USA > Montana > Yellowstone County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 57
USA > Montana > Park County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 57
USA > Montana > Dawson County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 57
USA > Montana > Rosebud County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 57
USA > Montana > Custer County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 57
USA > Montana > Sweet Grass County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 57
USA > Montana > Carbon County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 57
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Stockgrowers National bank held its paper to the amount of about $45,000. The plant was put in the hands of a receiver and things went from bad to worse. The plant was offered to the city for $17,000 and in May, 1895, an elec- tion was held which resulted in a vote of 344 in favor of bonds and 148 against the proposi- tion of municipal responsibility. The bonds were sold and the $17,000 paid over to the receiver, and the city took possession April I, 1896. A new dynamo was bought for the lighting plant at a cost of $1,600. A well was dug 150 feet long. 30 feet wide and 15 feet deep, timbered with three inch plank and cov- ered with corrugated iron. It seemed for the next two years that the problem had been solved. In the second season the water dwindled and prompt action was necessary. An eight inch main was laid 1,500 feet to Tongue river and water was conducted to the well with a gravity fall. So much clay ran into the well from the Tongue river that the outlet was covered and several hundred dollars were spent each year to clean the well. At an election held on the 7th of April, 1902, further bonds were voted to the amount of $15,000 for the purpose of mov- ing the plant to the Tongue river and since that time Miles City has had an ample water supply of good quality. While the city has been to a great deal of expense in getting a suitable supply of water it has at the same time saved a great deal of money to the consumers of light and water, and the acquisition of the water works and lighting plant are now con- sidered the ablest piece of city business ever transacted by the city fathers.
The Carnegie Public Library was estab- lished in Miles City in 1902. When Mr. Car- negie began his library gifts, Miles City was one of the early aspirants and was soon recog- nized. The gift of $10,000 became operative in October, 1901, by the acceptance of the city council and its pledges to furnish a mainten- ance fund of $1,000 per year for all time. A fine location for the building was donated and
352
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
on March 25. 1903, the library was dedicated by appropriate ceremonies. At the start only a few hundred books were possessed by the li- brary, but in about three years that number has grown and now there are over 2,000 books on the shelves besides about 350 pamphlets and over 50 standard periodicals. This remark- able growth is due to the lady members of the association who have been untiring in their ef- forts to increase the number of works in the library. The borrowing patronage now ag- gregate over fifty books exchanged every day and the reading room is taxed to its fullest capacity. The executive board is composed of the following ladies : Mesdames M. G. Maples. R. H. Butler, H. W. McIntire, H. C. Smith, Kate Warner, Laura Zook, T. J. Por- ter, J. S. Truscott and C. S. Whitney. Mrs. Laura Zook is the librarian.
Miles City is well supplied with places of worship, having four churches where regular services are held with a large attendance. The first church ever held here was held in a log building on Main street in 1879 and the first Sunday school was organized the same year. This held its sessions in a small log school house. The first church erected was built by the Catholic denomination in 1881 and was soon followed by the Methodists who com- pleted their edifice in the early part of 1882. The Presbyterian church was built in 1883 and the Baptist in 1884, but this denomination gave up their church organization in 1895 and affiliated with the other churches of the town. The Episcopal church was erected in 1886. A new Presbyterian church edifice will be erected this year ( 1906) at a cost of $20,000.
The postmasters who have had charge of the mail facilities in Miles City since 1877, have been : Louis Payette, C. W. Savage, N. Borchardt, John McAusland, Charles Seyde, E. S. Beeman. Miss Ada Bennett and the pre- sent occupant of the office, Jolin Towers.
It is worthy of note in the history of Miles City that in all the elections held here, that
there never has been a political contest and very rarely more than one ticket in the field. This can be explained by the statement that the people of Miles City care more for the general welfare of the community than for the temporary supremacy of any political party in city affairs. The people of this town have always been very fortunate in the selection of their city officers and there is no blot on the official record of this town.
