The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-10-05
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A County -Seat Alone wilt Not Increase
the Prosperity oil Town


the Prosperity of Town.
The past few years have established the fact
that no aourishiug town can be built W away
from our railroads or commanding seaports. Small
markc, toNas ean be and are located along our
RAILROADS wherever neighborhood will be best ac-
eommadatcJ the result Of which is the founding
OF many villages and but few cities. The same
facts Of convenient markets along this class OF
roads, has induced the neglect dapidatlon and
ruin Of Che small port towns aloug our lake shores
and seaboard. The great effect of them in this
regard is, to diffuse, aud to prevent concentration
except whore they terminate at ports.
They draw to aud along themselves all the In.
terror business Of the country, and the day has
gone by, when county seat alone will sustain a
prosperous town, The few officers who are Obliged
to remain at theseat Of justice can produce no ap
preciable effect in that direction, aud the three
short terms Of court beld ench year. NAV inruse a
little ofspasmodic life into one or two drowsy land
lords, but upon adjournment of court, landlords
and village sink back into their normal state Of
rinauition.
These facts we have illustrated aud enforced in
the history of the county Of our ueighborug
counties, Ottawa, Putnam, Paulding and Fulton.
While the Junction Railroad through Port Clinton
wasin operation, the town exhibited some signs
of life and thrift, but when the road was aban-
doued, the town went to swift decay and ruin.
There is not half so much of kaida to-day as
there was twenty-fnur years ago. when the wtiter
first camo-to the Maumee Valley and visited II.
Pauldtng, the seat Of justice OF Paulding County,
never contained a dozen families and probably
never will II died the day il was born.
OttoSee-is four miles from a railroad, aud like
Bowling Green is located on a sand-ridge. AT
first 1t supported couple of country taverns and
one or two small retail shops, but when wauseon
was located it event into a decline" and now
scarcely anything of it is left except tue sand
ridge upon which it stood In contrast with these,
in the same counties, but upon railroads, are the
Aourishing towns of Elmore, in Ottawa County
Otta va and Columbus Grove, in Putnam; Antwerp,
in PAuldug, and Wauseln aud Delta, in Fulton.
Real estate in and near these couuty-seats Is
worth less than that in almost every other place
in those countless and farmers residing in the
Iheighborhood Of Bowling Green, who think the
proximity ofiya Courthouse will appreciate the
value of their lands, are doomed to grievous dis
appointment, even should they succeed in securing
removal. Town property is worth more to-day,
at Bowling Green, than it will be ten years hence
renloyal or no removal, and it certainly can never
become market town, so as to increase the value
of farms lying near it. ,., ... ....
Farmers, them living about the. center of the
county, should pause and consider whether the
proximity of a Courthouse and Jail win compeu7
safe them for the increased taxes they would i'm
pose ppon themselves, dthey secure a removal
by their votes. Clearly, the beneficial effects of
removal are over-estimnted. , X.