Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1856-01-30
For the Grand River Times

paper OF the 9th inst, under the editorial
head, ! noticed a little prospecting" upon
the subject of the removal of the county
seat, by the Board of Supervisors, then in
session. It was suggested that the impress
ion seems to prevail, with some, that OF
tawa Center is entitled to consideration from
its central position, DC, Also that East
manville is, certainly, a fit place, as far as
beauty and convenience of location is con-
cerned, but some may object to it on the
ground Of its being Jfve miles from the geo.
graphical center of the county, &c."
To correct an obvious error, and avoid a
false impression upon your readers who may
not know better, I would briefly state the sta
t~istical facts that must govern in this matter.
Ottawa County embraces townships 5, g., Z,
8, 8 and 10, north of ranges 13, IA, Is and
tract. 16 west. ar Consequently the north line
of town Z is the center of the county, north
and south, and range 16 having nearly two
sections in width in lake Michigan, and quite
another mile bordering the lake, composed of
enormous piles Of loose sand, as completely
useless for habitation as lake Michigan itself,
we safely deduct two miles, making the geo.
graphical center of the county of Ottawa at
the northwest corner of section 5, town Z
north, range IA west; from which point Of
tawa Center is IL mile west, and Etstman-
vile, being upon the southwest quarter of
section 8, town 7 north, range IA west, falls
within the range of p miles east of the cen
ter of the county, geographically. .u2 III.
We admit the position that county seats
should approximate the geographical center
as near as may be, other things being equal;
but the present and prospective pop,aous CEN
ter should, also, have its influence, as well as
the facility of approach to it. ri The author
of the suggestions in your paper having fsed
the distances, and Jfoe miles being the near
est of any where else from Ottawa Center,
remarks: "It being desirable, if the site is
removed at all, to seek as central a location
as possible.Ya Meaning, evidently, geographic
ically, as he alludes to no other consideration,
except the beauties and privileges of the sew
eral localities, and the character and enter
prise of the inhabitants, and in his enconi-
ums of the several places named, we fully
accord with him; but of the prospective pop
-.
ulation of the county he says nothing. This
is speculative, to be sure, but who is there
hat is acquainted with the character Of the
soil, the endless pine forests and out-ofsight-
of-land swamps, that pervade the west half
of this county, and the no-better-timbered
sugar7maple-land in the world than the east
half of it, can say that the east half will not
for the next half century, at least, contain
three-fourths of the permanent yeomanry of
the county? If this is so and the convent
ences of the people are to be regarded, might
it not be "desirable" to locate the county
seat east, rather than west of the geographi-
cal center, especially if the point will not suf-
fer in comparison, as far as "beauty and con-
v~enience of location are concerned )" and as
it is easier of access, the villagers are ready
to acknowledge the favor with all becoming
gratitude and show a liberal hand in the erec-
ton Of suitable permanent and elegant coun-
ty buildings. '..! 49, a. a.+..'
A ferry having been recently established
across Grand River, at E~astmanville, and q
bridge being completed-now under contract
to be built forthwith-over a narrow fiat OPP
posite that place, will render it easier of ac
cess than any other point on the river, and
will open a central t~horoughfare through the
county, north and south, in all respects not to
be rivaled by any other route hereafter to be
obtained. N'.'' 0'I' 1.. 81 D2lif'
am interested in the prosperity Of East
manville, but should not have sought this
mode Of appearing before your readers had
not the remarks alluded to in your paper, of
the 9th inst, seemed, in my opinion, to de-
mand a statement of the facts-from. which
we do not shrink, and with our motto say,
Let right appear if it overturn Heaven"
.i3i'a ..t yl lf9ld rist AN OH PIONEER.
3 ES We are indebted to Mr.. LESLIE for