The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-03-27
FINDINGS OF COMMISSIONS.
New Counties Begin Business With
out Any Indebtedness.

out Any Indebtedness.
The two commissions appointed
by Governor Norris to o. duet fnan-
cial matters between Chouseau county
and the new counties OF Hill and
Blaine, 6n shed their duties Thursd sy
evening. aud reported their findings
TO the board Of commissioners OF each
of.the counties affected. The report
10 each case shows that the new county
begins business with practically no
indebtedness-a condition that is un-
usual in the history OF county division
proceedings.
After an extended investigation of
Chouteau county finances and making
an inventory and appraisment Of coun-
ty property Of all kinds, the Hill coun-
ty commission reported its 6ndings to
this effect:
That the cost OF the election to de-
termine whether Hill county should
be created was q, LOG. II.
That the total Indebtedness OF Chou.
teau county at the time Hill county
was created was S172. 406 81.
That the value of county property
In Chouteau county at that time was
sl94, 319.5 Sc
That the value of able pro-.
perty in Chouteau county was ST..
83l. 1854. of which there was $685. $3.50
10 territory now forming Hill county.
That the difference between the
amount of Indebtedness of Chouteau
county and the value OF property be-.
longing 10 said county is S2l, 9l2 SO.
That as the value of county property
exceeds the amount Of the indebted
ness, the said county Of Hill is not
liable to the said county of Chouteau
for any of the indebtedn which ex-
listed on February u, 1912.
That the value of county property
that is now located in Hill county is
&6, 900.
That the total amount to be paid by
Hill county to Chouteau county is as
follows: Value Of above mentioned
property. IS. 900; n half of election
expenses sl,O53.38 making an aggre-
gate payment Of s7,953.3s said sum
to be paid in the provided in
Chapter liz of the Acts of the Twelfth
legislative assembly.
The certificate to these findings is
signed BY J. E. Erickson, chairman,
o. G. Skylstead and w. K. Harder,
members of the commission.
The commission appointed to ad.
Just matters between Chouteau and the
new county of Blaine reported find
ings similar to the above as they re.
ate to inde btedneas, value of county
property and valuation of assessable
property in Chouteau county, the data
10 the findings being the same less the
amount credited to Hill county. The
report ia other respects is in substance
as follows:
That the costs of the special election
for Blaine county amounted to ST.
$780, 9.
That the assessed valuation Of tax
able property il Blaine county is
S., 427, 1864.
That the difference between the in
debtedness of Chouteau county and
the value of county property after
eliminating property now in Hill coun-
ty J ia SIS, O39. SO.
That there is no excess of indebted
ness of the old county of which Blaine
county would, under the law, assume
its proportion ate share.
That Blaine county Is to be charged
and shall pay to Chouteau county as
follows: Value of county property
remaining in Blaine county SO, TT;
one.half the expense of special cleo
ton, $685. "a. Total, 81, 452. "a.
These findings were signed by Jere
B. Leslie, chairman, A. W. Ziebarth
and Charles Lepley, members of the
commission.
The work OF each commission was
facilitated by the presence of a dis
trict Judge as one OF its members, to
whom questions involving construc.
ton Of the law were referred. With
out such assistance, the lay members
of the commission would have been
considerably perplexed in their endea-
vor to solve some Of the problems
that developed.
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Used Steam Roller Methods.