Originally printed in the News and Observer, and reprinted on the editorial page of the Watauga Democrat, Boone, N.C., February 2, 1911.
The final hearing on the bill to establish Avery county out
of portions of Caldwell, Watauga and Mitchell counties was given by the Senate
and House committee on Counties, Cities and Towns yesterday afternoon. The bill
was opposed by Messrs. J. M. Peterson, superintendent of public instruction in
Mitchell, ex-Sheriff A.A. Wiseman, T.A. English and W.W. Bailey, all of Spruce
Pine in the county; while it was advocated by T.A. Love Esq. of Saginaw,
Mitchell; ex-Judge W.B. Councill of Hickory; Lieutenant Governor Newlaud and
Representative Spainhour of Burke.
Mr. Peterson argued that Avery would be another pauper
county. The debt of Mitchell at this time is such that, if it were not for the
State aid, the free schools would last no longer than two and a half months per
year. The question of convenience would be settled, he said, by the removal of
the county seat from Bakersville. The erection of a new county would result in
doubling the taxes in both territories for the next 50 years, and in addition
it would be heavily republican.
Mr. Peterson introduced as one of his associates in opposing
the bill ex-Sheriff A.A. Wiseman, now 80 years of age. Mr. Wiseman stated that
he was the largest tax payer in Mitchell; that he owns at this time 3,500 acres
of land, assessed at $15,500, and that, if the committee wanted to double his
tax, why just give us Avery. He was no talking man, he said, but he could say
that.
Mr. W. Bailey said that the people of Snow Creek, Grassy
Creek, and other townships were all opposed to another county. So anxious, in
fact, were they to sign petitions against the proposition that they hollowed to
him from every hill top as he passed through.
Mr. T.A. English stated to the committee the terms of his
contract entered into by himself and Representative Norman during the campaign.
In consideration of Norman’s promise not to spring a new county issue, English
was to do all he could to secure Norman’s election, and ever since the opening
of the legislature he had received letters from Norman saying that he was
undertaking to do nothing along that line now. Until the return of Mr. McBee,
who was here last week, they were all ignorant of any attempt to erect Avery.
T.A. Love Esq. of the east end of Mitchell made the opening
address for the advocates of the county. He also alleged an agreement entered
into by prominent west-enders, among them, George K. Pritchard, ex-Senator
Black and others to the effect that the new county would meet their
approbation.
As to the allegation that it would be a deficit county, he
said this would not be true of Mitchell if the Board of Commissioners were not
careful to see to it that assessments were kept too low to insure the State’s
getting anything. They would always be a pauper county, he argued, if they were
not allowed to manage for themselves.
Judge W.B. Councill said that he had been all over the
territory affected, as well as into every county in North Carolina, and that in
his opinion, no more meritorious new county prop0osition ever came before the
General Assembly. The situation was such in point of court facilities that the
people of that section were burdened beyond endurance.
Judge Councill submitted figures ending to show that 130
square miles were to be taken from Mitchell; property valuation, $1,000,000,
population 7,???, that Mitchell will be left with 193 square miles, property
valuation $1,500,000, population more than 8,600. There are 18 counties with
less population than Avery would have, about 10 smaller in acreage, and 12 with
less property valuation.
He had come to plead for Avery, he said, without money and
without price. He was receiving neither a fee nor his expenses.
Lieutenant Governor Newland and Representative Spainhour
both assured the committee that, if new counties were established to answer a
necessity in point of convenience, then the Avery proposition is meritorious.
Both had gone over the section, and each corroborated the other in the
statement that in the winter the road across Cane Creek mountain has been so
bad that four horses would have to be put to a hack to haul four men over to
court.
Mr. Spainhour said that, while in Mitchell, he had urged
upon the people that they should assess their property at a higher figure,
something more nearly approaching its market value. For the first time in his
life, he said, he heard then the argument that they oughtn’t to do that, since
it might mean some money to the State.
Representative Hagaman and Senator Wagoner, of Watauga, told
the committee that the people would not oppose the county, in case, as had been
agreed, an amendment were adopted to leave the question of Watauga territory to
a vote of its citizens. In case the committee should not accept such amendment,
they wanted to go on record as opposing the measure.
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