The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-04-12
TO DIVIDE COUNTY
West Side Leaders Seek to Combine With
Parts Of ontonagon and cogebic

west oide Leaders seek 10 COMBINE Witt
Parts Of ontonagon and cogebic
Senator Vinegar received q request
from E.P. Lott OF Iron River. recently.
asking that bill be introduced TO di-
vide Iron County by line running
north and south through the center Ut
Chicagon Lake placing all west of that
line and the townships OF Interior.
Haight. McMilIen. Matchwood and
Carp Lake of Ontonagon county ami
Watersmeet township OF Gogebic coun-
| ~ apart into new county
II is understood that Mr. Vinegar
advised tnat this proposition is one
that affects more than the people OF tne
west side and that other counties would
undoubtedly. have great deal to say
about the subject
Reports from the west side say that
petitions have been circulated asking
for che division and that they were
placed in the election booths of Iron
River and Stsmbaugh townships on
election day. Many signers were OBJ
tanned on the west side but number
Of the influential citizens over there re-
fused point blank to have anything 10
DO with tns scheme.
The prime movers in the deal are
understood TO be James Long Frank
Singler, and +. L. Lott. The PROPOSE
tion is understood to have the enthu-
siastic support of !. w. Byers and
some others of che business men VINO
figure that should a division take place !
Iron River would be the county seat |
with all OF the emoluments that 20 /
with n.
Several west side fellows vino were /
here during the week have joked about /
the matter bnt didn't seem To take il |
seriously One OF them explained it III
a different light altogether He says
THAT. while this county division is be-
ing talked and is tondly hoped for by
such men as Lott, Long and singler
that the real motive back OF the move
is the union Of stambaugh and.Iro
River as "A city. In order TO make
city that wouId be- an important factor
~ is necessary 10 take in some or the
adjacent mines and me plan which is
cid in allegiance is to include the Ben.
gal, Caspian, Tully. Dober. Chatham
and Hiawatha of the Stambaugh town
ship mines and the Sherwood, Konwin
skl. Wickwire aud ArOnson properties
IN the Iron River field.
The acquisition Of those mines by
he population centers Of Iron River
md Stambaugh would be- very wise
move for the residents Of two villages
or it would make a city Of some four
u live thousand people with property
interests sufficient 20 make adequate
treet and other city improvements in
he populous centers.
Our informant fears that the opposi
ion Of the mining companies may
poll the scheme hut II is probable that
ould the matter be put 10 the com I
'anies in its proper light that they
would consent TO the union as il would
& once give to the population centcrs
n the west side an importance that
hey have not under present conditions.
Whether this Is OF is not the prime
impose. the division talk len elicit.
pg much interest over here other than
. making joking material Some day !
will undoubtedly be snch
bat a new coanty will be warranted, !,
specially should developments contin-
. on both sides of the comfy as they !,
ave during the past ten years. Dnt ut
no present time there is hardly popu- =
alton enough to make one good sized :
ounty and the neighboring counties
viii undoubtedly object 20 giving up
NY territory AS they need All they have
) support themselves. The division
a county means the assumption OF
cry heavy tax burden especially upon
ne new fellows a. county buildings,
ourt expenses officers salaries and in.
'rcst upon the portion OF TIE bonded
ebt would figure up 10 very nice
zed tax budgef