New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-05-21
BROOKLYN ITEMS.

Tux BUILDING.-Ihe corher-sloho vi 'A'
County Court House was laid yesterday aileihoVn
nth anpropriae ceremonies, in the presence !" '"e
Roar,s Of Supervisors and Aldermen, the mayor VI
the city. Judges Of the Courts, and officials gene'-
sIlv. The new building is to be erected on JoIa1e-
mon street. nearly in the rear Of the o iane heen
foundation has been lad, ana 'Dn Walls A"'0 Wv"
rassd some feet above the Sidewalk.
III Roard of Supervisors assembled IN the Oov-
ernor's Room Of the City Hall at o clock ?, M
and be,ng formed in procession by The freriueh',
Tn p s Crooke marched into the Park, where
,hey awaited the arrival of the Masonic fraternity,
70 which the duties of laying The cornerstone had
been accorded. M ,i.
preceded by band of music, took the right ana tne
Supervisors and invited guests followed. Inc IVi
lowing ure the offC Of the Grand L'dge Oh we
State o. New-York, no participated IN the ''i'-
monies; +, "A u,,-v C. .
Bspk,' brpa,y q NJ s y 'SW;'HM " jaime. jerso'
See!e;oTy Nv. 5,. .rIs "a " M
ley O S,sOdaId ge7ler y psysr Grand s,ewrd; r. ".
s~oIo hesrc' c,,nd De-. n; Il. " Brsai-y akDr -
GTsad Deacon r. ". Jon'i.on Fountain "ia"' i'''
Tbs ,rocesson marched 10 the site OF tire new
building aud forming around tne r"u'n-eds' 49,,
,ybare ~ platforrn had ben erected Uen Ctooho
asLed the devotional attention OF the asseinbiase 10
hear a prayer oy the R~v Dr. K. ). StorIs' Jr. ihe
reverend gentleman az ~aied u Vie lh:oue u Gia'e
for the safety OF those rnS ised Gl"n the oniolnS
during TIA construction aud III aiusion "a TIE war,
asked that all who stood 10y the flag Of the country
might be protected, ma that the victories OF our
armies might be null lid until the rebellion should
be crushed.
The cornerstone WIS then laid by Grand
Master Walden, In Accordance Win MaeOho Ieo
and ceremonies u
A brief address upon tie Inject of Free Masonry,
and its connection with the rearing OF magnificent
edfces, was delivered BY Pas, Grand Master John
w. Simmons.
Gen Crooke returned thanks e. the fraternity for
the active part they took in the proceedings, aud
made short address, IL winch he reviewed the MS
tory OF the county for The pasi % ears ana blieo
this event as among those o. Ie,e'i ua' nou Mn''
the CITY of BROOKLYN could 20 traced. Inir'y years
ago. the County Cont louise was located III Fiat
b1sh. which town was then the mott important III
the county.
nv IRE BROOKLYN was made the County Capital,
Int the cOurts were moved from one place 10 an
other until now the City Hall was inadequate TO ac-
commodate even the business OF 6y, and the new
Court. Uouse was the result. Arrangements were
made for the erection of structure about the
MANAGEMENT of the rebellion. he was then In Co
lnmbis South Carolina. They had commenced the
coustruson of the STATE House, there. The war
drove away all the workmen and the structure re-
mains incomplete. This editee, notwithstanding the
war, will be steadily prosecuted to completion, thus
Allowing the faith OF the community III the perma-
nency of the Government, III our institutions and in
ourselves.
Judge Lott. being called for, congratulated the
community upon the erection of so fine building
in which ADEQUATE provisions would he made for the
Courts in which the comfort and convenience of
those who attended Md De consulted TO the end
that equal and exaot stce might be administered
Mayor Kalbheisch spoke II tlils event as AL epoch
in the history OF Brook u, and looked forward TO
the dav when the entire county would be embraced
within the city limits, an wen 1t would he more
popuous even than New-iofk
The ltoceedings were I! en- cOnel ded with bene-
dictjon by the Rev. DIR. St0rs, and the assembage,
which numbered several thousand separated.
The box deposited in the cOrner-stOue contained
all the records OF the city and county, the newspapers
OF the day, coins, &c.
Tire ground upon which the foundation for the
new structure has been laid contains front OF 40
feet on Joalemon street, and extends back 35 feet
10 Livingston street. The Board OF Supervisors were
engaged for some ten years IN Tie selection OF a
suitable site-some OF the country members being
in favor Of location in the of the county in.
stead of the business center OF the city.
AT one time seventeen lois of ground near the
junction of Vanderbilt and Flatbush avenues were
purchased for the purpose at $1,000 per lot but it
was eventually concluded TO be too far out of the
way and the result was after the rejection of about
dozen other Sites that the present location war
selectea The price paid for the ground was 40 600
1t was owned by MIR. John Scheuck, and was for
merly occupied as the Military Gardens, a place Of
great resort when Brooklyn wac still village and
the gardens far out Of town. The Cry Hotel, also
an old institution torn down when building op-
sratons for the new ana more lInpo,ing structures
were commenced.
The Court House will consist of three buildings
proper-.he main one on Joralenon street. the sec
ond in the center, and the third fronting Oh Liv-
ingston street, in the rear, all connecting by means
of corridors. The architectural de,ign is Cornthan
The material for the main building Is Westcheser
marble and for the others brick, with marble trim
mngs The dimensions of the main edifce will be
40 by 20 feet, and GA feet ia hight from the base
ment to the pediment. The cupoia, TO be composed
of ribs and patchwork OF Iron, will be l04 feet
above the street.
The foundation wall rises to hight Of ten feet,
forming a cellar TO be used mainly for the heating
apparatus, storage rooms, and cells for the tempo
rary detention of prisoners. This may be called the
Grst story. -Four pairs Of columns will rest on the
front wall Of this story, 81 feet in width projecting
forward IL feet, and behind in the main
bulldog Of feet, forming colonnade Is by "a feet
In front of the second story.
The columns are to be 26 feet high, and l6 pilas-
ters TO project one-fourth Of their diameter are to
be placed 10 the wall. Two inches 10 feet high In
tended for statues some time hence and two Others
for busts are also made in the wall. There are TO
be only two windows in 'front.' the hight being intro
duced from the roof. Over the main entrance will
be inscribed III raised letters:
KINGS COUNTY COURT-HO A D. 1861
The entrance from the porch Of the building leads
10 the vesibule, and, Ascending five steps, to the
tunda, which occupies space OF 81 feet snrmounted
by dome, through which it is lighted. The floor is
OF marble. On either side are wide iron slarways
leading 70 the gallery, from which doors open into
various apartments The first hoor will be divided
between the Surrogate, District Attorney, and Cone
missioner of Jurors each Office having attached
thereto and connecting Herewith wash-room and
other conveniences.
The Surrogate room is 20 by q in extent, and
16 feet high; the room Of the District-Attorney,
~ A IL N q