Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1912-09-06
NOTHING IN COMMON WITH US.

NOTHING IN COMMON WITH Us.
A trip overland 10 White Sulphur
Springs would soon convince any
skeptical resident Of the east end thatto
be Joined together as one county is
not only distasteful to both sections,
but is expensive. Each is entirely
out Of harmony with the other. The
interests Of the west end Of the coun-
~ is purely live stock and mining,
while the east end is wholly agricul-
tural. In going to the county seat
agriculture ends thirty-tive miles
west OF Judith Gap, and for over
forty miles before reaching White
Sulphur Springs scarcely human
habitation is seen. Those who have
made the trip by rail are impressed
with about the same state Of affairs.
The Smith River valley which lies
west, north and south Of the Springs
is IL beautiful country. we'll watered
and is u paradise OF the live stock
men. Some agricultural development
has been made there, but the eleva-
ton is so high that raising crops sue
cessfully is a doubtful proposition.
In conversation with the people ut the
county seat you are lead to believe
that they think you are lying when
you tell them Of the rich agricultural
country lying east Of Harlowton or
Twodot. The substantial citizens OF
that city will not believe it. and it is
not hard to understand why VT do
not get any recognition from the
county commissioners when we ask
for money with which to build roads.
When. we ask for recognition OH the
county ticket i'll both parties they
think we are trying to steal some
thing from them, and ii they grudg-
ingly grant the request they act as
though we should be under lifelong
obligations to them. When they are
told that the end OF the county from
llarlowton east has nearly 100 votes
more than the west end you are look
ell upon us entirely hopeless, and this
III face Of the fact that the great reg
lister in the office Of the clerk and re-
corder tells the story and the facts
are accessible to all il they will take
the trouble to examine the book.
With all the booming the county
seat has had in the past two years,
the town has not added half dozen
citizens to its population, and not
many dollars to its taxable property.
The old residents there do not want
to be disturbed by the sound OF the
hammer, nor hear any strange voices
in their political councils. The
younger element want to see the
town go ahead, and they believe they
never can accomplish anything in the
way of development until county di-
vision is a fact, and they are not OPP
posing the movement.
The tax levy this year is made and
all taxpayers know that the levy is
much higher than last year. The
residents of Judith Gap school dis
trict will have to pay little over 2s
mills ON their assessible property.
In the Okla district, rs mills; in Har-
lowtol. IS mills, while White Sui.
phur Springs is 35 mills. The levy in
the Judith Zap district is the lowest
Of any, but at that it is nearly twice
as large as last year, or any previous
year. In addition to this every male
over p years old and under 80 will
have to pay a special per capita tax
of 81 for the special road and the spe-
clal poor funds.
These taxes are not high compared
with other counties, and nobody over
this way would object to them in the
least provided we could get some
benefit from them. When we appeal.
ed for money for roads we We're al.
lowed 500 for each road district il
this end of the county. while the com,
missioners made Il contract for build
ing one road in the west end of thu
county. so far as the writer can learn
that leads from nowhere in particular
to an obscure sheep camp. The pie;
10 made that that particular road la.