The Georgetown news., 1856-04-17
Location of the County Seat.

Location Oh tAC NOuHty
The bill which we published last week
submitting the location of the seat of jus
tice of this county to its qualified voters
has not yet, as we have seen, received the
signature of Governor johnson, and the
time allowed by the Constitution having
expired, it is now the law of the land not
withtanding. In short time the qualified
voters of the county will be called upon tt
decide whether the county seat shall remain
where it is or be removed 20 Pacerville.-
1t is the duty of every citizen-particula
ly the tax payer-to scrutinize the sub
ject closely and satisfy himself as to thu
practicability or impracticabiity of reno
val. We do not propose to discuss the mer
its or dement's of the contesting places any
further than to give currency to facts con
nected with the subject and expression tc
feelings entertained in this portion of tht
eonuty.
The more important features suggesting
themselves are, the geographical positions
of Coloma and Placervile Their prox-
unity to the various localities lying between
the Middle and South Forks of the Ameri-
can River, and the extreme southwestern
part of the county. The consequent results
following removal and the unnecessary tax
alton imposed.
By referring to an accurate map it will
be seen that the geographical position OF
Coloma is decidedly more preferable than
Phcerville, from the fact that it is situated
nearer the centre of the county, and is en-
tirely surrounded by heavy population,
while Placerville is located near the east
ern boundary of the county with large
and sparsely settled scope of territory ex-
tending in north-easterly direction to-
wards the summit of the Sierra Nevada
Coloma being on the South Fork of the
American is more accessible for this divide
than Placerville, for the reason that it is
less distant Abrupt mountains intervene
between Placerville and the South Fork
which must necessarily be crossed. The
inconvenience experienced in ascending and
descending the mountains bordering on the
north side of said stream is ample, without
being compelled to contend with those Of
the south side. Therefore, in the event of
removal the inhabitants of Volcanoville,
Georgetown, Greenwood Valley, Pilot Hill,
Salmon Falls, and Negro Hill-all places
Of no little Importance, and polling in con-
nection with other adjacent minor towns,
more than one third of the votes in the
county-will, as we have before stated, be
subjected to Inconvenience in reaching the
county seat to which they will not long sub
nit. Together with other grievances set
forth, the distance from all of the above
points would be heightened from five to
twelve miles. The present county seat
is thirty-two miles from Negro Hill, while
if it were located at Placerville. the inhab-
itants of Negro Hill would have twelve
miles further to travel, making total of
forty-four miles, In view of all these facts,
every possible effort will be made in future
to dismember the Empire county by the
above enumerated places-and Il we are
not laboring under false impression, ere
another year shall have passed, such would
be the result What then will become of
the once powerful and influential El Dora
do, the first and foremost among the min
ing counties the checkmate of San Fran
cisco in our legislative halls on topics op-
pressive and prejudicial to the mining in
terests! Compared with its present posi-
tioD it would be no more than a leviathan
In the vast Pacific ocean. This latter con-
sideration alone should be of sufficient i'm
portance to induce majority of the voters
OF the county to operate against removal.
But this is not all; the county at present
is, we may truthfully assert, in affluent cir
cumstances, has buildings erected and in
course of erection of ample fitness for all
county purposes-all of which are paid for
with the exception of fraction over $9,-
600 on Jail contract, which sum falls due on
the first of June. Remove the county seat
and this property is all dead loss, an un-
nncoccarv tavatinn of AFT least S75 nnn will