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The records of the first Board of County
Commissioners of Alturas county, now in the fireproof vault of the
Blaine County Court House, and which are as legible today as the day
they were written, namely, April 4, A. D. 1864, show that the Board
consisted of Samuel Stover, chairman, Robert A. Sidebottom and John
Roach. Their Clerk, who was also Auditor and Recorder, was Charles
Woodbury Walker. The Sheriff was John G. Howell. All these officers
were appointed by William B. Daniels, Acting Governor of the
Territory of Idaho. The Board, after approving the bonds of said
officers, took a recess until 2 o'clock P. M. The minutes disclose
that "pursuant to adjournment the Court convened at 2 o'clock."
Whereupon the following order was made and entered: "It appearing to
the Court that, whereas the first session of the legislature located
the county seat of said county at a place known as Esmeralda in
said county, and whereas it seems impossible for this Court, as
required by law, to provide proper offices, and procure stationery,
lights and fuel for said offices at said Esmeralda, therefore, it is
ordered that the county seat be, and the same is hereby transferred
from the said Esmeralda to the town of Rocky Bar, on Bear Creek, in
said county of Alturas, Idaho Territory." Here is presented the
unique spectacle of a quasi-judicial body overruling an Act of the
legislature which had been duly approved. No appeal was taken and
Rocky Bar remained the county seat until after the special election
in September, 1881.
The removal of county seats have often
engendered a great deal of ill feeling, and, at times, the shedding
of human blood. This was a notable exception.
Alturas County |