The officers of the town since it was in- corporated have been :
1887-Mayor, E. H. Johnson; aldermen, C. E. Brown, C. B. Towers, W. H. Bullard and W. L. Lansing; city clerk, Sam Gordon.
1888-Mayor, George Scheetz; aldermen, A. E. Flagler, B. K. Holt, W. H. Bullard and C. E. Brown; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1889-Mayor, R. G. Redd; aldermen, H. Moran, J. C. Callahan, Ed. Campbell, and L. Bach; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1890-Mayor, F. M. Kreidler; aldermen, R. I. Stuart, D. J. Crowley, J. S. Truscott, and H. Moran; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1891-Mayor, J. W. Watson; aldermen, E. F. Fish, W. H. Bullard, D. J. Crowley and R. I. Stuart ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1892-Mayor. H. B. Wiley ; aldermen, W. H. Bullard, E. F. Fish, N. P. Sorenson and Thos. Gibb ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1893-Mayor, Jeptha Ryan ; aldermen, W. H. Bullard, Thos. Gibb, H. W. McIntire and N. P. Sorenson; clerk. Sam Gordon.
1894-Mayor, Jeptha Ryan ; aldermen, W. H. Bullard, H. W. McIntire, C. S. Whitney and Chas. O'Neil; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1895-Mayor, C. W. Savage; aldermen, W. H. Bullard, Chas. O'Neil. H. W. McIntire, and C. S. Whitney ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1896-Mayor, C. W. Savage; aldermen, W. H. Bullard, Thos. Gibb, WV. P. Waters and C. S. Whitney ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1897-Mayor, E. T. Carr; aldermen. W. H. Bullard, W. W. Andrus, Thos. Gibb and C. S. Whitney; clerk Sam Gordon.
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
1898-Mayor, E. T. Carr; aldermen, W. H. Bullard, W. W. Andrus, Thos. Gibb and J. E. de Carle ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1899-Mayor, W. W. Andrus; aldermen, F. J. Wilson, J. E. de Carle, Thos. Gibb and W. S. Snell; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1900-Mayor, W. W. Andrus; aldermen, J. E. de Carle, F. J. Wilson, Thos. Gibb and W. S. Snell; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1901-Mayor, W. W. Andrus; aldermen, J. E. de Carle, F. J. Wilson, Thos. Gibb and Wm. Gerhart; clerk, Sam Gordon.
. 1902-Mayor, W. W. Andrus; aldermen, J. E. de Carle, F. J. Wilson, Thos. Gibb and Wm. Gerhart; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1903-Mayor. W. W. Andrus; aldermen, J. E. de Carle, F. J. Wilson, Thos. Gibb and L. C. Bruning ; clerk, Sam Gordon.
1904-Mayor, W. W. Andrus; aldermen, L. C. Bruning, W. H. Bullard, J. E. de Carle and Benj. Levalley ; clerk. T. A. Maples.
1905-Mayor, W. W. Andrus; aldermen, W. H. Bullard, Geo. W. Farr, W. A. Jordon and J. E. de Carle ; clerk, J. E. Farnum.
1906-Mayor, W. W. Andrus ; aldermen, WV. H. Bullard, Geo. W. Farr, W. A. Jordon and R. H. Butler ; clerk, J. E. Farnum.
Miles City is well supplied with lodge or- ganizations, having thirteen flourishing orders here. They are: Yellowstone Lodge No. 26, A. F. & A. M. Miles City Chapter, R. A. M. Miles Commandery, No. 1I, K. T. Custer Chapter No. 25, Order of Eastern Star. Miles City Lodge, No. 537, B. P. O. E. Custer Lodge No. 13, I. O. O. F. Yellowstone Re- bekah Lodge No. 27. Custer Camp No. 354. WV. O. W. Crusader Lodge No. 7, K. P. Tongue River Lodge No. 35, A. O. U. W. Morning Star Lodge No. 36, D. of H. Mod- ern Woodmen of America and Miles City Aerie, No. 885, F. O. E.
