Wood River Times

HOW THE DIVISION BUSINESS LOOKS NOW.

Now that the excitement incident to the division contest has died out, it is a fitting time to look backward over the field and see what has been accomplished. Three months ago Alturas was in fact the empire county of the Territory. The past twenty-five years a vast debt had accumulated, and this debt had just been bonded and county warrants, for the first time in the history of the county, stood at par. Good roads had been built into every portion of the county, and bridges spanned her streams wherever travel demanded them. A magnificent court-house adorned her county-seat, and her records were the most complete of any county in the Territory. Her school system had been a model worthy of imitation and schools had been conducted in the various districts for three-fourths of the year; taxation had been reduced to a basis of $2.85 on the $100-the lowest it had ever reached in the history of the county. The credit of the county was at a high standard, as is evidenced by the fact that our bonds found a ready sale in the financial market at 6 and 7 per cent. An election had just been held and the officials had the confidence of the people, and whatever incompetency there may have been in the management of our public offices was remedied. Those interested with the management of our county offices had made an earnest and sincere effort to reduce current expenses; the salaries of our officials, who had heretofore been paid the maximum allowance, were reduced. Bills against the county were subjected to the most rigid scrutiny. A kindlier feeling seemed to prevail among the different sections of our people, and the whole future was rosy with the promise of brighter days for old Alturas.

Over this bright picture comes the shadow of the division of the county. Nearly three months have passed in expensive litigation. The most intense and bitter personal feuds rend our people. The interest on our bonds, based upon the good faith of the people, is liable to go by default. In the confusion many of the public schools are closing. No one but an idiot will claim that the requisite taxation can be levied on a basis as low as 2.85 on the $100. Even if it should be done this year the valuation must be tripled next year to make up the deficiency. To the expense of litigation among ourselves must be anticipated that from outsiders who hold our bonds. What was saved in reducing salaries and curtailing current expenses is in danger of being spent in litigation. Let it be understood that we are here referring to Alturas county as it stood before division-including Logan and Elmore counties. The matters we now refer to affect the PEOPLE in these three counties. The mere fact that a new geographical line divides Alturas county does not affect the condition of things within the borders of old Alturas. What we say here applies with equal force to Elmore and Logan counties. Not one person in one hundred comprehends the difficulties which this iniquitous legislation has heaped upon the people living within the borders of these three counties. Had this division been an amicable one and acceptable to the people affected, all this trouble could have been avoided. But it must be apparent to any observing person that, as matters now stand, it is war to the knife and the knife to the hilt. The fight is now on a narrow margin. An early hearing on the appeal, now in the Supreme Court at Washington, may reverse the present order of things. It is this unsettled and uncertain condition of things that affects us so injuriously.

In the meantime the carnival of expense goes on. Here are two county governments preparing to organize in the face of the uncertainty of litigation. Courthouses and jails must be provided for. Books of record must be purchased. Salaries must be fixed for their officials and transcriptions must be made from the records of this county. Have the people any idea where all this will lead to? Remember we are only referring to the ADDITIONAL expense on the people within the borders of old Alturas county, necessitated by this division legislation. We could approximate what it would have been under Alturas, and all who are conversant with county affairs know that there would have been a still further reduction in our taxation for the coming year. This reduction would have affected all the people within the borders of the present three counties. But now let us make a rough estimate of the INCREASE that will fall upon the people. We believe it a fair estimate to say that the litigation for the three counties will cost $10,000. One of the new counties last week gave an order for books and stationery amounting to $3000. No one will pretend to put the book and stationery account of these two counties at less than $5000 each. Now, add the county salaries of Elmore at $4500 and Logan at $3000. Let us assume that it will cost $5000 to make transcripts of the records. And now let us put the additional expenses of these counties in the aggregate at $10,000. Here is a rough estimate of over $40,000 the people must pay for the division of their county.

Let us take another view backward. The people of Shoshone were lured into the division scheme by getting the county-seat temporarily. They now find that an election must be held to fix the county-seat permanently. By canvassing the votes at the last election they find the northern part of the county will outvote them nearly three to one. This means Bellevue for the permanent county-seat-within four miles of another county-seat. And now the people of Shoshone are almost unanimously opposed to division as the lines stand. So with Glenn's Ferry and Mountain Home. It will be remembered at the last election Mountain Home and Bellevue traded votes-Bellevue voting in favor of division by giving four votes, and Mountain Home, in good faith, voting for Bellevue's Commissioner, Whitton, by 147 votes. This insult upon Glenn's Ferry and upon her candidate for Commissioner, Mr. Glenn, is by no means forgotten and they swear by the eternal that Mountain Home shall never be the county-seat of Elmore. Here, then, we find the people of these two counties already at swords points on the county-seat question. If the outcome of these county-seat fights is anything like it was when Bellevue had the effrontery to contest this question with Hailey, then those counties may add a few more thousands to their litigation account. By looking backward our prospect is suggestive of the story of the monkey and the parrot.