Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-01-26
For the craftsman Journal. -
NEW coyrRT HoUsE

Mr.. EDITOR :-I wish to say few words
more on the New Court House Question. Du-
ring the past week had an opportunity OF
seeing, in the Commissioners office, the plan
and specifications, known as the Thorn plan.
According to it, the lower story is to be l3,
and the upper Is feet-the PARTITION walls to
be inches thick, and the lower floor to be cut
up into some seven rooms. The building Is
to be 90 by 60 feet dimensions-to the length
will be added the porch projection. Any per-
son who has q correct conception of architec-
tural symmetry and beauty, will at once OBJ
serve that there is no sort of proportion in the
above figures. The building would not be o.
ver 80 or 80 feet high to the eave-only one
half the hight OF its width, and one-third as
high as it would be long. This woulf give it
low, squatty, unseemly appearance, such as
would no doubt induce any mechanic, who
has any pride of reputation, to dsown it as a
specimen of his workmanship. But there are
other objections than those that refer TO the
mere external appearance. NIne-inch parti-
tion walls are entirely too frail for court
house as large as the one proposed-the walls
should be sufficiently substantial to render the
building solid beyond all peradventure. The
court room, to make it comfortable, as well as
to give it fair proportions, should not be less
than from 20 to 25 feet in the clear. The low
er floor should be divided off so that four of
the county ofices-say Prothonotary, Register
& Recorder, Treasurer and Sheriff-would oc-
cupy one side; then cut off from the other an
office for the Commissioners, and make a hall
out of the remainder, which could be used for
public gatherings, without asking the use of
the court room. have thus, briefly, pointed
out some defects, which, in my humble opin-
ion, would destroy entirely the fair appear
ance, convenience, and, in some measure, the
utility of the building. If We are to have q
new court house, let us have respectable and
creditable one-not ssbotch,'' of which we
will be ashamed. But, says some one, il you
make these changes in the plan, the signers
of a certain bond will be released from its con-
ditons, aud the county will lose the boasted
advantages of that offer. AS a matter of
course, that will be the case; and, after exam
lining the meagre and imperfect specifications,
almost any person will conclude that devia-
tion from the plan is inevitable, and, perhaps,
it may be that the signcrs OF that famous due
ument anticipated release from its stipula-
tions on that very ground-and if the Commits
sioners do go on and let the contract on the
29tb, will venture the guess that such will
be the result. So far as the Commissioners
are concerned, they stand in an unenvabe po-
sition. If they get house bnilt the plan
before them, they will have an ill-proportion
ed, incommodious and discreditable building
If they change the plan, they will lose the
advantages of bond, which. it is said was
the inducement for using so much haste in adj
vertisIng the letting. And this may not be all.
II they had taken more time. they might have
procured much better plan, and, perhaps
received much m ore liberal proposal. Let
them take which sshorn of the dilemma they
please, they will suffer in the public estima-
ton, notwithstanding they may have been ac-
tuated by the best Of motives. OLDrowx