The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-04-10
THE COURT HOUSE QUESTION.

THE COURT HOUSE QUESTION.
Mr.. r. F. Roberts, in his comments
In relation to the division Of Racine
county, writes presumably with inlen-
tlonal fairness. but certainly without
full and complete knowledge of the
question Iii reference to which he
quite freely shadows forth his views
and his opinion.
when Racine county was organized
the question whether the county seat
should be located at Kenosha or at Ra-
cine pressed itself at once upon the at
tention of the legislature. All the
farmers residing in the south half of
the county were hardly less interested
in the location at Kenosha than the
local Inhabitants of the place last
named. The member of the legislature
from Kenosha contended earnestly for
the location of the county buildings at
his place of abode, and the other men,
Der OF the legislature from the same
county, who resided at Racine, worked
with untlagging aSsiduity for a favor
able consideration of the place where
he resided. The people of KenoSha
and the people of Racine were not
sleeping while this question was oscll-
lating in the balance at the state, or
rather territorial capitol. Adopting
the water course as a starting point in
a line of measurement, KenoSha was
situated six and u half miles north OF
the south line of the county: Racine,
from a central point, was situated
seven and half miles south of the
north line of the county; consequently
the argument in favor of Racine, SO
far as related to north and south
line, had, metaphorically speaking, an
absolute width of one mile.
| The members of the legislature rep
resentlng other portions of Wisconsin
We're exceedingly unwilling to inter
mingle in the strife. and for that rea-
son they invited the representatives in
the legislature from Racine county to
make an earnest effort to arbitrate and
settle the question outside of legisla-
tive action. Whatever they should
agree upon, the legislature would ratify
so far as the terms of settlement lay
within the proper scope of legal enact
ment. The members of the legislature
from Racine county met frequently to
attempt the adjustment of that diff
cult question, and earnest endeavor
was for long period fruitless of re-
suits. The compromise eventually
made awarded the county buildings to
Racine and the county officers to Ke-
nosha That agreement, although it
caused great Inconvenience, was, to a
large extent, fairly maintained for a
| period of many years. When at length
an attempted disregard of that agree
ment occurred steps were taken for a
dividing line. The agreement caused
great inconvenience, even when the
population was sparse. but when the
number of inhabitants was largely aug
mented the settlement made must
necessarily be crushed and overthroWn
by the force of circumstances. The
question that the circumstances pro-
pounded was whether a readjustment
should be attempted or dividing line
established. In business point of
view, the original agreement could not
be ignored.
| At all lake ports the machinery of
the law should b9 within convenient
reach, and for that reason court house
and it's legal agencies reach to a neces-
sity at the two ports of Kenosha and
Racine.
The ground selected for the occu-
pancy of the Kenosha court house does
not present a favorable picture to the
human mind, or an intelligent regard
for public convenience. but the land
was gift to the county, and there is
a maxim. applicable perhaps to the
public as well as the individual, indi.
eating that it is discourteous to look
a gift horse in the mouth" The means
used in the construction of the court
house was the gift OF individuals.
One could hardly find a man possess
ing fairer purposes Ill life than the
builder Of the old court house, but q
board of architects would have award
ed him first premium as a master of
faulty construction.
The averment of Mr.. Roberts, that a
duplication of county officers, made
necessary by the advent Of two coun-
ties in the place of one, has caused a
duplication of expenses to be met by
the Taxpayers Of this county, is an er.
ror that has arisen no doubt from q
superficial consideration Of this sub
ject. The register of deeds and the
clerk of the circuit court merely receive
the customary fees for the services they
perform. The county treasurer re
celves small salary in addition to Ger.
tain allotted fees, but if the two di
vorced sections were coerced into
marriage the increased labor and re
sponsibility would soon induce the in
cumbent to cry aloud for augmented
compensation, and the taxpayers OF
what is now designated as Keno shf
county would likely be called upon tt
pay half OF twelve hundred dollar;
instead of the whole sum of six hun
| dred dollars for that class OF service
1t would hardly be reasonable to sup
pose that the county treasurer or th&
county clerk would perform a service
increased two-fold without increase OF