The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1901-06-27
A BOOM "REMINISCENCES.

alike, except in some particulars. Fer
haps Western Kansas afforded more sem
sations in its county seat affairs than any
western country. But these things are
largely OF the past, and excepting on
some legal points, forever settled
In the making up of county lines areas
comformed to constitutional limits. eX
cept in the case of Garfield county.
which was a fraction below twenty
four miles square This constitutional
disfi gI1ration was one of the handica ps
which threw Garfield county into the
throes of dissolution; but Garfield county
was not unlike other counties-it had
county set contention. Because of con-
tention in county seats, its lack of con-
stitutional limit, its hopeless bond of
debt. and the naturally s-tired feeling
which fellows defeated hopes and ambi-
ton, like the weary gladiator, Garfield
county collapsed. It went into the hands
of receiver. By Legislative enactment
Garfield county made a part of
Finney county, and retains the name of
Garfield township. While it no longer
has Jurisdiction comfy it lost none
of its county Indebtedness. Its RESPONSE
biliry remained as to its debts.
The former county seat of Garfield
county-Ravanna-is one of the things
of the past. Revanna has single fami-
=
in legal jurisdiction. a suit in Judge
Hutcliison's court last week, revived
some of the incidents of Garfield county
in its palmy days and in its contention
for place in the galaxy of county stars. The
features in this suit are novel and some
legal points particularly unique. The
court decided the points according to law,
but desire to show that circumstances
alter cases, and what was logic and
equity fifteen years ago, does not suit
changed relations and altered conditions
About 1856, when the owner of quarter
section of land an eligible county seat
site had raptured visions of plnt ocratic
wealth, and he could hear the gingle and
feel the rattle of the silver standard in
his pocket he decided to reach out for the
mine of wealth. Seymour Mason.
one of these. He was the owner of a
quarter section of land on the site where
Ravanna now stands. He decided to
start n town-a city in the technical
meaning of Kansas statates-and accord
ingly lie caused his quarter section of
land to be surveyed into blocks, streets
and alleys. Like all public benefactors,
Maeon dedicated Block 13 for sspark
purposes After the filing of the plot,
the town which named Ravanna,
was made the county seat, and Mason
decided Block 13 to the county for
'scourt house site.'' Ulrler the laws of
Kansas, the title to B. ID was in the public
from the time of the fling of the plot, So
of course, Mason had no more right to
make deed to the county than if he had
never owned the land. His dedicated
park land was no more his than the
streets and alleys Which he also dedicated
for the respective purposes
The county commissioners let contract
for the building of S1O,O 900 court house;
but before the building was completed
the county seat removed to En-
inence, and the commissioners refused to
accept the building. AS the building
was not used for 'scourt house, purposes
Mason decided that the title to the site
reverted to him, and accordingly he
decided the block to D. y. Herman, who !
took charge of the block and buildings
thereon.
Garfield township, after the disorgan-
ization of the county, employed Harry
Mason, attorney of Garden City, to
bring suit and eject Herman. Sutton &
Scates, of Dodge City, represented Her
man, and filed answer III the Finney
county District Court, setting up the
facts, and stating that the defendant
claimed no right except that of posses !
sicn and also alleging that the plaintiff, |
hSt0 lO0-1SAitG 1sRA LIZ AISht
reason OF its deed from the original
owner, Mason. AS the plaintiff failed to
show better title than the defendant.
the court held in favor of defendant, and
thus lett him in possession of the court
house, and the plaintiff township had
the costs to pay in the suit.
D. w. Herman, the possessor by right
of laying on OF hands, is a store keep
err in the court house aforesaid. lie is
also postmaster. He is genial gentle
man of teutcnic antecedents. and credits
indisposed people aud exchanges groceries
for butter aHd eggs. 1t seems that Dave
is going to hold to that court house until
it goes cut by rcascn of the ravages Of
time or the corroding by events. When
the law cannot reach man what has he
got TO d o but to hold his title clear to a
mansion in a defunct county. We are
not sure what the remedy is in legal
sense; but possession is nine points
in the law, and the tenth point comes