The Nevada journal., 1851-11-06
Proposed Incorporation of Grass Valley.

cOinnlunlcdtlon giving an account OF
meeting held there on Nov 3d. Of which
DR. C. d. Cleveland was chairman and
t. G. Burgess Esq Secretary, the object
of which was to propose for considera-
ton on Saturday evening next, plan
for the temporary orgaization of the
place, and an application to the Court
of Sessions for an incorporation under
the Statute Gen. A. Nj. Winn offered
the following resolutions, which will be
considered
Resolued Isl. A town council of seven
members shall be appointed whose duty
1t shall be to have plan of Grass Val
ley made out, with wide streets, and
convenient sized lots for residences and
business purposes.
I'd. They shall designate the mode Of
taking up or settling lots, and provide
means for their proper registry.
Sd. They shall lay off and set apart n
burying ground church lots, and such
other public lots Or squares as they may
deem necessary, and properly designa>
ted them upon the map or plan OF said
town.
4th. They shall apply to the court of
Sessions for an order to organize the
cheapest government of town known
to the Laws of this State.
5h. They shall make fair and full
representation of the map and registry
of lots through our Senator and Repre-
sentatives in Congress to the Congress
of the United States, asking donation
OF the land to the owners, or occupants
of lots, and u donation of the balance to
the town tor the use and benefit of its
inhabitants, and improvement of the
public property.
9Th. We will abide the decision of
said council until the organization of
town government for which purpose
they shall organize as municipal body,
making their own rules and regulations,
and calling together the inhabitants for
consultation as often az they may deem
necessary.
7h. The magistrates and constables
of the township shall be the only Judi
cial and executive officers of the town
government.
We have for some time past been ex-
pecting movement of this kind on the
part of our neighbors, in consequence of
their rapid growth both in population
and business. Indeed we are rather
surprised that it has not been made |
sooner. The laying out of streets to
advantage-a most important matter to
the inhabitants of a village, cannot be
secured, except by public authority. If
it is left to individuals to select their
own sites for buildings, the consequence
will be that the streets will.be crooked,
narrow, and inconveniently located.
The form of town government is pro-
vided by namely, five trustees,
a marshal, collector, &c. No provision
is made for any compensation to these
officers, except that they can themselves
fix 1T by passing bye-law. But it is
hardly probable that they would require
any pay, unless it be the Town Clerk
and in short the people at the ballot box
would virtually regulate that matter.
The expenses for promoting public COM
fort and convenience, for example, by
repairs of roads and bridges, wsuld not
probably exceed the cost of doing the
same thing by private contribution.
We have always been at a loss to con.
ceivc On what ground the Legislature Of
this State fixed the size of incorporated
towns at three square miles. This tract
if laid out in the form of a square would
be only about one mile and three quar-
ters square. With SO small an extent
of territory, in many of our settlements,
some property would be free from tax
alton, which would derive as much
benefit from the organization as any in
tue town proper. We commend the
matter to the attention of our Repre-
sentatives in the Legislature.
AS to one proposition expressed in the
resolutions, we believe that the course
recommended is unnecessary we refer
to the proposed petition to Congress for
grant. The mode of obtaining title
to town lots has already been prescribed
by Congress, by the "Act to ascertain
and settle private Land Claims in the
State of California" passed March 8,
1851. The latter part of Section IA is
in these words &c Where any city,
town, or village shall be in existence at
the time of passing this act the claim
for the land embraced within the limits
of the same may be made by the cor
pprate authority of the said city, town