The Saint Paul globe., 1902-12-18

The state canvassing board passed UP
the new county fights in Beltrami and
Polk counties to the governor yesterday
by certifying that the proposition to
create and organize Clearwater county in
Beltrarni and the propositions to create
and organize Columbia and Nelson coun-
ties in Polk county had received ma
jority of the votes cast.
In Polk county, as Justice Collins re
marked, it appeared to be the question of
competing county seats instead of count
ties.
The returns, as certified to Gov Van
SAINT, show that there were four PROPOSE
tionS to create and organize new counties
in the territory now known as Polk
county
Columbia county. with the county seat
at Mcintosh, received 1913 votes in IA
vor and 813 against. Nelson county,
which included the same territory, only
that it had the county seat at Fosston,
received 1881 votes in favor and 112
against. Valley county received 135 votes
in favor and 91S against. Star county
which took in the same territory as that
of the Columbia and Nelson propositions,
but had the county seat located at Err
skine, received 1872 votes in favor and Is
against.
Contentious of Parties.
The parties interested in calling the
new county Columbia claim that their
proposition carried, and II. w. Stark,
VINO with G. s. Ives appeared before the
board, secured certified copy of the
retdrns as signed by the canvassing
BOARD, and this morning will lay the
hgllres before Gov. Van SAINT and request
him to issue a proclamation regarding
the new county.
Judge. Childs, of st. Paul, who ap-
pe2red for the Nelsonites, contends that
f<,t how H01,, 4 a.,
created is illegal in that the Nelson coun-
ty proposition was presented to the
people first, and that this shuts out the
Coiumbla @ proposition, from legal stand
the two propositions. This, however,
could not be considered by the canvass
Ing board, as its duties are purely min
isterial, and all it could do was to certify
as 70 the votes cast for the several
propositions, and that three of them
had carried.
The Nelson county people will have re-
course to the courts. for as soon as the
OF quo warranto will be applied for to
prevent the new county officials from pro-
ceeding with their duties, and this will
open up the legal points in the con-
Columbia county. as the new division
IS called. with Mcintosh as the county
seat, consists of eighteen townships and
includes all the territory in Polk county
east of range A.
Situation in BeItrami
The Polk county squabble having been
settled SO far as it could be by the can
VasS1ngs board, the question as to PROPOSE
tlons to create three new counties in Bel
trami was next considered
new 1he prqposlt1ons were to have three
Biackduck. The Roosevelt and Black
duck propositions were voted down bv the
voters, the returns showing 610 in favor
and I'll
duck received 161 in favor and 3SS against
Clearwater, on the face of the returns
sent in from the Beltrami county can
yasslng board, showed sol in favor of the
division and 40 against. The county
board, however, did not include the pre-
clnct of Copley in the returns, claiming
tnat the vote, as returned on the propo-
sltlon did not reach the board until the
second day of its session, and then it
was delievered irregularly. The vote cast
at Copley was 163 in favor of the division
ana against, and unless these returns
We're counted, the proposition to create
Clearwater county would not be carried.
as the winning proposition must have a
majority over the vote cast for any other
single proposition.
The state canvassing board at its meet
ing on tuesday, decided that 1t would NOT
accept the returns from the CopIey pre-
clnct, but yesterday. after listening to
c1ded that it was only fair to the voters
In this precinct that their votes should be
considered.
Bounds for New County.
The new county consists of thirty town
ships, with Bagley as the county seat. 1t
includes all of the territory in Beltrami
county west of range line between 35 and
80, and north as far as town line between
towns l52 and 153 1t includes four town
ships in the White Earth reservation. as
yet government lands, and three town
ships IN the Red Lake reservation at the
north end. 1t has population of Il, 900.
and the real and personal property yalua-
t1on this year was 81, ,340 900.
The only figures tabulated and COM
puted yesterday by the clerical force of
the board were those of the votes in the
several judicial districts. These show
the following results:
First district, F. M. Crosby. Is, S,S43: Sec
ond district, o. B. Lewis, 12,549; Grier NJ.
Orr, 1928; 7. D. O'Brfen, 1879: j. G.
Michael. S.466; Third district W. b. An
drews, 6. SOB; A. H. Snow, 1886; Fourth
district, d. F. Simpson. q. .252: C. ]. Bar
tleson, l., ,220; Eleventh district, w. A.
Cant, 1884; j. D. Ensign, 1858: John P
Richards, 4,643; Twelfth district. Gorha M
Powers, 14,912.
The board took a recess last evening
Until Friday, and in the meantime the
clerks will prepare the figures to which
the board will certify.
The congressional returns from Jack
son county are missing and the auditor
OF that county has been wired to forward
the same at once.