The Dickinson press., 1915-01-02
ORGANIZATION OF
SLOPE COUNTY
AmidOn, Bessie and Chalk Butte All
Want County Seat. Big Delega-
tions Visit Capitol. Gov. L. B.
Hanna Urged to Hold Business
for North Dakota.

1Or NOrCn dakota.
Now that Slope county, comprising
"a townships of the southern portion
of Billings, is created it becomes the
duty of Gov. l.. B. Hanna to name
county board, and the men whom he
designates as Slope county commits
sioners have the appointing of county
officers and the selection of a tempo
rary seat Of government. The town
selected and the officers named by
the three appointed commissioners
will not be disturbed for two years,
or until the next general election.
Among those who have petitions in
for the appointment of commissioner,
and others who are being considered,
are the following, some we'll known
in Dickinson: w. F. Church, VIM.
Nearling, Paul Muhly, D. M. Hart,
James Stafford, w. H. Hanson, Frank
Christopher, w. J. Follis, Frank Gore,
J. F. Divine, Messrs. DeSart and
Stuber.
From developments of the past few
days it looks very much as though
the fight for county seat location was
between Amidon, Bessie and Chalk
Butte, with Marmarth in the back
ground.
While the governor does not say
where the temporary seat of govern
ment shall go, the men he names as
commissioners will have everything
to do with the location.
Amidon is located on section .23-
135-100, about 9 miles from the north
boundary of Slope county, and is
very close to the Bad Lands on the
northwest. The town has a bank
newspaper, etc. It was built up g
year or two ago on what was termet
the Milwaukee extension wes
from New England. A survey was
made but ina smuch as no plats have
been filed, it is supposed that the
work was financed by individuals.
Bessie is postoffice on section 10.
133-1O2, about 6 miles north of the
south boundary line, and about
miles south of the geographical center
of Slope. 1t is in thickly settled
portion of the county and on the pro.
posed extension Of the Northern Pa
ciic from Mott, line running 9 miles
south of New England and west
through the postoffice towns of De-
sart, Pierce, Mineral Springs, Cheno-
weth, Bessie and on to point in Sec
tion 33-134-104, about 9 miles east of
the Little Missouri river and some Is
miles northeast of Marmarth. The
N. P. has filed plats for the proposed
extension, having purchased nearly all
Of the right-of-way to the terminal
point.
Chalk Butte is in section 14-133-1OO
about half mile east ofChenoweth
This point, like Bessie, is on the pro-
posed N. P. extension, being some
to 8 miles southeast of the geographic
cal center.
The center of population of Slope
computed on basis of the vote cast
for governor at the last election, is
said to be on the common corner of
sections 16, II, 20 and 21, in 134-1O1.
Chalk Butte is in good farming
country and the merits of the place
were to be placed before Gov. L. B.
Hanna by Representative H. J.
Blanchard at the hearing on Decem-
ber 31st.
Attorney L. A. Simpson was to pre-
sent the arguments for the Bessie
supporters, while Mr.. Brumbaugh of
New Rockford, ILL.,, was to look after
the Amidon interests.
It is said that the Commercial
Clubs at Mandan and Bismarck are
taking an interest in the proposed
county seat sites on the proposed N.
P. extension on the ground that
North Dakota business should be kept
within the state as far as possible. If
a town was selected on the proposed
Milwaukee extension, the Slope county
business would have tendency to
drift into South Dakota to points
like Aberdeen. 4
1t was expected that the governor
would make the appointments before
the end Of the week.
The Lyric Theatre has installed a