The County Seat
Fight
A special election was held on the 12th day of
September, 1881, for the purpose of determining the permanent
location of the county seat of Alturas county, Idaho Territory. The
minutes of the Board of County Commissioners under the date of
September 25, 1881, are as follows: "The returns from the various
precincts (excepting Canon Creek and Indian Creek) having been
received, the said meeting was held publicly, the returns or poll
books were received by the Clerk of this Board, were presented to
the Board, were found duly sealed and were then publicly opened, and
the Board proceeded to canvas and count the votes and it was found
that the town of Hailey received 1070 votes for the county seat, and
that the town of Bellevue received 1071 votes, the town of Ketchum
356, and the town of Rocky Bar 236 votes. On motion the Board
adjourned sine die." There is nothing more in the minutes in regard
to the result of this special election, nor is there anything to
show whether the election returns from Canon Creek and Indian Creek
precincts ever were received. From what follows, it is reasonable to
presume that they were received and counted later, and that the town
of Hailey got a majority of those votes.
The next thing in the minutes in regard to this matter is as
follows: "Ordered by the Board that G. L. Bixby be and he is hereby
authorized and empowered to employ counsel to take all and any steps
necessary in defense of any suit now pending in the District Court
of the Second Judicial District of Idaho Territory in and for
Alturas County, against the Board of County Commissioners of said
county in regard to the removal of the county seat from Rocky Bar.
"Ordered that the clerk of this board notify James H. Hawley,
district attorney, to appear for and defend any suit or suits now
pending in Alturas County, I. T. in which the Board of County
Commissioners or Alturas County is a party." In the minutes of the
District Court under date of October 26, 1881, is the following
entry: "Joseph A. Rupert vs. The Board of County Commissioners of
Alturas County. On motion of F. E. Ensign, Esq., Ordered that this
cause be placed on the calendar." On the following day the case was
set for trial on November 2, 1881.
On that date the motion to dismiss the appeal was argued, submitted,
and taken under advisement. On November 3, 1881,the Court denied the
motion to dismiss the appeal. The case was thereupon tried before
the Court and the Court rendered its decision on the same day, as
follows: "The Court Ordered, Adjudged and Decreed, that the town of
Hailey having received the highest number of votes for county seat,
at the Special Election held in said County of Alturas on the second
Monday of September A. D. 1881, said town of Hailey is hereby
established and confirmed as the permanent county seat of said
Alturas County, and that each party pay his own costs. H. E.
Prickett, Presiding Judge.' In the County Commissioners' minutes of
July 6, 1882, a county warrant for $700.00 was ordered drawn to
defray the expenses of removing the county records from Rocky Bar to
Hailey. The Board then adjourned to meet at Hailey. On August 2,
1882 the Board met at Hailey, I. T., pursuant to adjournment. There
being no Court House at Hailey, the Board rented various rooms for
the county officers.
On July 12, 1882, the following order was made and entered:
"Resolved that the Chairman and Auditor be and they are hereby
authorized and empowered in behalf of the county to enter into a
written lease with L. H. Woodin & Texas Angel, owners of Bullion
Block, for the use of the county for County Jail and County offices
from the 15th day of April, 1883, to such time as the Board of
County Commissioners may decide, at a monthly rental of $425.00
payable quarterly in warrants." This was a two-storied building with
a stone basement and was situated on Lot 1, Block 32. The basement
was used for a jail. The building, now occupied by Jacobs Variety
Store, is situated on the same site.
Alturas County |
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