The La Jara chronicle., 1909-03-26
Bill Create the New County of Alamosa Came a
Quick End at Last Saturday Nights Session.
BY F. a. Mcclelland. Legislative special

BY F. a. McClelland. Legislative special
writer.
Denver, March 90. - Conejos
county will not be divided, and in
fact, was not in great danger at
any time during the present ses-
sion. Still, when the bill came up
for second reading at a night
session of the house, comblna-
ton had been formed that prom
ised to get it safely through that
reading. Cliff Wilder, representa-
tive from Conejos, discovered the
game that was being played, and
though really too i'll to attempt
to make an address, was compelled
to do so in order to thwart the
desires of the schemers. Under
the guise of securing "A number of
friendly votes for bill that, the
conspirators assured the victims,
stood no real chance of being
passed, almost enough votes had
been secured to get it through.
The plan of operation had been to
90 to members and say something
ike this: Here is this Alamosa
county bill that we would like to
have get fair vote. We know
there is no chance to get it through
| the house, but we don't want to be
beaten by too large a vote. You
vote for it, and it will be favor to
us, and will not give the bill any
chance" So many members had
been approached in this way that
the majority was likely to be for it
When Mr.. Wilder heard of what
was being done, he and Mr.. Garcia
went to work at once, and secured
the revocation of some of the
pledges. But the notice had been
so close to the time for the meet
ing of the committee of the whole
that the gentlemen were not sure
they had counteracted all the
damage that had been done, and
when the meeting was on, both of
the Conejos county members were
worried.
Mr.. Hicks of Gilpin county
made the speech for the bill Civ
ing the details as they were furn-
ished him by a boomer for the
new county sitting as his elbow.
In reply Mr.. Wilder said: Il am
sorry to have to try to make a
speech at this time, for | have
been ill and am not feeling we'll
enough now. But this attack on
my county is not warranted and |
must try to tell the facts. be-
lieve Mr.. Hicks has spoken with
out being fully advised of the sit
uation in Conejos county. There
is no general demand for this new
county of Alamosa, though | know
that some of the citizens of that
town favor it, and they are friends
of mine and in earnest. | agree
with the remarks which refer to
the growth of the county, and
especially as to the growth of the
section sought to be cut Off Great
reservoir enterprises are under
way that will bring what has been
an unproductive tract of land into
full cultivation where it will be
valuable-it will become a great
section. But what about old
Conejos county? This district to
be cut off has not been much of a
source of revenue in the past. 1t
has been an expense to the county
And now, that it is about to be
worth something to Conejos, they
propose to cut it off. Why not
leave it with us for while, that
we may get some benefit from its
prosperity? The old county is
surely entitled to some return from
this prosperity.
Il know that an overwhelming
majority of the taxpayers of the
proposed new county do not