The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-04
COUNTY SEAT FIGHT RAGING
Guyman Trying to Take county seat
AwaY From fseaYer CITY.

=
Guthrie, o. T., Jan. 3.-Richard B.
Quinn. editor OF the Guymon, Beaver
county. Herald, was in the city today
to confer with Attorney strang on the
law relative to the removal of county
seats. The fight over the county seat
of Beaver county is well on. Guymon,
located on the Liberal extension of the
Rock Island, is making a fast fight for
the removal of the county seat to that
place. Beaver City. in the eastern part
of the county, is the present capital of
Beaver county. It has no railroad, but
has been the county seat for years. Bea-
yer is sixty-eight miles from Guymon
and thirty-five miles from a railroad.
The county is 167 miles in length and S4i2
miles in width. Guymon is just AZ miIeA
from the geographical center OF the
county and this is one of the claims made
for the removal of the county seat.
The people Of Guymon offer to pay all
the expenses of d special election to vote
for the removal of the county seat, and
in addition, will provide the sum of $500
to be applied on court buildings. a pc
tition has been prepared to be presented
to the county commissioners asking for
the special election, but through techni-
calities it was thought best TO advise
with Judge Strang. The law provides
that two-thirds of all voters In the coun-
ty must sign the petition and describe
the tracts Of land which they own, and
on which they reside in the county. The
signers of the petition in many cases
were unable to give this description and
it was desired to ascertain If there was
nsof, 10
gotten around There are about seven
hundred voters in the county and it seems
that the majority Of them reside in the
eastern portion of the county.
Guymon is putting forth the argument
that they have railroad and are in the
center of the county; and in addition.
make a good offer to the county COM
missioners. The people of Beaver and
supporters of that town in the county
seat fight claim that the majority of
the residents of the county are in the
eastern portion Of the county and that
they do not desire TO travel farther than
at the present time to attend to court
matters They threaten, too that II the
couny seat is changed to make a move
ment to divide the county and make the
east end OF Beaver into another county
The Beaver people further claim that
the county seat fight is on IN the inter
est of townsite company and that It
is repetition Of a fight which was
brought on by the Hardesty towusite
some months ago. Beaver also
claims that she has prospects of a rail-
road from Woodward. through Fort Sup
ply reservation and on west. What there
is IN this claim IS not known. but it IS
being used as an argument IN favor OF
Beaver.
People in the eastern and southern part F.
OF Oklahoma scarcely realize the in
tensity OF the county seat fight now on. |
There IS really a bitter feeling in some
parts Of Beaver county. and It is stated I
that If the county seat is moved 10 Guy I
mon, that an attempt VIII be made 10 (
have the county divided into three parts /
and Jet Guyruon be the county seat Of tho j
middle county Even II nothing ever
comes OF the county seat fight. there fs I
danger that the subject OF division og .
the county viii continue. and be factor 4
In every election, as It IS in Woods .
county.
The fact that Guymon has railroad /
is beies ed to be strong factor in the +
present agEt- At az events the residents I
Of Guyruen are prepared 10 carr TIE F
fght out 70 finish and within a short +
time petition. signed by twe-thirds of .
the voters o( Beaver county. wil be pre-
seated 70 the county commissioners in +
order that q special election may b. 4
called
M Quinn. IN telling about his county.
stated that the residents are prosperous
and are steadily making money. The
conditions there have been very fzrara-
be during the past few years. ard even
Z hard times should t9urh Okla bona the +
people = Beaver county ViN - fails
prepared Tor any emerEencies - this kind
.f1sL nsav cone up IL tbs future
CHALLENGE IS ACCEPTED I
Heunes@rN Football Team VIII PLAY