The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-03-30
The Judicial Apportionment
BLooMsBURG, March 81, 1888
EDITORS OF COLUMBIAN -

BLoOMsBURG, March 81, 1888.
EDITORS OF CoLUMBIAN:-
l am informed
that the Judicial Apportionment bill now
pending in the House at Harrisburg an
nexes Sullivan county to our Judicial dis
trict. Is this right or just to us? The
counties of Columbia and Montour have
now population of nearly fifty thousand,
with large and fiourishing towns, and a
large amount of legal business. There are
many districts in the State with less than
$4,000 population, and ii seems strange to
me that we must be interfered with in the
apportonment. Are not the people of
Columbia and Montour as worthy of re-
gard as other citizens of the State? Our
legal business is now disposed of careful
ly and promptly; our courts are arranged
for the convenience of suitors and wit
nesses; legislative interference at this
time and in this manner can only result in
injury to us. So think the members of
the bar of both counties, who have pro.
tested against the proposed change, and
so think many of our citizens. The Sui
livan Repiew has well said, "The rcputa-
tion of Judge Elwell for ability, integrity
and industry is well establishes he is a
learned and laborious Judge" This we
all know. He is willing to do all the
work that his time will permit but no
judge can do all the work of the district
with Sullivan added. The legal business
OF that county is not mere trife-lhe
opening of coal mines the extension of
railroads, and the large tanneries and lum-
bering establishments have made large
amount of business, which is rapidly in
creasing. Four regular terms, of two
weeks each, are required in that county,
besides argument courts and special cases.
Now add these to our business, and our
judge will have to hold twelve regular
terms of court, besides argument courts,
special cases and work at chambers. There
! is not one Judge in the State now doing
that much work. But this is not ALL The
location of Sullivan county is such that
travel from Bloomsbury to Laporte is nc
small consideration. To go by rail to the
nearest point to Laporte our judge mus
| go'by Wilkesbarre and Towanda to Du
shore; and thence by stage, ten miles, tc
Laporte; being nearly, if not quite, 15(
miles; and requiring, as public convey
ances now run, two days to get there.
is nearer over the North Mountain, bu
| orr ctiznnS wall knnw tbot 10 a 1inicul
road to travel at all seasons, and often i'm
passable. 1t is the highest and most rug
ged mountain in this part of the State
BY way of Muncy, there is, after lea.in
that place, 26 miles of bad roads. Eigh
or ten journeys of this kind in all seasons
and the holding of twelve regular terms
with special cases and argument courts
and work at chambers is enough to wea
out the strongest judge in the state in
short time. If the State has got so poe
that it cannot afford judicial district
enough to have justice properly admin,
tered, then let Sullivan county be attache
to Lycoming, but do not load it on to us.
A CITIZEN.
The facts of the case are fully set tort
by our correspondent. The only poir
that can be urged in favor OF abolshin
the Sullivan and Wyoming dirtrict is til,
of economy. 1t is claimed that eight
thousand dollars would thus be saved
the State in ten years, but this would NJ
) be the case, for in very few years the bus
ness of the district would require an a
sistant law judge. With Sullivan addu
to us the district would contain near
: sixty thousand inhabitants, and the youn
est and strongest judge in the State cou
not perform the business of such distriC
u with advantage to the people. With OF
present district the time of the Judge
b almost constantly occupied, and with 81
i livan added the business of the thr
counties must necessarily fall behind
is not economy to put upon Judge Elw'
l. more work than is required of any 9th
s. judge in the state, aud we protest agar
D. it, not simply from personal considerable
but because the interests of the public {
mand that the courts should not be
D. overwhelmed with work as to be unal
&c to perform their duties promptly and ca
y fully. The people of Columbia county
II not want Sullivan attached to il in I
'e judicial district, and the people OF Sulliv
'e do not want to be attached, Why, the
d should the Legislature force upon be
" counties what they do not want?