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

persons accused Of crime at public houses
in Grand Haven, while undergoing pro-
tracted examinations before Justices of the
Peace, also the expense Of conveying pris-
oners to distant Jail and the fees of wit
nesscs from Grand Haven to the County
Seat.
In regard TO other litigation it may al
so be said that nearly all the civil suits in
our Circuit Court grow out of business,
the whole or some part of which is trans
acted at Grand Haven, or It's immediate
vicinity, and that no where else can the
convenience of that part of the popula-
ton likely to be engaged in litigation be
so well consulted rs at that point.
a very little reflection must convince
every man that there can be no economy,
either as regards individuals or the public,
in changing the County Seat. Public
buildings, with suitable offices, have been
erected at the present location that will
meet the wants of the county, in that
respect, for many years TO come. A suf-
ficent number of attorneys are perma-
nently located there TO transact all the le-
gal business of the county, and the accom-
modatious at the public houses for those
having business at the County Seat are
equal to those found in other counties of
equal population.
Now contrast the advantages that
Grand Haven presents with those of the
place Doctor Eastman and his sons have
marked out for the future Seat of Justice
of Ottawa County-an inaccessible soil
tude in the wilderness-a ft abode for
wild beasts of the forest-a place unfre-
quented by man, and to which no person
who places any value upon his time would
ever 90, unless upon compulsion. 1t has
no public house nearer than the Denton
House, at Eastmanville, more than hafa
mile distant, and on the opposite bank of
Grand River. 1t has no postoffice, no
mail or stage route reaches it, and it is
approached by no roads that deserve the
name. 1t is notorious fact that there
are but comparatively few people in the
up river towns who have not expressed
more or less dissatisfaction with this To-
cation and many of the most discreet aud
intelligent citizens of Allendale and the
adjoining towns declare the present prop
osition for removal an absurd one, and will
vote, rs well as use their influence, to Sc
cure its defeat.
1t is well known that the idea is being
industriously encouraged in certain quar-
tiers, that great local advantages would
follow change of the County Seat to
this newly proposed site, in the neighbor-
hood Of EastmanviIe. Allendale, Blen-
don and Olive are to be "iilled up with
a dense population of thrifty farmers,
and other huge promises are made
Whether all these marvellous results are
to be brought about by private enterprise,
or whether REGENCY is to be establish
ed at Eastmanvile, under whose manage
ment these things are to be accomplished,
at the expense of the balance of the
county, Is matter not yet revealed to
the public.
That many persons have been most
egregiously humbugged, as TO the impor-
lance Of the County Seat, as regards its
legitimate effects upon local interests; and
also, as to who would reap whatever ben
efts o. local nature might accrue in case
of removal, in the present instance, adj
mits of no doubt But three county off
GERS are required TO keep their offices at
the County Seat, and the whole amount of
public business transacted in county
like this is extremely limited. Not one
branch Of business can be named that
could live at n place having no other re-
sources from which TO maintain It's exist
ence than that of being the County Seat
of the county. There is not an interest
in Grand Haven that would be very ma
terially affected, should a removal take
place in the present instance, and, couso-
quently, none elsewhere could be very
materially benefited by the change. The
most Insignificant sawmill in the county
would do about rs much toward establish
ing business aud developing the section in
which it might be located as would the
County Seat.
Moreover, let it be considered that this
project of removal is one which the East
mans have had in view for years, and Ga
len is n man of too much sagacity to let
slip a single chance for profit that might
arise in case of its success. We accord
ingly find that he not only owns the forty
acres under consideration, but also the re-