The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-08
ALL ASK QUESTION
Where Is Your Court House,
of People of Kentland, Ind.
ONLY A NOD EASTWARD
History of the Seat of Justice
Is Full of Interest.

i4oA ~ AdiU UD the main business street OF
the town some citizen whose pride has
become calloused through long exposure
to sarcasm of the most vitrioic sort is
compelled to answer the question.
Where's your court houseg'
There was a day when the people of
Kentland took time 10 apologies and ex-
plain whenever this question WAS put 10
them. But forty years of incessant rePe-
titioR have robbed the joke O. every bit
of point it ever possessed. and now they
simply nod their heads in an easterly
direction and point 10 q dense grove of
healthy maple trees growing IL The cen
ter of the town.
In a remote corner Of this prolific grove
stands small two-st0ry frame building.
Viewed from the front, IT looks for all The
world ike a district school mousse. IT IS
surmounted by a rickety. squatty tower.
in which hangs rusty old bell that has
grown hoarse and unmeloGious from long
usage. The weather boarding shows the
effects Of almost half century of In
diana wind and weather 1t is warped
and cracked and marred by deep scars
which numerous coats of paint nave
failed 10 heal. The roof, toe. reveals its
age. Occasionally spots are visible show
ing the fight Of cedar shingles before
blasts that have been bowling across its
gables for more than four decades. The
unimposing structure does not rise more
than thirty feet above the ground and is
completely overshadowed by the thrifty
naples by which it is enclosed.
This building is the court house, the
fountain head of justice in Newton coun-
~. Admittedly. it is the worst court house
in Indiana Placed on the market today
1t would not bring to exceed $500, and yet,
during its eventful existence, the building
has cost much more than many Of the
modern brick and stone structures that
have been erected at county seat towns
in various parts OF the state II is at
the same time. the poorest and one OF
the most expensive court houses in In
diana, and this paradoxical situation IS
due to a county seat fight that has been
waged with relentless activity and great
bitterness for more than forty years
on June the fight is to be taken up
anew. Another town viii on that day
attempt TO wrest the county seat from
the grasp Of Kentland by popular cleo
ton. Every town in the county has been
experimenting with this problem in one /
way or another since the present court /
house was built in the spring of 1861, yet {
the unsightly old building has chung to 4
its present location. showing no evil eff 4
fects Of the storm going on about it except (
the usual dilapidation brought on by age.
In the eyes of Kentiand people it is a /
grand old building, for so long as it |
stands there seems to be little likelihood (
of the county seat being moved. and they
cling to It with much the same spirit as
drowning man grabs at straw Yet it
ls in sense an aggravated eyesore.
There is money in the treasury Of New
ton county to build court house in keep /
ing with the general prosperity of the I
people, yet the spirit of jealousy runs so /
high that no county commissioners have /
ever held office who had sufficient cour-
age to make an appropriation for the I
erection of such a building What is (
more. Kentland has practically offered TO 4
build a court house there and turn il 4
over to the county if the commissioners f
would but give their consent. but as the (
faction always managed to hold (
a majority claim on the board the offers .
have not met with encouraging response.
Thus the fight has gone on for forty (
years or more. Sometimes the field OF
action has been in the state legislature,
again it was within the borders of the
county itself, but not once during all
these years has the spirit of the lighters
one whit. and rising generations
in that region have been taught TO regard
and most burning local issue The result
Of an this strife has been interior feeling
and accute jealousy which two or three
times every year takes a new turn and
breaks ont in some unexpected quarter
with increased fury.
The towns that have been leading the
ieht against Kentland are. Brook, Moroc-
co. and Goodland. and each of them for
years has been nursing favored spot on
which they expected some day 10 erect a
court house. In the general order Of
things they could not all build court
houses for one county. and ii IS largely
through jealousy existing between the
lighting towns that Kentland has been
able to retain within its borders the old
fashioned frame structure which now
stands in its public square Everybody
outside of Kentland and the immediate
vicinity wants the county seat moved.
but on the question OF location they are
act SO unanimous. In Brook they say
We want il moved. but if Brook can't
get II. then we see no reason why Il
should be taken away from Kentland
IN Morocco and Goodland the same ar
.ument is heard. Consequently there IS
frsrt grs4~
II the results.
For years the regular session OF the
legislature has attracted a crowd Of lob
visits from Newton county. all OF
whom We're deeply Involved in the
county seat question. Every town inter
sted in the prominent issue has pattern
d bills after its own way Of thinking.
md every other town has opposed them
With fully as much visor as shown by
he originators. They have fought back. :
nd forth in the legislative halls untu
tate representatives and senator's have
earned through intuition 10 beat hasty
etreat whenever the Newton county seat
Uestion was mentioned The bib unde- .
which they are now lighting was enacted
everal years ago and provides that Is
Ter cent Of the legal voters Of the county !,
han be necessary FOR removal. TAX
ag advantage OF the provisions Of this
CT, Brook and Morocco both have held ],
lections and each fell short 81 the re- !.
uired number Of votes The next aspir- !,
* town is Goodland. which has called :
n election for June :. and is putting ~ ),
trong and persistent fight to carry the }.
ssue- The whole county is being cam r
aligned from one end 10 the other and I.
he impending election is causing more .
ys-itennanf than a ~orforaf -s-oraf-- =,