Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1910-03-10
WANTS COUNTY DIVISION
Edsemont Business Men Met With tn,
Commercial Club Here Tuesday to
Discuss The Matter.

West End Town Wants to Become
Countyseat---Edeemont Spe eakers
Present Their Side.
A very important question has arisen
in Fall River county and that is in re-
gard to dividing it into two separate
counties. The matter has been agita-
ted and brought to the notice of some
of the voters at this time by the busi-
ness men Of Edgemont through their
Commercial Club. Tuesday afternoon
of this week, committee OF thirteen
of the leading business men Of our
little sister city on the west. all mem
bers of the Edgemont Commercial
Club, met with the Hot Springs Com
mercial Club for the purpose of get
ting an expression from the Hot
Springs people regarding their attitude
toward this question. The substance
of the matter is this: To divide Fall
River county north and south as near
equal as possible and still have the re.
quired number Of precincts in each to
make it lawful; to make Edgemont q
county seat; to erect q new set Of
county buildings at that place and the
new county to assume two flfths Of the
present county debt. The object being
to better handle the matter of roads
in that section and to more fully de-
velop the west end of the present
county.
The meeting was called to order at
four O'Clock by DIR. F.. e. Walker, pres.
ident of the local CLUB. A fair repre-
sentation from this city was at the
club rooms, more to hear the Edge
mont side of the question and to get q
line on the reasons, benefits and the
good derived from such a move, than
to discuss the matter at this time.
The first speaker called on was A. ].
colgan, president Of the Edgemont
club. Mr.. Colgan briefly outlined
their side of the question. He spoke
on the development Of the county,
what it had done and what 1t was do
ing at the present time. The matter
of the enormous county debt was &
leading question and stated that If in
previous years the county had been
running behind with the yearly ex-
pense that had necessarily incurred
and then with only nominal expense
at that, what would the county do
within few years with new settlers
coming in as fast as of late and the ad-
ded expense of new roads, bridges etc.
that would necessarily have to be built
as fast as the land is taken up and for
some little time with but very small
addition to the taxable valuation. He
stated that the country tributary to
their town demanded better roads or
they would necessarily find new trad
ing point. The present board for the
size Of the county was doing all in
their power with the funds at their dis.
posal and as far as they were able from
personal observation, but that the
county was too large for these men to
cover this work satisfactorily. He
stated that they we're willing to assume
two afths of the county debt OF
in the neighborhood of sl2OOOOOO.
Two-tifths being figured according tc
the present taxable valuation. He
closed his speech by saying that they
had come here for the purpose of get
ting an expression from the people
here and that what he had said and
the speakers to follow him intended
to convey, was that unless the matter
could be put in such light that il
would be mutually beneficial and could
have everybody with them, that rather
than cause bad feeling between their
town and Hot Springs the matter
would be dropped. A greater Edge
mont and the development of the west
ern part of the county would mean 9
greater Hot Springs from his point Of
view. He was heartily applauded.
Judge L 8. Gull, of this place, spoke
briefly and stated that the matter had
just been brought to his notice and II
as stated by Mr.. Colgan it could bt
done satisfactorily, that he might lool
favorable upon >it. VIM. Wyatt, Of
Edgemont, was the next man to present
further phases Of the question from
the Edgemont standpoint. The matte,
Of the county changing from a stocl
country to an agricultural one wa.
brought mp By him. j. F. Parks, ol
this place. being called On, declined te
express an opinion other than that il
appeared very good on the surface bu,
would rather reserve his opinion until
he could look the matter up more fully
Judge Applegate, Of Edgemont, mad.
Il q