Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1903-02-10

With a few exceptions all the rep
%resentative business men of the city
met in a special called session held
over Zeiger's Cafe last night.
BY all odds it was the best attended
meeting of business men ever held in
Albuquerque.
The purpose of the meeting was to
get business men together to discuss
among themselves the Importance of
whether or not it Is to the city's inter
est to have Bernalillo county divided
into two counties.
A bill for a division and the forma-
ton of a new county will be introduced
before the territorial legislature now
assembled within the next few days.
The meeting was called to order by
Mayor Myers.
Hon. F. A. Hubbell, chairman of the
territorial republican central commit
tee. who is taking an interest in polit-
ical and business affairs, which are
important to Albuquerque, was intro
duced by Chairman Myers and laid the
county division proposition before the
meeting. He expounded on matters
in connection with the division from
both political and business s%tandpoints
and the probable effect ii would have
on the business interests of the city.
After Mr.. Hubbell's talk a recess OF
a few minutes was had in which Mr..
Hubbell pointed out on the map of the
territory the position Of the county
and the Typographical effect of the di-
vision. 1t was found by measuring by
a scale on the map that the new couns
ty would be about fifty by twenty-five
miles, thus embracing about LOO
square miles. The long way Of the
county extending from east to west.
The meeting was again called to or
der and another short talk on the re-
sources of the proposed new county
and the prospective. development OF
taxable resources, and also the divis-
ion of the county's bonded debt. fol-
lowed from Hr. Hubbell.
The real purpose of the meeting was
to bring out the sentiment OF the bust
ness men toward the proposed divis-
ion. To bring this out Frank Mckee.
of the First National bank, made a mo-
ton in favor of the division.
The motion was seconded by G. l..
Brooks, and had the desired effect.
Several short talks were made by
members Of the meeting and several
amendments and provisos, were offer
ed and made to the original motion.
Attorney A. B. McMillen took the
floor for several minutes, and made a
talk that met with the favor of the
meeting.
Although several other gentlemen
of the assemblage made short but
good speeches setting forth various
views OF the situation Of the division,
MT. McMillen's speech probably cover
ed the situation fully. He said that
he believed that the organization of
the new county, thus cutting down
Bernalillo county to Albuquerque and
the small bit of neighborlng country,
would be of great benefit to Albu-
querque. 1t IS the largest and wealth
lest city in New Mexico. Bernalillo
county, even after the division, would
still have an exceedingly large popula-
ton for a county of New Mexico. Stat
istics show that the city pays about
so per cent of the taxes as it is, and as
expenses would be cut down, and II
administered to economically the taxes
would be lowered in the city instead OF
being increased. The greatest expense
the county now experiences is the
bringing of jurors and witnesses from
the extreme outlying districts. Will
a smaller county this evil would be
done away with. A great many of the
crimes for which the county has tc
pay prosecution expenses are commit
ted in the outlying districts.
Another question Of importance
dwelt on by Attorney McMillen. which
is of utmost Importance to the division
of the county, is the distribution o.
the county's bonded indebtedness. Ac
cording to legislative rules, in case o.
such as the proposed division, the in
debtedness of a community undergo
ing division is made pro rata with the
last assessment. In this case, Bernal
lilo, or we" as Mr.. McMillen express
ed. it, would get the load of the debt.
But. IL the city now pays the larger
part OF the interest, why not take the
larger part Of the debt.
Mr.. Hubbell had said that a bill was
to be introduced in the legislature
making it a law to tax sheep where
they were being grazed the first OF
February. If such a bill is passed Mr.
McMillen explained that Bernalillc
county would get a very small portion
of the outlying taxes heretofore pait
on sheep in this county.
He also explained that, although
some proposed new railroads which
may be built in the northern part o
the county and increase the taxes com
ing from that portion, the city will
without a doubt, increase in population
and wealth more rapidly. He was II
favor NJ tho division under certain con