Besides Alpowa and Mentor, the prospective towns of Asotin, Assotin City, Columbia Center, Pataha City, and Pomeroy were all aspirants. The last named, laid out, as already noted, in 1877, soon forged to the front and became the center of an active propaganda for the removal of the county seat of Columbia or for the erection of a new county. The former proposition seems to have been at first the prevailing plan. It excited much opposition on the part of Dayton. An editorial extract from the Chronicle of October 8, 1881, indicates the turn which sentiment at Dayton was taking:
"An earnest effort is being made by the citizens of Pomeroy and vicinity to move the county seat to that town. We object. The county is large enough for two good counties, and the valley or canyon of the Tucanon throughout its greater portion affords a natural boundary. The people of this section are willing to allow the eastern portion a county organization whenever they wish it, as the division must come sooner or later. It is reported that two of our representatives in the Legislature are pledged to the removal and also to give several more townships to Walla Walla County to buy its influence. They do not propose to give the people an opportunity to vote on the question, as they fear the result, but aim to have the change made by the Legislature without consulting the wishes of the voters of the whole county. We agree with our Pomeroy correspondent that it is unjust to compel people east of the Tucanon to come here to transact business, but it would be equally unjust to compel people on this side to go to Pomeroy. The only just and equitable way out of the difficulty is to divide the county on the line indicated and allow the citizens of the new county to locate their county seat. But with the county seat of Columbia County beyond the Tucanon, nineteen-twentieths of the people of this vicinity would petition to be attached to Walla Walla County, as with the present facilities for travel it would be most convenient, to say nothing of the great advantage of joining a wealthy county with public buildings erected and paid for and a brilliant future before it. This, however, only as a last resort. We trust the Legislature will take no hasty action in this matter, but will give all parts of the county ample opportunity to be heard."
As a logical outcome of the situation the Legislature passed an act, approved by Gov. W. A. Newell, on November 29, 1881, providing for the new county. As a matter of history this act is valuable for permanent record and we insert it here:
"An Act to organize the County of Garfield:
"Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Washington; That all that portion of Columbia County situated within Washington Territory and included within the following limits, be, and the same shall be known as the County of Garfield, in honor of James A. Garfield, late President of the United States, viz.: Commencing at a point in the midchannel of Snake River on township line between ranges 39 and 40; thence on said line south to the southwest corner of township twelve (12), range forty (40); thence east on township line six (6) miles; thence south to the southwest corner of section seven (7); township eleven (11), north of range forty-one (41) east; thence east one (1) mile; thence south three (3) miles; thence east one (1) mile; thence south one (1) mile; thence east one (1) mile; thence south three (3) miles; thence east three (3) miles; thence south on township line to the Oregon line; thence due east on said line to the division line between Territories of Washington and Idaho; thence north on said dividing line to a point where it intersects the midchannel of the Snake River; thence down the midchannel of the Snake River to the point of beginning.
"Section 2. That E. Oliver, Joseph Harris and N. C. Williams are hereby appointed a board of commissioners to call a special election of county officers for said Garfield County, and to appoint the necessary judges and inspectors thereof; notice of which election shall be given and the said election conducted and returns made as is now provided by law: Provided, That the returns shall be made to the commissioners aforesaid, who shall canvass the returns and declare the result, and issue certificates to the persons elected.
"Sections 3. That the justices of the peace and constables who are now elected as such in precincts of the County of Garfield, be, and the same are hereby declared justices of the peace and constables of said County of Garfield.
"Section 4. That the county seat of the said County of Garfield is hereby located at Pataha City until the next election, which is to be held on the second Monday in January, A. D. 1882, at which time the highest number of legal votes of said county, given for any one place, may permanently locate the same.
"Section 5. The County of Garfield is hereby united to the County of Columbia for judicial purposes.
"Section 6. That all laws applicable to the County of Columbia shall be applicable to the County of Garfield.