The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-01-28
THE OWOSSO TIMES.
EDMUND o. DEWEY, EDITOR.
OwOSSO. FRIDAY, JAN rs, 1898.
The County Seat Fight Is On.

The County Seat Fight Is On.
The issue so long suppressed and
which has been crying for settlement,
10 these many years, is now fairly
raised and comes squarely before the
officials and voters of the county for
their decision. Yesterday. on the writ
ten request of nine members OF the
Board of Supervisors, County Clerk
Cooper issued call Tor special meet
ing of the Board on Friday, February
4th, to act on resembling the resolution
passed at its January meeting propos
ing $4,000 court house at Corunna,
and also to act on the submission to the
people of the propositions TO REMOVE
THE COUNTY SEAT TO OwOssO, and to
raise money to erect county buildings
at the new county seat. The most in
tense interest is already aroused on the
subject. Public feeling in Corunna is
bitterly stirred Everyone is beginning
to realize that county seat contest is
reality in Shiawassee, and until the
question thus launched is given chance
for a fair and final answer, discussion
will be rife. The slogan is ''Owosso the
County Seat ~ and the battle is on.
But it is with only the kindest feeling
and without acrimony that we trust the
question will be considered by the peo-
pie. AS to the supervisors, their duty
is plain and we have no doubt but that
they will honestly and impartially per-
form it. Those who have most care
fully felt the public pulse and stand in
closest touch with the voters throughout
the county, know that large majority
have long wished that the county's bust
ness could be done here. 1t is a plain
business proposition, almost beyond dis
cussion. Owosso is the county's me-
tropolis. It's complete business houses
with their great varieties of goods to
choose from. its extensive manufac-
tories, demanding raw materials; its
great availability as a shipping point
and its large population furnishing a
market for products for home consump-
ton, have made it prominently the
chief trading point of the county, to
which the majority must frequently
come. At present those who have
county business at Corunna run over to
Owosso to trade, if they come from the
extreme east or south parts of the
county, while those from the west and
from localities equally near both places
make Corunna business mere incident
to their visits to this city.
In location neither Corunna nor this
city has the advantage as to those who
drive to town. as each is equally near
the center of the county. As to trans
portation by rail, we have a great adj
vantage, by reason of an additional line
of railway which traverses the county
from north to south. Those people liv-
ing along the line of the Michigan Cen
trail road are put to more or less incon-
yenience to reach Corunna by rail, while
their facilities for getting to and from
this city are perfect. The same rule as
to people on the Grand Trunk, ID. & M,
and Ann Arbor roads visiting Owosso
does not hold. Once aboard, it makes
little difference to the passenger whether
he alight at Corunna or at Owosso.
three miles west, so far as convenience
is concerned. The change of county
seat would thus make no difference in
its accessibility to passengers from the
east and south, while greatly accom-
modating large population using the
Michigan Central. AS to the compare
tive accommodations to be found in
Corunna or Owosso, there can be no
question, and the vast advantage of
combining ordinary business with his
enforced trips to the county seat is
tremendous consideration with every
resident of the county.
But Owosso has some just claim TO
make for herself. Her population of
1000 is one-third of that of the whole
county The tribute she renders to the
treasury is a very large proportion of
the county revenue Her business in.
terests furnish a great part of the cir
cult court transactions and of the work
OF the county officers Yet her large
quota of jurors, witnesses and county
seat visitors of all kinds are dragged
away from home, whyp To accommodate
the rest of the county, No, simply as
matter of pity for the property owners
in city of 1900 inhabitants-simp
ly to run Corunna's hotels and restau-