The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1911-02-10
RICH HELPS COUNTY SEAT FIGHT
Representative doing all in his Power to Help
Prosser to Keep the Court House,
Benton in new Senatorial District
(By the Courier's Special Olympia Correspondent

Because of King county's oppo
sition to the McQuesten county an
nexation bill Representative Nelson
Rich of Benton county has intro
duced a similar bill of his own.
This bill is intended for the spe
cific purpose of allowing Benton
county to annex the irrigated striE
from Yakima county and move the
boundary line farther back toward
North Yakima.
THE people of this section are
anxious to become part Of Benton
county," says Mr.. Rich, Because
they are so much nearer to Prossel
than North Yakima. will make
every effort to get this bill passed. "
The house committee on county
boundaries was unfavorable to the
Nc Questen bill which was the re-
plica of bill introduced by a Pierce
county member at the last session OF
the legislature in which flaws were
found. w. E. Stephens, chairman
of the committee, announced his
prediudice against the bill and the
Rich bill was drafted to take its
place.
Bill Has Chance to Pass
The chief point of difference be-
tween the Rich bill and the Nc
Question bill is that the Rich bill
specifies that narrow strip of terri
tory shall be annexed. The Nc
Questen instrument was intended
to provide for the annexation of an
island now belonging to King county
and merely specified that the af-
fected territory should not be less
than township.
Rich believes that the King county
element which opposed the Nc
Questen bill will let his bill slip
through because underits provisions
Seattle would not lose anything.
1t is fact, however, that there is
strong opposition to any bill of this
kind. A similar law was enacted
10 years ago but the next legislature
repealed it.
The general feeling among the
legislators is that a law of statewide
possibilities for the benefit of any
particular community is unwise.
Added to this is the feeling that an
attempt is being made to make the
legislature party to a county seat
dispute. Thus while the Rich bill
has slightly better chance than
the Nc Questen document it will
take much lobbying to pass it.
MIR. Rich's bill was also referred
to Stephens committee, which is
now considering the measure. Its
provisions are as follows:
The territory to be annexed must
be not more than OEe-half a town.
ship wide and at least six townships
in length. If the residents of the
Yakima county strip wish to be an
nexed to Benton they must prepare
a petition, signed by a majority of
the electors in the district. This
petition must describe the boun-
diaries of the district which seeks to
become part of Benton county
audis to be submitted to the Benton
county commissioners.
The Benton county commissioners
must call an election not less than
80 or more than 80 days after re-
ceiving this petition. A three -ffths
vote is required to change the terri
tory affected to the other county.
The bill provides for triplicate
election returns, one set going to
each of the counties affected and
one to the secretary of state. The
votes must be canvassed within &C
days.
Within 80 days after receiving the
returns the governor must issue a
proclamation. the bill provides,
changing the county line, in the
event that the required two-fifths
vote is obtained.
The bill further provides that
lawsuits, tax assessments and col.
lections, and all other judicial and
official business started prior to thu
governors proclamation, shall be
continued as if no transfer of terri
tory had taken place. Similarly
school districtofficers, etc. continue
to hold offices until the regular enc
of their terms.
In the case of Benton, should tn,
annexation election carry, tha
comfy would be responsible for tn,
proportion of the Yakima debts o
the annexed territory.
The two county auditors ar
given powers of board of assess
'ment to determine what this pro