Has the name ever been changed?

What is the origin of the name?

Make a list of the mayors since the incorporation.
How many wards in your city? In Detroit?

What is a voting precinct?

Do city officers receive any compensation?
What is meant by municipal ownership?
Can you give some illustrations?

Which is better, private or public ownership of water works, lighting and other plants?

What are fire wardens? Why are they necessary?

Could a man move a building through a city street? Could material to be used in a new building be piled in the street?

What is meant by city limits?

CHAPTER X.

COUNTIES.

Organization.-There is no territory in the state today not organized under county government, although a number of the northern counties have unorganized townships owing to the lack of population. Township organization is necessary to county organization. No county can be com-. pletely organized without more than one township. A county is organized when it has the townships and township officers to carry into effect the legislative and administ. itive functions belonging to it. Each organized county is a body corporate. No county shall be reduced to less than sixteen townships unless a majority of the resident electors so decide, and the boundaries of the several counties shall remain as now established unless changed by the legislature.

County Seat and Buildings.—By act of congress of 1836 the board of supervisors were permitted to preempt a quarter section of land for seat of justice, paying two hundred dollars therefor. Each county has a county seat and the only question to arise now is change of location. The board of supervisors may by a two-thirds vote of all the members elect submit a proposition for removal to a vote of the people, and if carried by a majority vote such change of loca

The county of Wayne was organized August 18, 1796, and included nearly all the present State of Michigan and a portion of Ohio and Indiana. The county was reorganized November 21, 1815, by General Cass. Monroe county was organized July 14, 1817, in anticipation of President Monroe's visit, which occurred the following month. Macomb was established January 15, 1818. In 1822 six new counties, Lapeer, Sanilac, Saginaw, Shiawassee, Washtenaw and Lenawee, were established. In 1829 a large number established and organization and reorganization has proceeded up to the present. Each county provides a court house, jail, fire-proof offices and all other necessary public buildings.

were

tion shall be made. The vote shall be taken at the annual town meeting and shall be preceded by public notices, naming the place which has been designated.

County Officers. The following county officers are elected for two years each, sheriff, clerk, treasurer, register of deeds, prosecuting attorney, surveyor, two coroners and a circuit court commissioner (in counties of more than 20,000 population two commissioners) and a judge of probate and school commissioner for four years. One or more notaries public are appointed by the governor for four years.

and a county drain commissioner for two years, two school examiners for two years and three' superintendents of the poor for three years by the board of supervisors. The sheriff, clerk, treasurer, register of deeds and judge of probate must maintain their offices at the county seat.

The board of supervisors may unite the offices of clerk and register of deeds in one office or disconnect the same.2 The governor may remove any county officer for sufficient cause. The county officers assume the duties of their office January first following their election. Local act 294 of 1895 provides that the term of the treasurer of Wayne county shall begin on the first day of July next succeeding his election.

(a) Sheriff. The sheriff is the chief executive officer of the county. He gives bonds to the penal sum of ten thousand dollars, with not less than three sureties, and is personally responsible for his own acts. The sheriff has charge of the jail and the prisoners in the same. He shall serve or execute all writs, precepts and orders issued to him by lawful authority. The sheriff appoints an under sheriff and one or more deputies to hold office at his pleasure, and for whose official acts he is responsible.

A sheriff or deputy, as well constable, may call assistance when required in the securing of a person for felony or breach of the peace or in preserving the peace. The under sheriff executes the office of sheriff whenever a vacancy occurs until a sheriff shall be elected. The sheriff's compensation is, in the lower penisula, entirely by fees, in the upper by a salary fixed by the board of supervisors. A person cannot hold the office longer than four years in any six.

1Wayne county has seven.

"The following counties have the offices united (1901): Antrim, Baraga, Clare, Delta, Keweenaw, Lake, Luce, Menominee, Missaukee, Montmorency, Ontonagon, Oscoda, Roscommon, Schoolcraft.

3The word sheriff comes from the Saxon words "shire" and "reeve." The shire-reeve or sheriff being the chief officer of the English shire or county.

(b) Clerk. The county clerk is clerk of the circuit court and has the custody of the seals, books and papers of the He is also clerk of the board of supervisors and has charge of the books, records and accounts of the board. Marriage licenses and licenses for hunting deer are obtained of the clerk. He keeps a record' of births, deaths and marriages and reports same to the secretary of state. He appoints one or more deputies and designates one as his successor in case of vacancy. He gives a bond of two thousand dollars. He receives a salary fixed by the board of supervisors and certain fees in addition.

(c) Treasurer.-The county treasurer receives all moneys belonging to the county, paying it out on order of the board of supervisors signed by the clerk. He is required to give a bond to the county of such amount as may be fixed by the board of supervisors by whom all the treasurer's books and accounts are audited once a year, and a bond to the state of such amount as fixed by the state land commissioner. Insurance of county buildings is made in the name of the treasurer by direction of the board of supervisors. He settles with the several township treasurers and pays the state tax over to the state treasurer. The matters pertaining to delinquent taxes are conducted through this office, and the annual tax sale is conducted by the treasurer. He issues liquor licenses and furnishes certificates of taxes paid. A person can hold the office but four years in any six. He receives a salary fixed by the board of supervisors and a few fees.

(d) Register of Deeds.-The register of deeds keeps a record of all real estate transfers, including deeds, mort

These are called "Vital Statistics." The record of marriages is made up from the returns made to the clerk by those who perform the ceremony; the record of deaths from returns made by the city and township clerks once a month; the record of births from returns made by the supervisors once a

year.

2Salaries of county officers and orders of the drain commissioner, soldiers' relief commission and superintendents of the poor are paid by the treasurer without the orders of the board of supervisors directly.