As a shipping point, Miles City has always been in the lead and the shipments of horses. cattle, sheep and wool amount to many mil- lions of pounds. During the year 1905, over
11,000 head of horses were shipped and over 13,000 head of cattle, also more than 50,000 head of sheep and over 6,000,000 pounds of wool. Annually several horse and cattle sales are held in Miles City and large numbers of horses and cattle are sold. Buyers come here from all parts of the United States and train loads are sold here and sent to the eastern markets, thus bringing a large sum of money to Miles City each year.
In the early part of the year 1906, it was definitely known that the Chicago, St. Paul & Milwaukee railroad would build through this section of Montana. The Miles City Chamber of Commerce, as ever, wide-awake and alert for any advantages that the city might acquire, at once took steps to have the railroad build through the town. Although almost unsur- mountable objects barred their progress, yet they kept at it and finally through the generous contributions of the citizens and business men they secured the necessary amount to buy the right-of-way through the city. In their ne- gotiations with the railroad company, they offered them the right-of-way free if they would pass through the town. After several months of anxious waiting, the railroad com- pany, in the early part of June, informed the chamber of commerce that their offer had been accepted and that the road would build its line through the north part of town, on Ohio street. This means much to the future of Miles City, as it will bring in new business enterprises, new business methods, new blood and more capital, and will undoubtedly make Miles City the most thriving town in Eastern Montana.
Since it has been definitely known that the Milwaukee is to pass through this city, many new business enterprises are promulgated and the year 1906 will show greater building and business activity than has ever been experi- enced in the city of Miles.
Miles City is, and has always been, a city of metropolitan tendencies. It is a city of
23
354
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
about three thousand population with excellent schools, churches, public buildings, graded streets with paved curbs and gutters, electric lights. an effective water system-both fire, domestic and irrigating. and a good sewerage system. The people of Miles City are enter- prising and have always kept abreast of the rest of the world in securing those comforts and pleasurers that are beyond the reach of many localities. They take a great deal of pride in their city, which is well attested to in the num- ber of finely kept lawns, beautiful shade trees and shrubbery that surrounds almost every dwelling in the city. The visitor's first excla- mation, when he arrives in sight of the town, is, "Oh, look at all the beautiful trees." Mile- sians have just cause to feel proud of their well kept and beautiful city.
OTHER TOWNS.
The village of Terry is a thriving little town 39 miles northeast of Miles City on the Northern Pacific railroad and Yellowstone river. This town was established in 1880 and now boasts of a population of about 175. Miles City is the county seat and banking point. Terry is one of the shipping points of Custer county and has a daily mail. telegraph and express office. Stages run from this
point to Whitney and Sandstone semi-weekly. Terry has two general merchandise stores, two hardware stores, two livery stables, two saloons, a lumber yard, confectionery store, repair shop. photographer, hotel, and a Union church has just been organized and arrange- ments made for the erection of a church edi- fice in the near future.
Ekalaka is a growing interior town in the midst of a rich farming and stock settlement about 85 miles southeast of Miles City, the county seat, banking and shipping point. The town was started in 1884 and has a population of about 125. . \ tri-weekly stage runs from this place to Miles City and Belle Fourche, S. D. It boasts of a church, district school, general store, hardware store, drug store, two hotels. blacksmith shop. two livery stables, stage office. three saloons, a lawyer and a physician.
The postoffices of Custer county are : Alzada, Beebe. Blatchford, Broadus. Capitol, Cedar, Ekalaka. Ericson, Etna, Ewalt, Excie, Fallon, Fivemile. Fort Keogh. Garland, Gra- ham. Hockett, Kingsley, Kinsey, Knowlton, Midland, Miles City, Mizpah, Moorhead, Ot- ter, Powderville. Preston, Ridge, Sadie, Sand- stone. Selway. Shirley, Stacy, Stone Shack, Teedee, and Terry. 36 in all. At some of these postoffices a general store is located, but the majority of the offices are at ranch houses.
