The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-10-11
HISTORY or
E l. * G O u n Il Y .
By a Nonhwts;ern Pennsylvania.
FORMATION OF ELK COUNTY


distant, and as before observed, Ridg
way was a central point forty mile,
from each county court, including War
ren also, new county was demanded tc
meet the growing requirements of the
settlers, aud during the years from 1885
to 1862, applications were annually
made to the Legislature for new coup.
ty from oil the counties above named.
There was of course much discussion rs 70
the lines, and how much off each coun.
| ty' Many of the citizens in the bonn
darics Of the county proposed, were tim
Id and fearful Of heavy taxation for the
organization and that "countv orders"
tnen quite a circulating medium, would
fall to % per cent. off their face. On
the other side it was argued that as the
county buildings were to be erected by
private subscription, the county man.
agement being more concentrated and
"under the direction Of those who thon
lived so far from the centre of business.
IN their several counties, the new coup.
ty affairs would be more more economic
ally administered
1t would naturally be observed that
business as we'll as patronage, as also the
disbursements Of all public moneys, were,
and always will likely remain in the
hands and under control of those at or
near the county scat. Experience had
demonstrated this, aud it was soon ap.
parent that it was the unanimous desire
OF the citizens within the district to or
game new couuty--os matter of
course, it was alleged that the ambition
OF the hldgwayites expected and would
urge that Ridgway should be the county
seat-an admission always granted and
IN addition, the prompt offer to erect the
public buildings at their own expense,
with invitations to persons interested to
to 90 the same in other parts Of the de-
signed new county. At every session
OF the Legislature during those years Of
application the bill would pass one
branch or the other, and as the forma.
ton OF new counties was not as common
rs at the present, as among judges aud
lawyers there was always opposition,-
lhe former because more courts were to
DC held, and more travel, occupyipc
more Of their time, and the latter sun.
posing that it would cut up their busi
less-by striking SO much off their own
county. Thus it was more easy mat.
er to defeat the bill then than to pass
t. 1t is rational to conjecture that
here :" was no money in it,"
AT the session of the Legislature in
he spring of 1913 the bill passed Great.
ng the county of Elk, and was orgauiz ,
d tor judicial purposes the rext winter
nd now commenced as usual the active
Xertlons to influence the location of the =.
eat OF justice. One might be led to
oppose that as there were so few in.
abltants. No centres of business OK
ept upon navigable waters. or hardly a :,
DOT cleared off sufficiently large for
'urt-house, Jail and yard that as the 2
ldgway citizens, aided bv donation "
om John J. Ridgwoy, Esq, had guar. ?
lteed the expense of erecting the bull. l.
ngs; giving ground also with a never ol
hing spring attached, that there would ID
opposition to fixing the county seat ei
that place. Not so-as the tpv 81 81
cam that creeps or rather pprcolatcs /
rough the rocks with its dripping pat 10 .
; is suddenly swollen by thund,r C' W
ower and dashes along Ike mad, r;p- o' "
'g and tearing with mighty copso 40
ence, or ike the cealer in Petroleum an
cNs and freehold leases, visions of Oh m
aIth floating before his heated img,i. ioi
lion, 50 did many citizens Of the new iol
'n'ry eXaSEerate the importance yC
metr location, as the proper seat III In
justice, "thetr land was biob "
dry, healthful for town, their loca- ant
D was the exact geographical centre, ag'
nc were plenty and at hand to build On
JAIL From its extreme boundaries 9th
II the mouth Of Trout Run on the eou
> to liidgway; and Johnsopburo enc
tWard; and along the who'e distance hln
n the "piko" were various beautiful goc
-'lons, and one and all esteemine the me-
as men Of Judgment who maj
.Id' as matter of course select theirs a
the seat of justice. "Fo,tupes in hon
'ryo were ready to spring IN into oet'