified the four mill levy, consulted
with the attorney general and was
advised that hehad better not extend
the tax ON the assessment book az il
would merely he useless work and
cause the tire lsurer much annoyance,
the tax not being n legal n in the
light of the opinion OF the supreme
court. OF course the heating plant
will have TO bepaid forsome time and
next years levy will be that much
higher than 1t otherwise would be,
providing that in the meantime some
legislation covering the fault has
been provided. But this year the
taxpayers of this district will be
saved the tax.
Levies of two mills in District No.
/. OF four-fifths OF II mill in district No.
8, of = mills in district No. . and of ~
mills in district No, 10 have been ex-
tended by the clerk. In the first
named case and also in the Utica case
(No. 81 the tax is for the payment of
! interest on outstanding bonds, which
Is in no wise affected by the courts
decision. In the other cases we are
unable to state for what purpose the
tax il levied.
The decision of the court holding
that the roaflaw passed by the last
legislature is good and that the
former law is therefore repealed, was
received very uniavOrably i'm this
section, where the people had tired
of the old supervisor system and had
little faith of betterment in the la W
which required road supervisors to
be elected. OF course the work per-
formed and contracted for by Sur
veyor Stafford IL legal, and as the
work for this year Is well nigh COM
pleted it will be useless for the com
missioners to appoint supervisors at
their next session, December list. AL
though in some other cOu.. ties the
law under which thecounty surveyor
was in charge of the roads may have
been unsatisfactory, the contrary
has been true i'm Fergus. The work
done during the past three years, and
more especially that done during the
past year, has been far better than
was accomplished under the old sys-
TEN and altogether cheaper, when
the quality of the work is taken into
consideration.
At the time OF the election of school
trustees next spring, being the first
Monday of April, IA supervisor must
he elected in each district in thecOun-
ty, who will draw 81 Tor each eight
hour day and hold office for one yeaI
from the first day Of May following
Road taxes will be collected by the
assessor, the same az this year, and
the money expended under the su.
perviSiOn OF the commissioners. Sur
veyor Stafford will have nothing
whatever To do with the work, eX
cept as he may be especially engaged
to make surveys.
Ii the Legislature IL called in spccia
session by the governor, ON accoun.
of the defects in the school law, i
would immensely please Ferguscoun
ty people if they would strike from
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