Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-01-21
Citizens Of Harve, Chinook and Har
lem Propose to Split crOteau
County Into Three.
cHoTEAu, BEARPAW RELkNAP
Fort Benton Citizens Say They Are
Going to Fight Such Atroeious
Divorce Proceedings.

Helena, Jan. 1.-THE Joint COM
mittee from Harve, Chinook and Har-
lem, which is working In the interest
Of making three counties out Of what
is now Choteau, held meeting here
today to prepare for the presentation
OF such a bill to the Legislature. AS
many of the lawmakers left the town
this afternoon not much was done, but
the work will be started again in earn
est on Monday. The advocates of the
scheme were busy distributing cards
telling their story IN figures, and
evinced much enthusiasm. Bear Paw
and Belknap have been elected as the
names of the proposed new counties.
Those who attended the conference
were: r. X. Lewis, E. T. BroRdwater,
l.. X. Devlin, A. ]. Broadwater and w.
E. Hauser of Harve; w. s. Towner
and John Many Of Chinook, and T. II.
DdTtOu Vi f1aTiem.
Fort Benton, Jan. 17.-In the last
week delegations from Harve and Chi.
nook have been interviewing our citi-
zens relative to making three counties
out Of old Choteau, but up to last night
no action was taken by our people in
defense of the proposition or other.
wise.
The Harve committee were the first
to submit their proposition, the same
being to divide the present county In
such manner that the assessed valu.
alton would be about one-half in each
county, the dividing line running north
and south near the centre OF the pres
ent county.
Later Chinook came to the front
with a proposition to make the divid.
ing line between the towns OF Chinook
and Harve, Chinook to be the county
seat in what would be known as Chi.
nook or Belknap county. 1t Is under.
stood that Harve would then be will.
ling to accept as the county of Harve
or Bear Paw that portion of Cho-
teau county which takes in the terri.
tory between the Teton and Marias
rivers, north as far as the boundary
line. with Harve as the county seat.
The two propositions now before the
people would give the two new coun-
ties an assessed valuation of about $3,-
100000 each. leaving the old county,
or what remains of 1t, with an assess
ed valuation of between s2,50O,O and
100000 which would not be ma,
terially increased, owing to the fact
that the most desirable land in the
county subject to settlement is con.
tanned In the two new counties asked
for, while that land left in what would
be Choteau county is practically all
settled, and great deal Of the stock
has been moved the past year to the
north, owing to range conditions.
When this matter is brought before
the Legislators II is doubtful IL one.
half would vote for any such division
as asked for. The argument put up
by the Harve and Chinook citizens is
that the expense Of holding court In
the present county seat is much great.
er than 1t would be If the county was
divided, owing to the cost of trans.
porting jurors. witnesses and others
A survey of the map as proposed by
the two aspirants for the county seat
shows that both of these towns are
located in the extreme east and west
OF the proposed counties and that the
expense, used by them as an argument
would be Just as great n proportion
as IL is at the present time. to say
nothing OF the additional expense to
be incurred by maintaining three
county seats instead Of one.
Last night meeting of the citizens
Of Fort Benton was held to consider
the advisabillty Of sending delegates
to Helena In order that they may ex
plain the true situation to the legisla
ture. Early next week, no doubt, Q
committee composed Of the represen
tative citizens Of Fort Benton will TAX,
hand in the fight with Harve ant
Chinook.