|
Chapter V
The County
…Numbers and
Boundaries. Iowa, with an area of 56,025 square miles, is separated
into 99 counties. When the state was admitted into the Union in
1846, there were only 27 organized counties, but before many years
had elapsed, the entire area of the state was included in the
counties as they now exist. In most counties the boundaries conform
to the range and township lines, as established by government
survey. Owing to the irregular course of the rivers, the counties
along the eastern and western boundaries of the state vary from the
prevailing rectangular form.
County Names. The
study of county names is full of interest. Eleven of the counties,
Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Jackson, Van Buren,
Harrison, Polk, Taylor and Buchanan, were named for presidents, and
Johnson county for Richard M. Johnson, vice-president of the United
States with Van Buren. Audubon, Benton, Calhoun, Carroll, Clay,
Clinton, Decatur, Fremont, Humboldt, Jasper, Kossuth, Marion,
Marshall, Scott, Story, Warren, Wayne and Webster commemorate names
that are historic. Several county names were conferred in honor of
noted Indians or Indian tribes. Among these are, Allamakee, for
Allan Makee, a noted Indian trader; Black hawk, Cherokee, Chickasaw,
Iowa, Mahaska, Pocahontas, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Sac, Sioux,
Tama, Winnebago and Winneshiek for the most celebrated Indians.
Cerro Gordo, Buena Vista and Palo Alto were named to commemorate
three famous battles of the Mexican War. The origin of all the other
county names may be easily found by a little research on the part of
pupils, and many valuable lessons in biography may be based upon
these names.
(The following
salaries were listed in each section for county officers:
Auditor—In
counties having less than 10,000 population, the salary of county
auditor is $1,700 a year; in counties having a greater population
than 10,000 the salary is increased according to population so that
in counties having 65,000 population or more, the salary is $3,400 a
year.
Treasurer—In
counties whose population does not exceed ten thousand the salary is
$1,700. This is increased one hundred dollars a year for each
additional five thousand population up to forty thousand. In
counties having a population of thirty-five to sixty-five thousand
the increase is $200 for each additional ten thousand population. In
counties of sixty-five thousand or more the salary is $3,400.
County Clerk or
Clerk of the District Court—Salary
is determined by the population of the county. In counties having
less than 10,000 inhabitants it is $1,700. From this minimum it is
increased with the increase in population until in counties having
over 65,000 inhabitants it is $3,400.
County Recorder—the
salary is $1,600 a year, and increases according to the population
of the counties to a maximum of $3,100.
Sheriff—The
Thirty-eighth General Assembly (1919) reclassified the salaries of
sheriffs. In counties whose population does not exceed 15,000 the
salary is $1,700. This is increased in varying amounts according to
population, but at no fixed ration. In counties of average
population (40,000 to 50,000) the salary is $2,200. In counties of
65,000 or over, the salary is $2,800.
County Attorney—The
salary, which is fixed by the board of supervisors, ranges from
$1,100 to $3,000, according to the population of the county. Fees
and mileage also are provided for in certain cases.
Coroner—It
is the duty of this officer to perform all the duties of the
sheriff, when there is no sheriff, or when that officer is an
interested party in any proceedings in any court of record. He also
acts as sheriff when an affidavit is filed with the clerk of the
court that the sheriff and his deputies are absent from the county,
and are not expected to return in time to perform the service
required…
Fees. The fees of
the coroner are as follows:
For holding an
inquest and making the return, five dollars.
For viewing a body
without holding an inquest, three dollars.
For issuing each
subpoena, warrant or order for a jury, twenty-five cents.
For each mile
traveled in going to and returning from holding an inquest, five
cents.
For acting as
sheriff he receives the usual fees of that officer.
|
