Semi-weekly herald., 1910-01-27
UNKOLY
COMBINE

consider what they are up against
in the matter Of county govern
ment. Are they aware Of the fact
that Commissioners Tovrea and
Reister have formed q combine to
run the county as they see fit
without regard to deeency or the
welfare Of ths taxpayers? It may
be the taxpayers and voters are
not informed regarding the high.
handed manner in which the busI-
ness Of the county 10 being con-
Quoted, so The Herald will in
dulge in few facts.
To start with The Herald will
give little history concerning a
steel bridge contracted for in the
Kline district. Some time last
summer, juno, if we are correctly
informed, a petition was filed with
the county commissioner from
residents and taxpayers Of the
Kline district asking for the open
ing Of road. The petition con-
tanned in the neiahborhood Of
twenty-five names. In response to
the petition the county commits
sioners visited the section and
had the road surveyed by the sur
veyor. II required considerable
grading along one Of the hill
sides and some through bottom
lands. The road was simply for
local use and the commissioner
were unit for the work which
was not very expensive. About
a month or SO later Commission
er Reister commenced talking
about the need Of a steel bridge,
giving the inference the people
Of his district and the Kline Sec
tion were cIamorino for il. Be-
lieving Mr.. Reister was aetna In
behalf Of the people in that sec
tion Commissioner scouton voted
to have the site surveyed and an
advertisement inserted calling for
bids. The day the bids were 10
be opened was right after the big
floods the forepart Of September.
Commissioner seouton before
opening the bids, suggested delay
and had Mr.. Relster phone to
learn the condition.. Il was a..
ascertaincd that the flood had
washed away the banks and that
instead Of fifty.foot bridge II
would require a t50-feot bridoe.
The bids were then declared on.
Later Mr.. Reister began harpina
about the aforesaid bridge ane
suggested that bids be called for
at the same time OF the Wallace
bridge across the Animas. The
commissioners then went with
county surveyor to select the site.
It was discovered that Mr.. Reis-
ter had another bridge site picked
out, some distance down the ar
roya where il would not do any
one any good and at point where
there was no road leading to or
from It and with a twelve-foot
bluff on one side to be graded and
requiring big fill on tho opposite
side. II was here commIssioner
seouton kicked over the traces.
He said it was USELESS to build the
bridge and Unnecessary expense
as II was not needed, and with
the condition Of the roads and
loss Of other bridges from floods
the money was needed elsewhere.
He was overruied by Messrs. Reis-
ter and Tovrea. On the evening
prior to the day the bids were to
be opened Mr.. Scouton, a. chair.
man, received a petition signed BY
twenty-three Of the residents pro-
testing against the building Of the
bridge. The signers were most
ly the ones who petitioned for
the building Of the road, but they
outlined that the bridge YVES not
necessary and questioned the au-
thority Of the commissioner in
placing the bridge without being
petitioned by the free-holders.
The petitioners said they had
never asked for the bridge;
That II was unnecessary;
That the river was dry ten
months out Of the year;
That there was not twelve days
out Of the year when the river was
not fordabie with a good ford, and
when the river was high was at q
time roads were not used;
That as taxpayers they did not
desire to pay for a bridge which
would increase taxes.
The petition set out that the
signers were all residents Of the
vicinity and were the only ones to
be benefited, hence their protest.
Mr.. seouton presented the pro-
test next morning and advocated
that bids for the bridge bs called
off, that II was unnecessary ex-
pense and especially 90 In the
light Of the petition and the point
where the bridge was located.
But he was overruisd. Not only
that, II 10 quite svldsnt Messrs
Tovrea and Reister tried TO oIaca