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Detroit Free Press
January 12, 1908


              NEWAYGO IS AGAIN TORN BY STRONG CONFLICT
               OVER WHERE THE COURTHOUSE SHALL STAND
               
             White Cloud, Insisting That Geographical
              Center Means More to Scattered Residents,
                Argues for Removal of the Building.
                
              Newaygo, Mich., January 11. - The cry of county seat
            removal is again raising a clamor that, never entirely
            ceasing, slumbers at fitful intervals. It comes from
            White Cloud, for Fremont is making no pretensions at
            this time. White Cloud offered a resolution this week
            to the supervisors to the effect that the proposition
            that the county seat go to that village be again sub-
            mitted to popular vote. In order to carry this motion
            it is necessary to obtain a two-thirds vote of the
            board, and it is lost by one vote.
              The question has come up in court house history fully
            six times, and this may not be the last. Until the 
            permanent location of the county seat is settled Newaygo
            can hardly hope for a new court house; neither is she
            sure of having the historic structure improved and
            strengthened. Naturally, this village, the center of
            population, the center of taxpaying citizens, backed
            by old court house associations and reinforced by
            natural scenery of the town feels that the court house
            should stay here. Moreover, it is upheld by a clause
            in the deed of the "court house square," on which the
            county buildings stand. This clause clearly specifies
            the purpose of the gift, which was made to Newaygo
            county by JOHN A. BROOKS, an early settler, the exact
            object declared to be "for county purposes only."
            This land in all probability would revert to the heirs
            of the elder BROOKS in case the ground ceased to be so
            used. It is contended by Newaygo that $5,000 repairs
            on the court house would remodel it to a great extent
            and preserve intact the memories and sentiment of the
            place; also, that by so doing the jail, built at a 
            cost of $7,000, need not be sacrificed.
              White Cloud is undeniably the geographical center,
            but because the lands in the 16 northern towns, whose
            inhabitants  she proposes to accommodate by removing
            the court house, are mainly state tax lands, and to 
            a large amount go unredeemed every year, few people
            after all would be so convenienced. True, White Cloud
            is criss-crossed by the Pere Marquette railroad. To
            this Newaygo can make no answer. White Cloud
            generously offers a site, free lighting for a term
            of years, and use of their town hall until the
            court house is built. Nevertheless, in that time
            when new buildings must be erected, the cost will
            fall largely upon the southern half of the county,
            owing to the rich farms and fruitful acres of that
            section.
              It has been suggested that Grant, the non-
            contestant, despite its disadvantages of location,
            might enter the race on its merits as the one 
            would-be temerpance towns of any size, it having tried
            to keep out its one saloon. But none of the rest of
            the villages are willing to pose as intemperate towns.
              But once has this matter of deciding the court house
            location actually reached the people. In April, 1903,
            the question came up at the spring election, when the
            majority proved in favor of letting well enough alone.
            
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