CHAPTER 1II
DESCRIPTIVE.
Here in the land of Herds. The cattle of ten thousand vales Trail to the Yellowstone; Great hands of sheep skip gaily O'er the bad land buttes. And fatten on their rich exhaustless verdure."
The territory embraced by Custer county is i.urger than many states of the Union. It is
larger than the state of Massachusetts and were it as densely populated, it would have a population of over four million instead of six thousand.
In regard to the climate of Custer county it may be said that at least for four-fifths of the year the skies are cloudless, with occasional
355
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
rains from April until July. During the "heated term." July and August, the temper- ature ranges from 90 to 120, but because of the thin, dry atmosphere it does not have the de- pressing effect noticeable in more humid sec- tions. In winter it sometimes gets to be very cold, but usually only a short cold spell is ex- perienced and cattle and horses run the range during the entire winter, and are seldom, if ever. fed unless a great quantity of snow falls.
Everywhere along the Yellowstone valley the soil is a thick gumbo which during iet weather makes traveling very disagreeable. but when irrigated produces wonderful crops of alfalfa and vegetables.
The county is very thinly populated and less than half the territory embraced within this county is yet unsurveyed. The settlements are along the rivers and creeks. When one considers that Miles City contains about half the population of the county, it is very evident that the homes in this vast scope of of territory are few and far between. The Tongue river and its tributaries is the most thickly settled and many fine homes are found along its banks.
The principal streams are the Tongue and Powder and Little Missouri rivers, Pumpkin, ()'Fallon, Beaver and Big Box Elder creeks, which, with the exception of Tongue and Pow- dler rivers rise in the Big Horn mountains in lands" and broken country in the southern part of the county. The Tongue and Pow- dler rivers rise in the Big Horn mountains in Wyoming. The soil in the narrow river and creek bottoms produces abundant crops when irrigated. The country between the streams is so broken that it will not permit of irrigation and can never be used for anything but range purposes. The hills are covered with a pro- lific growth of bunch grass which starts to grow early in the spring, and, though it dries up early. it is very nutritious food for stock and they keep fat the year round.
In the vicinity of Ekalaka, about 85 miles
from Miles City, is a rich strip of farming land where excellent crops of all kinds are raised. It is a high plateau at the head of Beaver creek and irrigation is almost unneces- sary as the water is close to the surface and the soil is a black sandy loam. This is prac- tically the only section of Custer county where crops are raised without irrigation.
The development of the agricultural possi- bilities of the valleys of Custer county is yet in its infancy and few people realize the possi- bilities and advantages of this section. It will not be long, however, before this great domain will be transformed as if by magie from a bunch grass plain into waving fields of grain, homes will be erected at near intervals and groves and orchards planted and agriculture will be- come king in this county. Many who had for years followed the less staple pursuit of range industry have adopted the semi-range plan and are farming in earnest with good results, and there are now in this section some of the model farms of the state.
On the north side of the Yellowstone val- ley is a high, dry, broken country where farm- ing can never be practiced successfully, but it is an excellent range and thousands of head of stock are pastured there every year. The ab- sence of streams and the narrowness of the creek bottoms of the streams that run through this section, preclude the possibility of home building. But on the south side of the Yellow- stone, no such condition exists. The streams are plentiful, the valleys wider, the soil richer, and the agricultural possibilities when once un- dertaken will be almost unlimited. Hay. grain, fruit and vegetables thrive along these streams and give a prolific yield.
While there is a great deal of rich and fer- tile soil in Custer county, there is so much of the territory that can never be utilized for agricultural purposes, that this section will continue to be a great stock country and its chief wealth will come from stock husbandry. Since the fact became known, about 1880, that
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
this was a good stock ranging country this county has been among the fore- most as stock
a producer. Since the hard winter of 1886-7, the stock business has rapidly forged ahead, and, owing to the increased prices of stock during the past few years, the stockmen have become wealthy. The principal revenue of the county is from the assessments on stock.
