Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1914-02-19
SCHOOL MATTERS UNTANGLED.
The Supreme Court Upholds Actions
OF Lincoln Co. Commissioners.

vision or the county Is too well
known to our readers to call further
attention to 1t here. Suffice 1t to say
that the whole matter has been fin
ally settled in decision handed down
by the supreme court of the state
county commissioners in dealing
with this matter.
The whole question arose from
the acts of the county commissioners
In reorganizing the school districts
out of unorganized territory. and
from the decision of the commission
ers the Shoshone district took an ap
peal to the district court. and judg
ment being rendered against them
there the case was carried to the SUI
preme court with the result that this
tribunal affirmed the findings OF the
district court.
Simmered down to the actual facts
the whole controversy was occasion
ed by desire on the part OF the Sho-
shone district to attach a strip of
unoccupied territory containing con-
siderable railroad mileage to their
district, but in this contention they
were overruled by the commissioners
who sought to make an equitable
distribution OF this territory among
the various school districts.
Speaking OF the work OF the legis-
lature In creating the two new coun-
ties OF Gooding and Minidoka, a lit
tie criticism is INDUCED In by the
court In the following language:
Each bill carried an emergency
clause. making the bill operative at
once. No provision whatever was
made for taking care OF the school
children or carrying on the school.
The welfare OF the school children
and OF the public schools was only a
secondary matter TO the paramount
issue OF county division. The crea-
tion OF new counties was of such
overwhelming Importance that the
running OF the public schools was
lost sight Of"
Section 16 of chapter 3 and sec
tion 16 OF chapter 4. OF the 1913 ses-
sion laws, being the acts creating
the counties OF Minidoka and Good
ing from territory formerly compris-
ing the county OF Lincoln. authorized
county commissioners OF the county
OF Lincoln to attach these protions
OF school district territory disorgan-
lied by the new county lines but re-
naming in their county. to such ad-
joining school districts in their
county as they might determine
best and gave them discression In
the adjustment OF such matters. The
court holds that there was no abuse
on the part OF the Lincoln county
commissioners in the disposition OF
the 'unorganized territory or OF the
adjustment OF the bonded indebted.
ness among the respective school dis
tricts involved in the controversy
No. IL and 33 and Independent
school district No. 16."
That the Importance OF this case
might be better understood. we pro
duce a few figures furnished us BY
Commissioner Heiss, showing thu
distribution OF this territory by the
county commissioners.
Shoshone district was awarded {
fraction over five miles OF the Ore
gon Short Line railroad. assumed
s6.400 of the bonds of former dis
trict No. Is. They were to receiv,
in cash s524.2S and in warrants 81.
790.3S, the assessed valuation of tn,
property being s344,0S4.
The Richned district was award
ed five miles of railroad, assumed
$4,000 of bonds of district No. 23
receives in cash s3.644.76 and II
uation of the property being s34O,
600.
Jerome district was awarded a III
tie over six miles of the railroad, as
sumed no bonds, receives In cash 81
212.75 and in warrants S606.92. 70
which the cash is now available TIL
assessed valuation OF this propert
is $435,20O. 1t will thus be see
that the railroad mileage acquire
nearly equals the total assessed va
uation of the Village of Jerome, in
Guiding all buildings. real estate
stocks and corporation tax.
The final disposition of this cas-
makes something over $4,000 In cas-
available for the use OF the schoo
board. which has been held bac
pending this decision. The acquis
tion of this new territory will, unde
the present levy yield a yearly re'
enue OF s4,352 in additional take
from the Oregon Short Line. 1t wi
thus be seen that the matter was Oh
OF great Importance to this scho,
district, and the result warrants a
the energy that has been exercise