The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-12-07
PLANS FOR THE WORK
Suggestions Made as to
Making Boundaries

AhAARAtttA A3AAf NAAAANA anu VIC MhANlA AAfr
.erests both territories is settlement
Of the county boundaries and county
seats. The early disposition to make
temporary disposition and allow the
legislature to supply the permanent
county geography has almost disap
peared. There are in Guthrie lob
bies from every section of the new
state with towns and communities
eager to be preferred. One element
Is urging that the peoples conven-
ionce hould guide the convention in
its work, whereas another contends
the recognized commercial center
should form the pivot for new county
lines. The convention will hardly do
a. ore than to mark the boundary
lines and ask the people to say
where their seat Of government shall
be. such action will eliminate one
feature Of the lobby.
AS mach as the people may desire
the wiping ont Of the imaginary line
between the two territories politically
it remains and is destined to unless
the matter of counties is settled sat
isfactorily. Thirty-three of Indian
Territory's delegates come from dis
nicts in which there is no recording
town. Thirty-iom come from Okla
homa districts I'm which there is 10
urt house. These forces combined
will give more than a yo ting majority
and will stand for a new lineup and
more counties, which will satisfy the
burning desire for additional court
houses. Under their plans the county
lines are only to be drawn and the
matter Of county seats lett for local
selection.
The disposition to have a great
member Of countiel in order to az
pease the great number Of towns
comes from Indian Territory, where
there are no county organizations.
There prevails some plausibility, In
the shaping of it's counties, yet back
of it an is civic energy, the result
OF which may force une number of
counties in the new state up to nine
ty or a hundred.
The "standpatters," who believe In
dian Territory recording districts
should be joined by an element from
Oklahoma vino resist a new lineup
for two reasons One is based on
the increased expense OF the new
state government and the necessity
Of maintaining 40 per cent more
county OFFICIALS than at present; but
the court houses ana yublic property
in some counties have not yet been
paid for, and bonds are outstanding
and have to be met.
Oklahoma has its contestants foi
revision o fits own county lines who
do not seriously onieruun the addi-
tional cost of maintenance in great
ar number Of organizauons. TIE pr
cors are paid by fees and state sala
ries and they sec the only additional
| local expense as being the cost OF
| court houses.
OF the counties OF Oklahoma Greer
G0owa. Con anche, beaver Woods
Woodward and Roger Mills are II
danger cf undergoing an operation
| by Tho convention.
Beaver ha. 5,739 square miles o.
area and based on the 1900 census
so5i people. Greer county 2,39'
so-are miles, 1892 people Kiow'
and Comauche (since 1901 divided
G43 square miles, 1886 people, or
nue uore than one person 70 ever
square mile OF ground. Woods conn
ty 27l9 square miles, 3,495 people
woodward county 1926 square mile
7649 people; Roger Mills county
1871 quare niles 6,l90 people.
The proposition is now 10 diyid
Grecr's 2.393 square miles into thre
parts. Mangum, the present count
T seat. wishing e remain so. and ho
I lis and Altus botu desiring eour
, houses. Kiowa connty Is fufferin
by the people Of both Hobart an
Mountain Park, to be cut In twai
so both will be county seats Bot
sLawton and Frederick are willins th
Isa1e shall be don1 with Conanch
Z and irr The same reason. BeaYe
with It's 1900 and more square mile
aay be divided as was Caui, int
ihree parts in order 20 reduce lh
travelling Distance and have cor
houses al Beaver Ciiy, tine presei
county seat aud az Grymon, kel