The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-04-18
Courts In York County.
To the Ta,.rayer, of York County.

ouuiSiui Soutt ioF iOtk SOuuty ohoh hSA0-
after be holden. has been settled by the Leg.
islature, and that term Of Court is given to
Saco, II seems but an act OF justice to the
people Of the County that the facts In regard
to the comparative cost Of the Courts as they
are now established, and as thoy formerly
were. should appear In some tangable form.
Various and contradictory statements have
been made during the past winter, as to the
economy Of the present arrangements OF the
Terms, calculated to mislcad the people to
create prejudice In their minds against the
holding OF the January Term at Saco. 10
any Unfair effort in that direction, the peo-
pie Of the County. as We believe, ore oppos-
ed, They desire 10 know the facts, and upon
those facts when fully understood, all honest
and fair minded men will base their judg-
ment. l..I
Without prejudice for or against either tho
town of Saco or Alfred. with no Interior do
signs to DO accomplished, but only wishing
to ascertain the truth for tho truth 3 sake, we
have carefully examined the accounts OF the
County, as thoy appear on the Books OF the
County Treasurer together with the records
of tho Clerk, and find thereby the following
state of facts: w ........H..,
During tho year 1860 and ol, the Court
set 100 days.
Number OF causes tried before tho jury, 80
Whole cost for the two years. Sl3.!59 A
Average cost per day, .rf Sllf oo
During those two years the January Term
was holden as Saco.
During the year 1858 and SO, the Court
set "a days. -
Number of causes tried before the jury. 81
Whole cost for the two years, Sl3,999 9S
Average cost per day, l4S W
During those two years all the terms were
holden in Alfred. go
Differences In favor of the years 1860 and
81, per day, S34.27, or 34,27 less per day
with one term ut Saco that when all the
terms were holden ut Alfred.
Again, during tho years 1860 and 81 there
were tried before the Jury IS causes at the
cost of Sl3,759 A, or at the average cost
per cause Of S250,l7.
During the years 1858 and so, there were
tried before the Jury 81 causes at the cost oil
$4,000 90, or at the average cost per cause
Of 1881, being Sl2S 90 less per cause dur
the years when the January term was holden
ut Saco than during the two preceding years.
Again, let us take the figures from the cir
cular sent through the county In February
last.
BY that document the estimated cost ofthe
three January terms 1860, 81 and 62, atSa-
co is Sl0,578 Sc.
The cost of the three January Terms ut
Alfred for the next three preceding years
1857, So and SO, is S6,423 %.
Now during the three January Terms at
Saco the Court set 81 days. while ut Alfred
during the three January Terms of 1857, 90
and so, 1t was in session only 40 days.
Average cost per day at Alfred, Sl3l ,0S
Average cost per day ut Saco, l2l,o9
Average lees cost per day at Saco, S9,49
Now as to the economy Of time. In 1860
and 1861, the number OF causes tried was 90
Number Of days Court was in session, 10
Or about 9 2 II days for each cause.
In 1858 and 0, the number of causes tried
was 81. The number Of days the Court was
In session was "a, or about Q IL days for
each cause tried, and showing about three
eighfhs Of day more in the trinl of each
cause when all tho terms were holden at Al
fred than when the January Term was hold
on at Saco.
Now compare the two January Terms ut
Saco 1860 and 81, with the two preceding
january Terms ut Alfred 1858 and 0.
At the January Term 1858 the Court set
l6 days.
Total expense wa' 5000 70
At the January Term 1859 the Court set
Is days.
Total expense was Sl,789 3O
Average expense per day for both Terms, :,
At the January Term 1860 the Court set
IS days.
Total expense was s4,O49l7
At the January Term 1861, the Court set
q days.
Total expense was S2,S76 l3
Average expenses per day for both terms.
Being 5000 average less expense per day
at Saco than at Alfred.
At the two January terms at Alfred hold
en- in 1858 and o, respectively, there were
IL causes only tried before the Jury. The
cost OF those two terms was ,739 03 show
ing an average cost of each cause tried Of
$3.50, S2 to the County.
At the January Term at Saco holden In
1860 and 6l, respectively, there were % eau
SEES tried before the Jury. The cost of those
two terms was S6,925 30, showing an aver
age cost of each cause tried Of 1914 Is, or
SIG Oh less per cause at Saco than at AL.
fred.
The foregoing are facts and figures rs they
appear on the books Of the County Treasur-
or and on the records in the Office of the
Clerk. The comparison Is made between the
years 1858 and 0, and 1860 and 81, for the
reason that at the time we made the examin.
alton of the Treasurer's books, the cost OF
the January Term 1862. at Saco, had not
been ascertained, and our object was to get
only facts, without estimates or conjectures.
II has been said that there are moro causes
''disposed OF" at Alfred than at Saco, even in
to the number Of terms held at
tho one place and ut the other. That may
or may not DO the fact, but suppose 1t 10 q
fact, il proves nothing for the disposal of
causes, depends more upon accident than up
on anything else, and occupies but o very
short time. Thus the number Of actions en-.
tered at any given term may be large, say
FIVE hundred, and when the new Docket Is
called more than one half of them may DO
defaultcd, "dlsposed Of" and in less than
one hour's time. In such case the Docket
will show largo number Of actions "dis-
posed Of" but ut q very triaing cost, and
without materially advancing the business Of
the Court, for the length, and hence the cost
Of each term Of Court depends upon the eau.
scs tried, not upon the number Of actions
or deiaulted.