Custer county has the reputation all over the United States of raising the best horses and cattle that are put on the market, and stock buyers from all parts of the country gather at Miles City several times a year when the horse and cattle sales are in progress and purchase thousands of horses and cattle which are shipped to every market in the United States where they again find a ready sale at
good prices. It is estimated that about 30,- 000 head of horses and cattle, 60,000 head of sheep and about 8,000,000 pounds of wool are shipped from Custer county every year.
The people of Custer county are energetic. broad minded and law-abiding citizens. They take a deep interest in political and educational matters. They have always been very careful in the selection of men to fill the different offices of the county who have the manage- ment of county affairs, and only recently voted to build and equip a $35,000 county high school where their children may get the bene- fits of a good education by which they will be better fitted to enjoy the higher things of life and better able to battle against the hardships and struggles that they must contend with in later life.
CHAPTER IV
POLITICAL.
The political history of the county of Cus- ter, at one time the largest county in the United States, dates back farther than any of the other counties in Eastern Montana, and reads something like a romance. The territory which was named Custer county in 1877 was set apart in 1865, when this state was a part of Idaho territory, as Big Horn county, but there being no settlements in any part of it, no county organization was ever effected. The bill creat- ing the county of Custer passed the territorial legislature February 16, 1877, and was ap- proved by Governor B. F. Potts on the same day. The governor named as county commis- sioners of the new county. N. Borchardt, D. A. Ringer and John Smith, with instructions to meet and organize the county by appointing county officers and selecting a county sent.
The board held its first session on June 14.
1877, and its first official act after naming Mr. Borchardt as chairman, was to designate the town of Miles City as the seat of government for the new county. This was followed by the appointment of A. Carmichael as probate judge; John McCormick, county clerk ; Mat. Carroll, treasurer; Hugh Hoppe, sheriff ; Charles Johnson, assessor, and A. B. Hicks as coroner. For the Miles City precinct Russell Briggs was named as the first justice of the peace and M. T. Hall as the first constable.
On November 5, 1878, the first county elec- tion was held and the vote was as follows :
For Congressman, Sample Orr, rep., 10: Martin Maginnis, dem., 342.
Delegate to Legislative Assembly, P. W. McAdow, dem., 89: Paul McCormick, rep , 258.
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
For District Attorney, R. P. Irwin, dem .. 54; James Calloway, rep., 29.
The record of the votes for county officers during this year is not obtainable, but we have the names of the officers who were elected to the several county offices. They are : Wm. Van Gasken, D. F. McMillan and J. C. Guy as county commissioners ; Thomas H. Irvine, as sheriff ; C. W. Savage, as treasurer, and T. B. Wilson as county clerk.
At the next general election held in 1880 nearly 1,000 votes were cast, a very large ill- crease over the vote of 1878. The vote for the congressional and district tickets was as follows :
For Congress, Martin Maginnis, dem., 763 : W. F. Sanders, rep .. 433.
For Legislative Assembly, James B. Hub- bell, dem., 616; Ed Cardwell, rep .. 665 ; W. O. P. Hays, dem., 669: W. W. Morris, dem .. 674; Paul McCormick, rep., 548; P. V. Jack- son, rep., 181 ; L. M. Black, dem., 347; W. W. Alderson, rep., 338: W. H. Grover, dem., 10; A. M. Ball, rep., 72.
For Representatives, James H. Garlock, dem., 740; \V. D. O'Toole, rep., 429.
For Joint Representatives, Curtis L. Har- rington, dem., 626; J. W. Allen, rep .. 398; J J. Graham, rep., 126.
For District Attorney, James E. Calloway. rep., 408; F. K. Armstrong, dem., 12.
For County Commissioners, Josiah Nich- ols, dem., 675; Edward Fawkes, rep., 420; Alonzo McNeil, dem., 74; J. W. Smith, rep .. 497.
For Sheriff and Assessor, T. H. Irvine, dem .. 566; A. P. Flanagan, rep., 120.
