Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-02-23
Aberdeen and Hoquiam Joins
Hands For Creation of
Grays Harbor County
TEXT OF DIVISION BELL
Meeting Last Night Brings
Twin Cities Together in
Needed Harmony

The mass meeting last night in the
Grand theater may be taken as a
| fair index of the sentiment on Grays
iarbor regarding the county divis-
ion bill now before the legislature,
and indicated a greater unanimity of
interests between Aberdeen and Ho-
GUAM than has been apparent in
many years. Between 500 and 1000
people filled the theater, quite a num-
Der of them being ladies, and about
200 being from Hoquiam.
1t was a free for all discussion. and
after the object Of the meeting, and
a brief history Of the causes leading
up to it by the chairman, j. j. Carney,
an opportunity was given to all who
! chose to express their views. +. d.
Arnctd, Sidney Moor Heath. +. L.
Thurper and Frank L. Morgan, Of Ho-
quiam, and T. B. Bruener ". w.
Boner and Jas. \. Hood, Of Aberdeen,
spoke in favor OF The proposition,
while, Judge j. c. Pearson and r. A.
Wiley took the opposite view. and
y. j. Stewart presented some objec-
tions that We're explained away.
The remarks of Frank L. Morgan at.
tracted attentioN 'rom The fact thai
| four years ago he was an active op-
ponent Of division. He disclaimed any
inconsistency in his present attitude,
saving that the reasons aCtuating him
had changed the views of many of
fought the proposition in 1906. He
charged the east end of the county
| with almost uneXampled dupicity in
the affair of building an extravagant
courthouse.
THE chairman may well say" stat.
ed Mr.. Morgan, that the new court.
house was conceived in iniquity and
born in sin, and you will never know
to what depths those who put up that
scheme went. You can't find out, for
it has been covered up. That court
house was built against the wishes Of
the people of Grays Harbor. Not ten
men in Hoquiam or Aberdeen would
have voted to build it. and we want
to divide to avoid paying for it, and
We want to do it now" prolonged ap-
plause.)
Mr. Morgan explained his position
in detail, and declared that the peo-
pie who put up money four years ago
to go into the courts and fight di-
vision were now so sore that they
would never do it again.
Judge Pearson opposed division on
political and sentimental lines, but
failed utterly to give valid reason
why Grays Harbor should be mulch
ed for 100000 in paying for court
house they had not ordered
r. A. Wiley made a fervd talk
against the bill, because of the men
named as county commissioners. 1t
was explained to him that those men
had been elected by the people last
November, and that to legislate them
out of office would invalidate so that
the naming of Hopkins and Davis was
compulsory. and Williams was named
because it was thought Cosmopolis
was entitled to representation on the
board.
James A. Hood replied to the objec-
tions of Pearson, Wiley and Stewart.
1t was explained that the lawyers
Of the Harbor had found at the last
moment that they could agree on
bill, that it was framed Sunday and
introduced in the legislature Monday,
and that with a little effort it would
go through, inesmuch as Hoquiam and
Aberdeen We're more willing to give
and take than they have been in many
years. That to fail now with the bill
at Olympia meant delay of two
years, and that in the meantime pay
ments on the new court house would
begin Mr.. Hood then moved for the
endorsement of the bill, which was
given with rousing vote.
In spite or the objections whi-a