M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-02-23
The Ohio stnte House.


tol of Ohio twenty years ago, and nov
repeats his visit, cannot but be sirucl
with the sublimity and grandeur O
the New State House that has takel
the place Of the State House and Of
fees that then occupied the publ,
grounds. The rapidity of the growtl
OfOhio, and her high position anon,
her sister States, demanded, that, fol
her convenience, safety aud selt-res
pect, she should dispense with the lit
tle old brick State House, on the cor.
per Of High and State streets, and thu
row of little brick offices along High
street and erecta House that would be
at once, ,commodious, nvenient, ,dura'
ble and beautiful. Iiuw well the en-,
terprise has succeeded is to well dem
onstrated practically, to require a
passing notice. For a number ol
years, the project of erecting a new
State House was discussed by the
General Assembly, at each annual
meeting of the same. Finally, in
March 1888, the General Assembly
Of Ohio passed the bill anthorising
the erection Of the splendid edificc
that now greets the eye Of the stran.
ger; and is the pride of every son and
daughter of Ohio. Upon the passage
Of that bill, the work was Immediately
commenced. Many were the plans
suggested by scientific gentlemen, RnG
finally the State House Commission
ers adopted the plan Of Mr.. II. Wal
ters, Architect, as being in their csti
nation, superior to any other plan
presented, at the same time acknowl-
edging, as well they might, the meri!
of the different plans TO favorable con-
sideration. The work was promptly
commenced in the spring Of 1888; du-
ring the Summer and fall of 1888 the
work of excavating for the basement
and walls was completed, and on the
fourth day of July 1889, the first cor
ner stone Of this noble ediice was
laid. An appropriate commemora.
ton Of the day On whicA the corner.
stone of the political edfce that is
justly the. pride Of the whole earth,
was laid in Tammony Hall.
This corner was laid in the North
East corner Of the building, and is
composed OF two large stones, about
eight by six feet, the one convex, and
the other concave, and in this eternal
prison house, was placed six large
glass jars, tightly sealed in order to
forever exclude the air, aud in those
jars was placed, copy Of our Holy
Bible, a copy of the Constitution Of
the United States and Of Ohio, of the
Declaration of American lnGepen.
dence, of the statute OF Ohio, a copy OF
each Of the leading newspapers in the
State at that time, Of the ordinances
Of the city of Columbus, with the
names Of the different city officers, a
specimen of the different coins and
bank bills then in circulation, the
journals of the General Assemblies
with the names Of all the Governors
since Ohio was a State, aud a variety
Of other articles, papers and speci-
mems, that may be found by genera
tions deep down in the labyrinths Of
futurity, and be regarded by them as
the relics of the BARBARoUs ages, and
as wonderful curiosities. Upon the
occasion of the laying Of this stone,
an appropriate prayer was offered up
from tervent hearts to the throne OF the
most high God, the Declaration Of In
dependence was read, after which an
able address was delivered by the
Hon. jeremiah Morrow. The work
was then suspended for want of funds,
and it was not resumed again until the
spring Of 1S41, when the Legislature
made another appropriation to carry
on the work. The work was then re.
sumed and carried on until 1913,
when, owing to the pecuuiary pres.
sure that then existed, it was thought
proper to suspend the work, and it re-
manned in that condition until the
grass grew upon the walls OF the
building, and the most sanguine
friends of the project began to enter,
tain doubts of the ultimate completion
of the work. In 1916 the General
Assembly made another apprOpria,
ton, and the work was recommended
with great earnestness. From that
time till the present the work has been
progressing, sometimes slowly, some.
times rapidly, until the building and
grounds present the magnificent an(
beautiful appearance that they nov
do. We will here attempt to give tho
reader some idea Of the grounds anC
building, by dimensions.
Tie grounds, located as they are
in the heart of a beautiful city, anG
decorated with the finest shrubbery
ard pleasant walks, present a magniti
centappearance; they embrace 634 fee
4 inches, North and South, and 661
feet East and West, and contains 1876,
244 square feet, making 1O4 acres
The building is in the centre Of the
lnt and covers. (ncluJipp terrace !