The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-12-07

reasons North Yakima business men
are solidly opposed to it at thi; time.
All seem to think that the county
should remain as one until the popula-
ton is considerably larger, both in this
portion and in the eastern part. 1t is
urged that this plan would enable the
residents of the county east of Mabton
to determine more satisfactorily where
the division should be made, and where
the county seat should be located. Many
believe, and doubtless with good reason,
that the lower or eastern part of the
county will eventually and at no very
distant day become most thickly settled
around Kennewick and around and east
of Prosser; in that case to locate the
county seat too far this way would
cause dissatisfaction and possible strife
in the future. The following are a few
of the statements made on the subject:
Chairman Lince of the board of coun-
ty commissioners: l do not think it
would be advisable to divide the county,
and l regret the agitation of the sub.
ject at this time. 1t will have bear
ing on the proposed irrigation project
in favor of the residents of White
Bluffs, as !, for one, am not in favor
of this portion of the county, which III
case of division would be the old coun.
ty, sinking artesian wells or going to
other expense for the direct benefit of
the new one.
w. L. Steinweg: l am not favorable
to a division of the county on any OF
the lines that have been proposed, nor
in fact, on any line at all just at this
time. I believe that the outlook for a
very considerable increase in the coun'
tvs population is very promising, tc
say the least, and it seems to me that
it would be advisable to delay the di.
vision until the population has grown a
little larger. This must or should de.
termine the location of the dividing liue
|
and what might at the present time seem
to be good place for the dividing line
might prove wholly wrong in a very few
years. With the advent of the electric
railroad lines that are proposed the
whole county will be brought into closer
communication, and that is another red
son why it would be difficult to locate
tie dividing line wisely at this time
In my opinion, when the division is
made, the entire Sunnyside district
should be in either the old or the new
county. for the best interests of al!
who own property in that section; that
is to say, the Sunnyside district SHOULD
not be divided.
| w. L. Lemon: l have no direct inter
est in the matter of division, but as !
look at it. the division is bound to come
sooner or later. So far as l am person
ally concerned, l do not believe it is
advisable to divide the county at this
time. For one reason, which it seems
to me is one worthy of consideration
Yakima county is just beginning to lie
recognized as a power in the state, po-
litically and in every other way, as was
demonstrated at the last state convcn-
ton in Tacoma. 1t stands to reason
that her prestige would not be so great
if the county was divided, and it seems
to me it would be to the advantage of
everyone concerned if the division was
postponed for a few years longer.
d. f. Lesh; 1t is true that it is only
a question of time when the county will
be divided, but l think such action at
ills time would be premature. Taxes
are the great consideration, and it will
cost twice as much to run two counties
as it does one. If l owned the entire
southern end of the county, would OPP
pose the division for economical rea
sons, but for no other.
Geo. w. Cary: l should hate very
much to see the county divided now
Division would increase taxes very ma
terially both for the old county and for
the new, and the latter especially. 1t
would be great detriment to both ends
of the county. Ten years from now is
early enough to talk about division, and
the sections which will then form both
the old and the new counties will then
be better able TO stand the expense.
r. h. Nichols; 81 have always thought
that the county as now existing would