The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-02-25

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY IS, 1863.
A Singular Petition.

the singular petition in circulation in many
parts of this county to secure the removal
of, the county seat from Ebensburg to
Johnstown. Let the author ln-who he
may, we desire to treat him with courtesy.
Yet one Of these things is certain Either
be has violated all claims to courtesy by
plain and reckless disregard for truth, or
else, through some cause or other, is clear
of ordinary responsibility for what he has
uttered We had not intended to enter
upon a discussion of the merits and de-
merits of the proposed change, and shall
not now, only so far as is necessary to ex-
pose some of the more glaring misrapre-
sentations set forth in this petition Nor
would we undertake this task were the
statements of the petition to go before the
people of this county alone. They are so
foolish, so childish, and exaggerated, that
the author, though possibly persuading
himself to believe them, could not induce
any intelligent man, woman, or child, in
the county to do likewise But they must
60 before others, who are strangers to the
topography of our county and to nearly
all other facts or data relating to the pres
ent controversy.
Ebensburg is located in the geographi-
cal center of Cambria county, and is aeces-
sible from all parts thereof by roads as
good as are ordinarily found in other sec
tions of the State, making due allowance
of climate, soil, topography, and length of
time the county has been settled. 1t has
good communication by rail with Johns
town and the greatest portion of the east
ern border Of the county. 1t is the most
convenient point to be obtained for the
people in the central and northwestern
portions Of the county. To make Johns
town the county seat would be to require
the citizens of north western Cambria to
travel from forty to sixty miles to attend
to their legal business. Yet the writer of
this petition hesitates not sossay that ''the
seat of juscice, as now located, is entirely
out of the way for all The practical pur,
poses of county-seat" these being the
writer's exact words, excepting that he or,
naments his text with greater abundance
of capitals than accords with our taste.
This petition also sets forth that if the
people were not 'con,peNed to transact
their judicial and county business al
Ebcnsburg," they would have no occa
sion .'to even visit that place" A
the coming term of court, beginning or
the first Monday in March, the Register
and Recorder of the county will present
some fourteen accounts of executors, ad
ministrators, and guardians for con6rma.
tion. At least eight out of these fourteen
are from the center and north of the county
Five civil cases will be on the list for trial
Ofthese five, three are from northern, anC
one from southern Cambria The remain
ing case can hardly be claimed by either
section Twenty-Five cases will be on tn,
list for the second week. Of these, not owe
five, if that many, are from sections known
rs comprising the south of the county,
At the last September sessions, SOM
thirty two civil cases were down, of whicl
ut least twentyEwere from the northern
portion of the county We admit, freel,
and chcerfully, that our friends south hav
greater population and more wealth thai
we. But it must be remembered that tn
bulk of that wealth is centered in one vas
corporation, the largest corporation in tn
State aside from the Penna railroad. w
mean not to say one harsh word, or an
word springing from envy or enmity, bu
only to speak what every thoughtful ma
knows TO be simple truth, when we sa
that the presence of so large a capital III
der one control in community of fiftee
thousand means an unequal Distribute
of.wealth and the more unequally wcalt
is distributed, the less often will courts an
juries be required to sit in the trial {
civil causes. In northern Cambria, tn
extremes of wealth and poverty are seldol
seen. Few are very poor, and none yer
rich. Nearly all are we'll doing In tn
lies the entire secret of the excess of civ
causes in the northern over the souther
portion of the county. There arc thirtee
members of the bar resident in Ebensbur
and eight in Johnstown.. Yet it is fa'
no one will dispute, that the legal busine.
of the southern districts passing throug
the hands of attorneys resident in Ebcn
burg, is a mere baSatclle. AS to the me
camille business of the place, VIC are bo