The Keota news., 1914-10-16
"WHY" OF COUNTY DIVISION
Data and Argument on Which the
Movement is Based

"A uOVSHSueS !OtS lAAASA OiS eOOA 1OA"'
last spring to create 4 new county out OF
the northeastern part of Weld.
Representatives of several different COM
muni,ies met and determined, first upon
boundaries. Lines have been modified to
meet the wishes Of the people so as to
leave out or take in different sections as
they wished.
During the course Of deliberations,
committee was appointed to gather data
and facts, and put them in form for the
consideration of the people. This circular
is the result of that action.
Weld county originally contained ter
ritory Of more than 10, 500 square miles,
and included besides the present county,
all of the present counties of Logan, Nor
gan, Phillips and Sedgwick, half of Yuma.
and nearly half of Washington. In 1887,
Logan and Washington counties were es-
tablished, including in the former the
present counties Of Phillips and Sedgwick,
and in the latter Yuma. In 1889, Yuma
secured separation from Washington. and
Phillips and Sedgwick cut off from Logan.
while Morgan county at the same time
further reduced the county of Weld by
becoming county on her own account.
Notwithstanding these reductions, Weld
county is still larger than some of the east
ern states. 1t is too large for efficien,
administration Of the affairs peculiarly un-
der direction of county officials. Parts Of
Weld county seeking to be cut off are
more than 100 miles from the county seat.
Think of a county superintendent being
i obliged to travel such a distance to visit
schools! Three commissioners administer
the roads Of the county. What can they
do toward efficient administration of road
funds for the benefit of such large terri
tory!
1t is not necessary to show that Weld
county is in any way at fault. Let them
be the most efficient and willing officials
obtainable, and still they will find i, i'm
possible to do justice to all sections of such
vast territory. 1t is generally conceded
that smaller county would be better for
both the old and the new. providing de-
velopment has reached the point where we
have taxable property sufficient to support
the new county without excessive taxation.
The new county will have much
larger valuation than almost any new coun-
ty that has been erected in the past had
at the time it was created, even when al
lowance is made for the different tax val
ues existing at that time and at the pres
ent. The proposed county will have
larger tax valuation than many counties
now existing, and that have existed for
many years, at least sixteen counties Of
the state being lower in assessed valuation
than the proposed new county.
Inquiries made of half dozen counties
show their experience, As given by their
officials:
Phillips county: Established 1889 with
a population of 200, taxable valuation
then Of 100000, present valuation of
$6, 5000 present tax levy 49, mills,
cost of transcnbing records was $4,000,
court expenses average above fees $I,Iso,
election expense is about $1,000 once in
two years, road expense is $1,000, and
books for the first year cost 5000.
Sedgwick county: Established in 1889.
taxable valuation then 6z3,793. present
levy $40 mills, election expense 1900
to !, 500, roads z, 900 to ~ 900, books
first wear 6zo cnotinuad In naxf iaaa,a