The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1912-10-18
Commercial Club Committee
Investigates and Makes
Exhaustive Report.
CUT COUNTY IN HALF
To Form New County From Payette
Valley-Committee Gives Facts and
Figures to Sustain Their Conten-
ton as to Desirability of the
Change.

In the last issue of the Payette
papers another county division prop
osition is barred to the light of day.
The idea of becoming a county seat
is very delightful to the city of
Payette, and the people of the
county will soon be asked to take
part in the campaign for division.
The Payette commercial club is
evidently the originator of the move
ment. Some time ago a committee
of ten members was chosen to pre-
pare data on the new proposed coun-
ty, and at a meeting held last week,
the report of the committee was
heard and discussed.
Proposed Boundary.
The proposed new county, name
for which has not yet been suggest
ed, is to comprise that part of Can
yon county covered by the Payette
valley, including everything north of
the first parallel north. The first
parallel north divides the county al
most in half, with little advantage
to the north half. If a new county
we're created ON that line it would
comprise the following towns and
communities: Payette, Fruitrand,
New Plymouth, Emmett, Parma,
Falk, French, Lethia, Athol. Bran
we'll, Summit, Hannah and Washoe.
This would leave Canyon county
with the following places: Nampa,
Caldwell, Middleton, Notus, Roswell,
Greenleaf, Bowmont, Byram and
Rock.
Investigators Report.
The following extracts from the
report of the committee from the
Payette commercial club which in
vestigated the new county propo-
sition is of interest to taxpayers in
this part of Canvon:
County division means for the
taxpayers of the Payette valley
reduction of taxes and the spend
ing of their own money at home.
The following facts and figures are
compiled relative to the expense of
operating and maintaining Canyon
county, and the creation of a new
county north of the first parallel
north in said county. The figures
relative to Canyon county are taken
from the published reports of the
required by law for the year from
April, 1912, to April, 1918. The
figures taken from Lewis county
are taken from the auditors annual
statement for that county for the
year from April, 1912 to April,
1918. The estimates relative to the
expense of maintaining the pro-
posed new county are taken from
Lewis and other counties and are
liberal in every respect. Lewis
county is given as an example owing
to its similarity in size and val
uation to the proposed new county.
1.-THE proposed new county is
north of the first standard parallel
north, in other words, the north
four tiers of townships in Canyon
county, which comprises the Pay
cite valley and it's tributaries. 1t
comprises about 10 townships and is
"a by 80 miles in dimension. 1t is
traversed by the Payette river and
by the Payette Valley railroad.
1.-THE creation of this county
would establish a county whose en-
tire interests were in common, be-
ing one valley, whose main interests
are mainly horticultural. 1t will
soon be the richest county In the en-
far in excess of any county of its
size in the state. The interests of
the Payette valley are entirely for
eign to those of the Boise valley,
the source Of irrigation and water
supply are entirely different. and
there Is no good reason why the
two valleys should be In one county.
1T is commonly thought, without
investigation. that county division
means increase in taxes, that 1t
costs much more to run two coun-
ties than one. This might be true
in some cases, but 1t Is not true In
the case of Canyon county. One
might as well argue that the whole
state should be In one county to
save expenses. But we all know
that such an arrangement would not
save expenses but create expense.
This proposed division OF Canyon
county would mean great saving
to the people of the Payette valley.
the source of irrigation and each
year In getting to and from the
county seat. It would mean a great
saving in the same time in admin
istering the county offices and courts,
as a large portion Of the expense at
present connected with these Offices
are In transportation over an un-
wieldy county. Transportation IA
cilities and travelling expenses are
large it0ma in the oCOnOmV Of ad-