Government Offices

THE OFFICES SHOULD BE CHANGED

The meeting of the hotel men of the district in this city last week was a practical demonstration of the fact that Cranbrook is the easiest town of access for the district as a whole.  Every community in the district large enough to have a licensed hotel, was represented by one or more persons.  As a result, they came from Moyie, Marysville, Kimberley, Wasa, Fort Steele, Wardner, Cranston, Elko and Fernie.  Of all the towns represented, and that includes every one in the district, all are on the railroad except Fort Steele and Wasa, and in direct communication with Cranbrook.  If they had been compelled to come to Cranbrook, and then hire teams and drive twenty-four miles to transact their business, it would have been different.  It is patent to any and all that the proper and only place for the government offices of this district is in some town on the railroad.  Such a change would conserve to the best interests of the district, and do the greatest good to the greatest number.  It is foolish for the government to retain the offices in a town twelve miles off the railroad, when the great majority of the residents of the district live on the railroad.

The plea that the prospectors of the district demand that the offices remain at Fort Steele is nonsense.  Those who work in the district immediately tributary to Fort Steele would prefer that existing conditions are continued so far as they are concerned, and when the change is made, their rights and privileges will be duly observed, for there will always be need of a recording office at that point.  But there are other mining men who have interests scattered over the district, in the St. Marys country, the North Star hill, Moyie, Bull river, Sand creek, Elk river, Boundary and other districts whose rights and privileges should also be maintained as they constitute the great majority, and they demand a recording office at some point on the railroad.

But the growth of the district the past two years has changed the conditions materially.  Two or three years ago the chief business, and about the only business, was the recording relative to mineral properties.  Today, it is vastly different.  Within this time many towns have sprung into existence, the population has increased twenty fold or more, and the volume of commerce greatly augmented.  This has given rise to much business in the courts, and a general increase of work in the government offices.  The court records show today that nine-tenths of the cases cited for trial are not from Fort Steele or the small territory immediately tributary to it, but from the length and breadth of South East Kootenay as a whole, from the towns located on the railroad.

The people of the district are beginning to realize the situation, and the party or persons who refuses to give the relief they demand in this respect, will have to suffer politically in this district.  It is not a contest between towns and individuals, but simply a matter of justice and common sense to the people of the district.  No one blames the people of Fort Steele for protesting against it.  It is human nature to be selfish when one’s own interests are involved, and it is but natural for the people of that town to work against such a change.  But this should not deter the government from taking into consideration the needs and convenience of the people as a whole, and not one single town or community.