The Raymer enterprise., 1917-02-15
COUNTY DIVISION
BILL COMES UP
INTRODUCED IN HOUSE
IT WOULD Be pAWNEE COUNTY

The question of the division of Weld
county, which was listed among the
paramounts two years ago and which
was mentioned frequently during the
Republican County assemblies and later
during the campaign, is an issue again.
Representative c. X. Graves. of New
Raymer, having introduced in the state
house measure providing for the di-
vision of the county and the establish
ment of new bailiwick to be known
as Pawnee county.
While copy of the bill is not avail
able at this time, it is known that it
proposes to follow practically the same
boundary lines which were described in
the measure before the Legislature two
years ago. 1t does not mention any
town in the proposed new county as the
site Of the county seat, but provides
that within a given time after the
measure becomes law the people Of
the new county may hold an election to
select a permanent or temporary seat.
Although no pledges were made for
or against county division during the
campaign, the matter was mentioned
frequently and it was apparent that
the real or fancied opposition of Sen.
Winbourn to the measure at that time
was factor in the senatorial race this
year and contributed in part, at least,
to his defeat this year. During the
Republican assembly an effort was
made to inject the matter into the cam
paign in a manner which did not suit
the men who controlled the assembly,
and the effort was discouraged in de-
bate which was acrimonious in the ex-
treme and which finally wound up in a
furore in the midst of which Repre-
sentative Graves was renominated.
When the matter was pending two
years ago a bitter fight was waged for
and against the proposal; the people
outside the proposed county asserting
that the territory within its limits was
not of sufficient wealth to justify the
establishment of county and those
within the district contending that it
was nobody's business whether or not
they could afford county, as they
would have to support it if it was es-
tablshed.
Briefs filed at that time by John I.
Jacobs and others showed that the pro-
posed county contained about 956, 900
acres, and that of that amount only
about 40 per cent. or 318, 050 acres, was
patented; that of the patented land the
Union Pacific owned 10000, leaving
only about 2ll,050 acres owned by in
dividuals. Figures were adduced to
show the low valuation of land. the op-
ponents of the measure asserting that
the land taxes in that district in a CIV
en- year were but $27, 100, while that
portion of the Burlington railroad which
traversed the proposed county was tax
ed $33, III considerably more than the
total tax paid by land owners in that
county.
1t is presumed that the presentation
of another measure looking toward the
same end will result in another determ-
ined fight. Sentiment within the pro-
posed county, it is said, is not unani-
nous in favor Of division, several of
the property owners feeling that the
division will mean an unbearable tax
burden. 1t is evident, however, that
fight is to be made to establish the
new county and that Weld county's
senator and representatives will be re-
quired to put themselves on record be-
fore the end of the session.
The bill is known as House Bill No.
54l and was introduced with hundreds
of others on the last day on which
measures could be introduced in the
house. Weld County News.