The Ely miner., 1900-10-26

1t Is probable that it would cost as
much il not more TO operate new
county in The expenditure OF funds for
salaries for the new county officials,
as our present county share OF eXpen-
ses. We would have To build Jail or
take our prisoners TO Duluth TO care
for and we would have TO do the latter
until we did build a Jail and which If
taken to Duluth would incur the ad-
diti0nal expense of returning them 10
the county seat for trial if triable in
the county. we should have to build
one Immediately or board the prisoners.
If we build Immediately we would
make additional expense, if the coun-
ty seat is simply temporary as they
would have us believe. The commits
sioners would no matter, il temporary
or otherwise, provide quarters for the
officials of the county, save possibly
Coroner and County Attorney, furnish
the same with safes. vaults and re-
cords
Again another expense would be the
transferring Of records from the old
county, affecting every piece Of land
on record in the proposed new county,
also all Judgements, taxes or other
wise in the office of the clerk Of the
court and all matters affecting taxes
due or delinquent in the office Of the
County Auditor. this expense could
not be less than the whole present eK-
pense for county purposes in this
district without division, where We
pay $50. 600 we could expect to pay at
least the sum of SIO0, 900 which would
have to be met by direct taxation or
bonds They tell US that we now
have S54G, 900 bonded Indebtedness OF
which we have TO pay our share, they
would have us believe that We pay at
least 2-5 of the taxes. If that is so, we
would in case of division retain $3.50.
900 of the bonded Indebtedness as our
legacy.less possibly 2-5 the value ofthe
present value of the property in the
territory that would remain in the
old county which at large estimate
would and could not exceed $50. 900,
leaving balance of S20o.00o bonded
Indebtedness to start with.
After we get our new county erect
ed we will be without a Judicial dis
trict other than we have at present,
and for all preliminary purposes OF
trial of actions we shall have 10 go TO
Duluth to appear before the judges
to get what we need and want, ex-
cepting few cases outside Of trials
or cases affecting real estate in the
new county. actions brought against
defendants living in the new county
and crimes committed in the county
there would not be any reason nor
could we ask judge TO hold court
and could not in any event expect TO
exceed two terms in one year for
long time, and all time in many cases
we would be boarding criminals either
in the county or at Duluth, at the
expense of the county. and further
depriving them Of Il speedy trial as
they now can have with five terms OF
court
Then again taking view from a
political point, how is it going to be
of any help to US on this range? We
have as all know and agree, to have
been at disadvantage by reason OF
the small number Of our population,
on the ranges until now. If they have
been so hampered for that reason of
the unequal distribution of its in
habitants how viii the Nermilion
range be in reference TO the new coun-
ty ii division should prevail.
In the formation of the new county
five commissioner districts would be
apportioned not equally as To area
but so as the law provides for equal
distribution of the Inhabitants in the
proposed new county. the natural
direction of the lines would be north
and south. In that event Ely and Sou
dan would no doubt be in one district
assuming seven Thousand are the
proper number to assign TO the dis
fricts, Tower, Mesaba, Merritt and
Biwabik in another. In the assuming
of office the first commissioners would
represent Tower and Ely one each but
when it comes to the next election
Mesaba range could elect four COM
missioners to Yermilion range one.
! and we could not help ourselves with
out great increase in population.
In the manipulation Of the other
county Offices they could elect all the
officers from the Mesaba range.
i OF course they would not do so, they
would possibly give us the Coroner:
Office At present the two ranges are
in position TO command something
from the county in the way OF Office!
, if that is what they are after, and tht
Vermilion range can ask for some
I thing too with the expectation Of get
i ting it as well as our neighbors. W.