Page:1887 Compiled Laws of Dakota Territory.pdf/168

County Officers. select the place of county seat by ballot as provided by law; provided, however, that no person shall be entitled to vote at such election unless he is a qualified elector as provided by the laws then existing. Immediately after the selection of said county seat is ascertained, either by the county commissioners' selection thereof or by the canvass of the returns of votes, the county commissioners shall issue their proclamation announcing such fact, and publish the same in a newspaper published in said county if there be one, or, if not, by posting a copy thereof in a public place in each election precinct of said county.

§ 543. In all matters not specially provided for in this act the county commissioners appointed under this act shall be governed by the laws then existing.

§ 544. All elections under this act where not otherwise provided shall be conducted in the same manner as required by law to in general elections, and no refusal or neglect on the part of any official to perform his lawful duties in connection therewith shall in any wise affect the validity of said election.

§ 545. The commissioners of any county organized under this act are hereby empowered and it is made their duty to procure transcripts of all records of the original county that in their judgment may be necessary for the use and benefit of their county, and it is hereby made the duty of all county officers having the custody of any books, papers and records to allow such commissioners or any authorized person in their behalf full and free access to any and all such books, papers and records for the objects and purposes herein named and for the completion thereof.

§ 546. Any county organized under this act shall assume and pay as herein provided a just proportion of the indebtedness of the county from which it segregated, based upon the last assessed valuation of said original county, and in the proportion that the valuation within the segregated portion bears to the aggregate of the valuation with the whole of the original county; and it is hereby made the duty of the commissioners of both the county organized under this act and the county from which the latter segregates, to meet together at the county seat of the original county on the third Monday in the sixth month following the appointment of county commissioners by the governor as provided for in this act. They shall ascertain as near as may be the total outstanding indebtedness of the original county on the first day of January or July, as the case may require, next preceding the date of the joint session provided for in this section, and from such total they shall make the following deductions, to wit:

1. The amount of all dues for rents.

2. The amount of outstanding bonds given or money paid for public property owned by and remaining within the limits of the original county.

3. The amount of public funds on hand and belonging to the original county on the day for which its outstanding indebtedness is ascertained by the joint board of county commissioners as provided for in this section, and not belonging to the special rein after mentioned. The amount remaining after such deductions shall have been made shall, for the purpose and as a basis for the settlement herein provided, be the amount which the county organized under this act shall pay a proportion of, in the proportion hereinbefore specified, and it shall be the duty of

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