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Show Public Statement Incites I Countyseaters To Fury Report of Attempt to "Gobble" Bonds Vigorously Denied News Gets Information Infor-mation at Public Mass Meeting. The Manti Messenger, taking exceptions ex-ceptions to the printed report in the Gunnison Valleys News of the mass road meeting held in this city on January Jan-uary 29, at which time much discussion discus-sion was had when State Road Agent Parley Christiansen stated in open meeting that it had been "hinted" that Manti and some of the county officials were planning on trying to "put one over" and annex the $35,-000 $35,-000 road bonds and extend the hard surface paving south from Manti, insists in-sists that an apology is due. for the "slanderous" insinuations. Replying to the article of The News, the Messenger Mes-senger says: "Some one in the south end of the county has either had too ranch 'hooch' or is trying to create an impression im-pression at the expense of the people of Manti, according to the report which appeared in last week's issue of The Gunnison Valley News.' As soon as a copy of the "News" was received in the Messenger office an investigation was started to ascertain ascer-tain what foundation there was for the report. Several men, who ought to know if such a scheme was on foot were interviewed, but not a single man, except one, and he only knew of the affair because some one in Gunnison had a&ked him about it, could be found -who had ever heard of such a suggestion. In response to a registered letter of inquiry concerning con-cerning the report, County Road Agent Parley Christiansen came to the Messenger, office Wednesday and stated that he had not made any such hints or accusation, but that in the general discussion of road matters in the meeting held in Gunnison it had been said that there was a possibility, although it was only a possibility so far as he knew, that the federal government gov-ernment might refuse to divide their road building program in the county but would insist on building on to the south end of Mauti Main, street paving. pav-ing. Mr. Christiansen, when pressed further, stated that the idea of this possibility had grown out of a conversation con-versation he had had with one of the count.y commissioners, but it was only a conversation and a possibility suggested in that conversation. When the report was read here the Messenger office naturally thought that if the report was tree, certainly the mayor of Manti City 'would know something about it. When approached, ap-proached, Mayor Madsen said he had never heard of it before, and was surprised that any person would make such, a suggestion. Several of the counciimen were asked what they knew about it and all they said they had never, heard of it before. Members Mem-bers of the Commercial club' were asked, and the same answer given. County Clerk Edmonds knew nothing of it. Working men who congregate in the shops to talk had not heard of it. In 'tact there is no one in Manti who had ever heard or even dreamed of such a thing until the false accusation accu-sation was made in Gunnison. Some one down the line owes the people of Manti an apology, and I should be big enough (o retract the Messenger man had called on either of the committeemen named at the mass meeting, either C, M. Madsen, C P. Larson or C. M. Edwards, elected elect-ed by the citizens to investigate the charges, his burdens would have been easier. This committee, appointed In visit Manti citizens and the chairman of the county board of commissioners, commission-ers, or anyone else that could throw light on the subject, was visited by The News in reporting the proceedings proceed-ings of the mass meeeting. In fact, the members of the committee have signed a statement setting forth the objects to which they woro to investigate, inves-tigate, as follows: " Were appointed at a mass meeting of the citizens of Gunnison Valley, as a committee to wait upon the County Commissioners of the county r Sanpete, San-pete, relative to road work to be done in this end of" the county, and among other things to investigate RUMORS THAT MANTI CITIZENS WERE ENDEAVORING TO HAVE THAT PORTION OF THE BOND MONEYS ALLOTTED TO THE SOUTH END OF THE COUNTY, USED TO BUILD A CONCRETE ROAD JOINING ON THE SOUTH END OF THE PAVEMENT AT MANTI MAN-TI AND RUNNING SOUTH." As will be noted in the quotations from the Messenger State Road Agent Christiansen makes a denial that bo had made any "intimatations" that Manti would seek to "gobble" the $35,000 bonds. We would like to refresh re-fresh the memory of the state road agent by asking: Who was it that started the "fuss" at the road meeting meet-ing held here, when the statement was made that "hints" had been droepped that Manti was after the bond money with a view to annexing annex-ing the paving to the south of the city limits? Who was it that asked that a committee be appointed at once to make immediate investigations investiga-tions and frustrate any plans that might be in the air. If Mr. Christiansen Chris-tiansen will recall the proceedings he will easily lie reminded that the principal prin-cipal objects of the meeting, long delayed, de-layed, while the matter of selecting a committee and sifting the matter j of the "insinuations" on the part nf khe countyseaters was being threshed I out. If the state road agent will re-1 re-1 consider, ho will be reminded that the special committee for investiga- ting the charges was appointed at his own solicitation and that be urged immediate action for the reason rea-son that, as he stated in the meeting, "that delegates were going to gait Lake from Manti and that action betaken be-taken at once; for the committee to see the chairman of the county board if no one else." statement made in the report. The Gunnison Valley Mews does not deny, as is claimed by the Messenger, Mes-senger, that some one owes the citizens citi-zens of Ma-.nti an apology for-the imputations im-putations made at the mass meeting I held in this city on January 9. But The News emphatically declares that there was foundation for the report in so far as the statements made at the meeting were concerned, and if the ed itor of the Messenger had been far-resching in his "sleuthing" he would have saved much time, and he would have gotten results. If the An apology is due Mantiaus, it the report is groundless, but the apology is not due from the News. The News is working for the best interests of Gunnison Valley, the South Sanpete district and the entire southern section sec-tion in general, and it always has been the policy and will be the policy the frsutrate any plan to "put over" anything that will injure the community com-munity interests. Believing, from the reoprt made by the mass meeting, that something was in the "air", as any would naturally believe, the report made was published. |