Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1904-04-21
The Chief Advantages of incorporation

The Chief Advantages Of Incorporation
A Forsyth gentleman has asked the
the Leader for information concerning
the cost and advantages of incorpora-
ton in the town of Bigtimber. 1t APP
pears that there is now movement on
foot to incorporate the town of Forsyth
and some of the people there are anx
ious to learn how the proposition has
worked in other towns of the same size.
Our inquirer sends an article clipped
from the Forsyth Times and he desires
to know whether this article contains
a correct representation of what &C.
Cured here. The article, which is
headed GA few facts about incorpora-
tion," reads in part as follows:
''For the benefit of those who do not
find time or do not care to take the time
to LOOK into the merits of the PROPOSE
ton to incorporate, the editor has been
to the trouble of gathering a few facts
as to the cost of conducting a munich
pal government, such as we need here
and the benefits we would derive there
by. The city expenses
would be one policeman at $1,000 per
annum, city clerk at $125 per annum,
a city treasurer at SIS, ipcidentals (n-
Guiding supplies and city printing! at
$500. The street commissioner would
simply work out the regular road and
poll tax, thereby adding no extra ex-
pense to the city whatever, while in a
few years our streets and alleys would
be put in a creditable condition.
Therefore, the total extra expense
would be $1,450. A few of
the benefits of incorporation may be
briefly enumerated We would have
better and cleaner streets. There
would be better police protection.
There would be safer and more con-
venient railroad crossings. A general
cleaning up Of the alleys would help
the sanitary condition, which is no
small item when one takes into con-
sideration the danger filth adds to the
and crossings would add greatly to the
looks of the town and prove benefit to
everyone living in it, consequently they
would be well worth the investment.
Incorporation would adm dignity tc
our name and would give us a stand
with other cities in the state, alone
worth the cost
Replying to the above, the Leader
regrets to say that it does not represent
the conditions existing in Bgtimber il
any respect whatever. Bigtimber was
incorpora ted trifle over year ago
The Leader supported the proposition
to incorporate and therefore feels per
fectly free to discuss the matter at tn,
present time.
Previous to the Incorporation of this
place the active advocates of incorpora
tion had frequently made use of al
the points enumerated in the abov,
article. But at the same time thes
little matters were generally consider
ed trivial in comparison with the i'm
portant proposition of supplying TIL
town with an adequate system of WI ate
works. AS is we'll known, Bigtimbe
has been one of the heaviest losers OF
account of fire of any small town il
the state. Owing to this fact, and tn
consequent desire to secure waite
works for protection against fire, tn
people generally laid aside their oh
jectionS to Incorporation, with the de
finite understanding that the first e flor
of the town government would be t
secure a system of water works.
Since the town was incorporated tn
original advocates of incorporate