The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-03-04

Friday Of last week, the senate
committee on counties and county
boundaries, by q vote Of four to one,
recommended the passage Of the bill
abollshing the county Of Kootenal
and creating the county Of CLARK
from the southern half and the county
% Lewis from the northern part.
Consideration Of the bill was set for
Monday in the senate and when the
time arrived to take IL up, Senator
Steele. the member Of the committee
who opposed the bill, fell Into line
aud II was passed by "a unanimous
vote. The governor has signed the
bill and II il now q law.
For houIs and hours the senate
committee on counties and county
boundaries grappled with the ques-
ton of the division Of KootenAi
county At a night session. Oratory
Was hurled back and forth from s
o'clock In the evening until I:3O
o'clock in the morning, the com
mittee completing the entire bearing
Of both sides Of the question at the
ore sitting, says the Idaho States
man.
Charles L. Hoffman, the leader Of
the anti-division forces. bad arrived
from a visit 20 his home In Rathdrum
accompanied by r. c. Egbers. county
school superintendent. Sheriff Dousf.
DIR. r. Wenz. Of Rstbdulm, aud K.
WannamRkeF, Of Hope, and be pro-
tested against hearing the arguments
for and against division at the meet
ing Of the committee. He asked for
pOstponment Of the hearing until
come other time, but the committee,
apparently having In mind the APP
preaching Close Of the session, and
the friends Of the division bill being
prepared 10 go ahead with the bear
ing, decided 90 start the proceedings.
SIR. Hoffman urged that be could
not present his eide OF the case, In.
GLIDING the statements Of the men
who came from the north with him,
before midnight, the hour set by the
committee as the hour for concluding
the evenings session. When that
hour arrived, however, the presenta-
tion OF the case was 70 near concluded
that Il was decided to complete the
hearing without rising.
At times the debate showed tinges
Of bitterness, becoming quite bel.
ligerent In tone at one stage Of the
discussion. References TO false
representations. - "misinforming the
committee. . false signatures to
petitions. statements that are not
true" and the like we're not in
frequent IN the session, although at
no time did such matters become
personal between the friends and on.
ponents Of the bill under considera-
tion.
ARGUMENTS FOR THE BILL.
Attorney McClear, Of Occur d.
Alene, first presented the side Of the
friends Of the bill. They had, he
stated, the signatures Of 2e00 OF the
total of 6loo voters Of the county,
among tho men alone. II was claim.
cd that the large majority of the
people Of Kootenai county favored
division, rather than submit TO the
inaccessible location Of the present
county seat longer.
He commanded the taxes would be
no higher under two counties than
at present. All the funds would
remain as at present except the cur
rent expense, and there would be
great saving of expense, besides which
all the property would be assessed,
which was now impossible. He stat
ed 30, 600 acres of land had been left
Off the assessment rolls last year be.
oause of the large territory of the
county.
A number OF letters from prom.
inent citizens of Kootenal we're read
which asked for the passage Of the
bill.
william Forrell had resided In