Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-10-15
The People Of Grays Harbor Are Only Asking Square
Dea'' in Making Change.
0 e Hen % Appeal
Conidn Not to Prelude

In addition to the election of coun-
ty officers next month, the people of
Chehalis county have to decide upon
the removal of the county seat from
Montesano to Grays Harbor. This is
an important question, and it is prop
erly put up to the last court under
our system of government, that is, a
vote of the people. In any public
movement that makes radical
change from the established order of
things, a decent regard for public
opinion demands that it's advocates
give their reasons, and that those
reasons be ample.
A large majority of the people of
Chehalis county find the present
court house located at a point that is
so expensive to them-in the trans
action of their necessary county busi-
ness-as to become burdensome, and
have petitioned the county commits
sioners to submit to the qualified
electors the question of it's removal
TO what they consider a convenient
point. The decision of this question
rests with the voters, and, while ad-
vocates and opponents of the removal
are using good deal of argument
that but befog instead of clearing
the vision on the subject, it will be
the aim of this article to state the
case as fairly as can be done; give
the reasons of the HERALD for ad-
vocating the removal, and give all
known objections courteous hear
ing.
Statement of the Case.
1t will be taken for granted the
county seats are not proper objects
for exploitation. They are county
clearing houses, so to speak, and are
presumed to be located at point
at once reasonably central and acces-
sible. This being true, it is neces
sary-in order to fully understand
the question--to inquire when and
why the court house became located
at Montesano.
Twenty years ago the county seat
of Chehalis county was located at
what is known as the town of Wy
nooche, across the river south of
Montesano; the location was found
t. be inconvenient, and vote OF the
people placed it at Montesano. The
very fact of this change twenty years
ago shows the power and right OF
the majority to make such changes
when public convenience demands it.
and effectually disposes of the claim
advanced in some quarters to the
effect that Montesano had acquired
some sort of vested right in the coun-
ty seat. If the removal was right
and it's right has never been Ques'
tioned-twenty years ago, in order
to convenience the taxpayers. whose
money paid for it, and similar con
dition exists today for another re-
moval, none will dispute the perfect
right of the people to make the
change. In order to determine this
it must be borne in mind that the
Chehalis county of 1906 is not the
Chehalis county of 1856. From 6
sparsely settled county, occupying
some $500 square miles on the
earth's surface, with population
consisting of few farmers along the
narrow valleys of the streams, the
county has grown to be one of the
greatest lumber manufacturing cen
ters of the world.
The federal census of 1880 showed
Chehalis county with a population o.
but 921. In 1890 this had grown tC
9,249, and today conservative esti
mate Of its population would b'
$4,000. In 1886, when the count!
seat was located at Montesano, the
county did not contain moro thai
$500 people, less than 1900 o
whom lived west of that point, in thu
Grays Harbor country. No wagor
roads were built west OF Montesano
travel to the Harbor country being
perforce. by boat. Today. Of thu