The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-17
4 BOUNDARY Law
Trans-Missouri Counties Believe
They Have One at Last
That Will Stick.
Act Sustained by a Supreme Court
Was the Model of the North
Dakota Bill.
Special to Tho Journal.

Il q
Bismarck, N. D., March 17.-After ten
years of experimenting, the representa-
tlves of the counties west OF the Mis-
souri, river believe they have a county
boundary bill that will stick. The bill
was approved by the governor this week,
ana attaches Bowman county to Billings,
Hetttnger, Dunn and parta'of old Williams
to Stark, and a part Of the le Ner county
to Mercer. The voters of the three coun-
ties must approve the proposed change
before it can be effective: SO that the
4aW cannot have effect until the next
general election
Several times efforts have been made to
attach the unorganized territory west of
the river to the organized counties large
ly for the purpose of bringing the extern
sive cattle and stock interests in the un-
organized counties into the organized
counties for taxation. The first bill,
passed in 1898, was vetoed by Governor
Roger Allin. At the following session
of the legislature a bill was passed, add
ing the territory in question to Stark and
Billings. After several years Of litiga-
tion, this law was declared unconstitu~
tional by the supreme court.
Under the constitution of the state it
is difficult to draft law that will change
the boundaries of counties and stand the
test Of the courts. The supreme court
of South Dakota. however, recently
passed upon county boundary case and
upheld a law which has served as a model
for the law passed in the present case
If the voters Of the districts in question
vote to adopt the provisions of the law,
there will be little unorganized territory
left west Of the river.
..- Vagrancy Law Approved :.
North Dakota has vagrancy law
q 1a 11,l1
fill the jails and furnish plenty of work.
men for the public streets if it is en-
forced. This Is the Chaffee law just
approved by the governor. It provides
that ''all persons who are idle and dis
solute, and who go about begging; all
persons who use any juggling or other
unlawful games On plays; runaways; pill
ferers; confidence men; common drunk
ards; common night walkers: lewd and
wanton persons; common railers and
brawlers; persons who are habitually
neglectful Of their employment or, calling
| and do not lawfully provide for them
selves or for the support Of their fami-
| lies; and all persons who are idle and
dissolute and who neglect all lawful busi-
ness and who habitually misspend their
time by, frequenting resorts, gambling
houses and tippling shops; all persons
lodging In or found in the night time IN
outhouses, sheds, barns or unoccupied
buildings or lodging in the open air and
not giving a good account of themselves;
and all persons who are known to be
thieves, burglars or pickpockets, either
| by their own confession or who have been
4 convicted of larceny, burglary or other
! crimes against the laws of this state
punishable by Imprisonment in the state
prison or in house of correction of any
city, and having no lawful means Of sup
port, who are habitually found: proWline
about any steamboat landing, railroad
station, banking institution, brokers of,
flee, place of public amusement, auction
room. store, shop, Or crowded thorough
flare, car 'or omnibus. or at any public
gathering or assembly or lounging abou
any court room, private dwelling hous.
or outhouses, or are found in any house
of illlfame, gambling house or ~tipplins
shop. shall be deemed to be and they ar;
declared to be vagrants.'' " - 81.
The law provides penalty of $50 fin,
| or thirty days in Jail or twenty days worl
upon the streets for any persons fount
guilty under this act.
e. Bismarck City Nominations. -.
! Nominations for city Offices were f1let
! with the city auditor Tuesday. Mayor F
II. Register is a candidate for recollection
and is supported by a large business ele
ment Of the city. John Yegen is also
candidate for mayor, and the city seem
destined to have it's usual hot fight: P
} r. Byrne has been nominated for cit,
treasurer, j. F. Fort for police 1nagis
} trate, Thomas Sanders and. Edgar Tib
bills for police justices; F. R. Smyth an,
kCharles Blunt for aldermen in the frs
| ward: r. D. Hoskins for alderman in tn
second; D. J. McGillis for alderman in tn
: third, and l.. D. McGahan, E. S. Alle1
! and Thomas Cunningham for aldermen il
) the fourth. -... r..
1t is misdemeanor for any barber il
North Dakota to practice the occupatio
of barbering on Sunday, and the Sunda
shave and hair cut will have to CO. TIL
law to this effect has. an emergency claus
and is in effect