For Treasurer and Superintendent of Schools, L. Payette, dem., 398; C. W. Savage. rep .. 507 : Ed Flynn, ind., 274.
For County Clerk and Probate Judge, C. G. Cox, dem., 394: Charles Walker, rep., 567 : W. H. Ross, ind., 214.
Coroner, T. A. Davie, dem., 597; A. H. Hersey, rep .. 467: J. B. Prince, ind., 112.
For County Surveyor, Martin Kelly, dem., 675; H. A. Combs, rep., 225.
C. W. Savage held the office of treasurer until June 7, 1882, when he resigned and W. W. Carland was appointed by the county com- missioners to fill the vacancy.
At the general election held in November, 1882, a large increase in the number of votes cast is shown. This election is indelibly marked upon the memories of all old times in this section, because it was at this time that several men were elected who besmirched the fair political record of Custer county. The re- sult of the vote was as follows :
For Congress, Martin Maginnis, dem., 1,937 ; A. C. Botkin, rep., 953.
For Legislative Council, Charles G. Cox, (leni., 1,430; Walter A. Burleigh, rep., 783: W. A. Burleigh, rep., 540.
For Representatives, P. W. McAdow, dem., 1.784; John J. Alderson, rep., 1,322; S. Erwin, rep., 1.443; Fred N. Foster, dem., 1,082.
For District Attorney. A. F. Burleigh, rep., 849; T. R. Edwards, dem., 1.552; An- drew F. Burleigh, rep., 372.
For Sheriff, Phillip Brady, rep., 1,028; J. W. Johnson, dem., 1,826.
For Treasurer, Albert B. Curry, rep., 1,005; W. W. Carland, dem., 1,854.
For Clerk and Recorder, Sam O'Connell. rep., 1,019; L. S. Taylor, dem .. 1,853.
Assessor, C. C. Gates, dem., 1,470; Wm. Woods, rep., 782; A. P. Glanagan, ind., 305; John Chinnick, ind., 285.
For Probate Judge, Charles Walker, dem., 1.552; W. C. Staehle, rep., 810; Arthur H. O'Conner, ind., 463; Chas. Brown, ind., 35.
County Commissioners, Joseph Leighton, rep., 1,233; James B. Hubbell, dem., 1,357; D. A. Robertson, dem., 1,390; John M. Tink- ler, rep .. 1,270; Alonzo McNeil, dem., 1,224; Caleb Rich, rep., 1,435 ; W. H. Bullard, dem .. 427.
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY.
For County Surveyor, W. B. Gaw, rep., 2,482.
Coroner, R. G. Redd, dem., 2,824.
Superintendent of Schools, A. C. Logan, dem .. 1.744; C. B. Thomas, rep., 1,040.
The county commissioners, Russell Briggs. J. B. Hubbell and D. A. Robertson, and County Clerk L. S. Taylor were ousted from office by an act of the Legislature in 1883 for alleged misappropriation of county funds and other irregularities in their respective offices. It is estimated that Custer county lost from thirty to fifty thousand dollars during their short re- gime. It was at this time that Russell Briggs, chairman of the board of county commissioners, took several thousand dollars and went east to purchase furniture for the new courthouse. Neither Mr. Briggs nor the money has ever been seen or heard of since that time. Indict- ments were brought by the grand jury against the county commissioners and the county clerk, hut owing to the fact that their faction con- trolled the powers of justice at that time in Custer county the case terminated shortly in favor of the defendants. From that date to the present the affairs of the county have run along without particular incident and the county has enjoyed a good business manage- ment of its affairs. After the commissioners and county clerk were removed from office by the Legislature in 1883. Wm. Van Gasken, T. J. Bryan and George M. Miles were ap- pointed commissioners and J. H. Garlock, clerk and recorder.
A special election was held April 16, 1883, for the election of a new board of county com- missioners which resulted as follows :
Alonzo McNeil, dem., 149; T. J. Bryan, rep .. 830; \V. H. Bullard, dem., 745; C. W. Anderson, rep., 845.
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