The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1864-03-30
THE COUNTY SEAT.

vote, submitted to the people the question
of the removal of the County Seat from
its present location, at Grand Haven, TO
point higher up Grand River.
The first time the people were called
upon to vote for or against removal was
in the year 1867, when it was proposed TO
remove the County Seat to Eastmanville.
That proposition was voted down by q
majority of three hundred and seventy-one
votes. In tho year following the ques-
ton of removal to Ottawa Center was
brought before the people, and the deci-
sive majority of one thousand aud fifty
eight votes was given against removal to
that point.
Since the time these votes were taken
the county of Muskegon has been organ
lied out of territory which then compos-
ed part of the county of Ottawa, but in
each case decided majority of the votes
polled, in what is now Ottawa County,
were against removal.
1t is now proposed to establish the
County Seat on the northwest quarter of
tho southeast quarter of section ten, town
seven north, range fourteen west-a piece
of wild land, in the township of Allen
dale. This is forty acre lot which ac-
quired the above description at the hands
of the Government surveyor, over thirty
years ago, and of which little more can be
said than that tho title, sometime since,
passed away from the United States and
is now held by Galcn Eastman.
Here it may he remarked, that within
the present limits of this county the plats
of twenty different village sites have, up
TO the present time, been made and re-
corded, and also several others have been
made which have not been recorded. Of
these village sites from twelve TO fifteen
have become permanently occupied with
villages Of greater or less magnitude, at
each of which moro or less business is
transacted, and several of which have be-
come points Of no mean Importance
What now seems remarkable is that in
designating new location for the County
Seat every one Of the many fourishing
villages which lie within this county were
ignored, and choice made of piece Of
land which had never reached the ilnpor-
tanco of even wild cat village, and the
only recommendation Of which is that it
lies within sight Of Eastmanville
1t is not the present purpose to crit
else the action of the Board of Supervi-
sors in this matter. But it is well
known fact that but few, if any, of the
Board had ever been on the piece Of land
in question, and that whatever knowledge
the Supervisors had, when tho vote was
taken, az the October session, as to the
peculiar fituess or unfitness Of the place
(beyond what could be determined from
the map as TO its geographical position
was, for the most part, derived from per-
sons having pecuniary interest in bring
inc about n removal to that point.
AS before stated the people have, on
two former occasions, when far stronger
reasons could be urged in favor Of remov-
al than in this instance, decided in favor
of retaining tho County Seat at Grand
Haven. In view of this fact it may be
well to inquire into the origin of this new
aud unexpected movement, in regard TO
the County Seat. 1t certainly did not
originate with the people. Tho Board of
Supervisors can not base their action upon
a Single petition, or any other expression,
on the part Of the people of this county,
indicating desire for the removal Of The
County Seat. On the other hait a.
= potabl@1act thai Lho Identical resolu-
dous 30 HASTILY passed by the Board of
Supervisors, providing for the removal of
the c9anly Seat to the forty acre lot
above named, acre drawn up by Doctor
Timothy Eastman, before the last Octo.
Der nec'ins q lhe Board, They are yet