Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-01-31

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Mr.. SPEAKER: BY a memorial presented
to this General Assembly, by the commits.
sioners, county officers, and members of
the bar of Fairfield county, we are inform
ed that that county Is without a Court
House suitable for the transaction Of the
business for which such a building Is in
tended that their Court House. is poorly
located and in an exceedingly bad condi-
tion, even unhealthy, and that no amount
of repair can remedy these evils, XII I'D D,
AS a citizen of the county, well under
standing its wants, and knowing the truth
iulness of the statements made, add my
voice to those of the memorialists, to urge
upon this House the necessity of some ac-
tion being taken, that the object Of their
prayer may be granted. ~ Js. ....
The present structure, being used for,
and bearing by courtesy the name of Court
House, would be dishonor to any commu-
nifty; and how much greater to that of the
wealthy and prosperous county of Fair
field. Standing in city which, during the
decades that have elapsed since its erection,
has underwent many changes, been beau
titled and, moderniZed, it looks like some
venerable remnant of antiquity. Wrapt
in the sombreness of dilapidation and ruin,
it stands among the more modern and
stately editces of Lancaster perpetual
reminder of decay. ..r
EARLY in the term of the Common Pleas
Court, last held within its dilapidated and
mildewed walls, its unfitness, even as a
temporary habitation for human beings
claiming the common refinement of civill-7
zation, was so apparent, and 81, sensibly,
telt by the Court, the bar, the jurors, par,
ties and witnesses in attendance, that by
common consent an order was placed on
the journal and certified to the commits
sioners, requiring them to furnish other
apartments in which to hold the Court and
conduct the public business; and recon-
mending that the building be at once aban-
doned, torn down, and the materials dis
posed Otto the best advantage, thus giving
further evidence of its universal cOndem-
nation. H.l.
The general laws in force on the subject
of the erection of public buildings are not
adequate in their provisions to enable
commissioners of a county to take proper
action for the building of new Court
House. The laws in force are not intended
to apply to such a structure. The rule in
Ohio has been well established, that when
a new Court House or other public build
ing is demanded, requiring the eXpendi-
ture of large sums OF money, special legts-
lation is never refused, when the necessity
to make it is properly presented. The
general laws controlling the action OF
commissioners on this subject are intended
to apply to those ordinary improvements
that are not expected, with proper econo-
my, to require, at most, more than the ex7
penditure of few thousand dollars. The
building of Court House is5of rare occur
renee. and should be undertaken with due
deliberation, and when completed should
be such structure as to fully subserve the
purpose designed, not for brief period
only, but formany generations. y.1gcL -
From the first settlement until this day,
Fairfield county has had but one Court
House-the present structure, erected over
sixty wears ago. AT the time of its erection
Lancaster was but small village and its
business limited. The dense forest 'cov-
cred its rich and fertile territory. The
savage Indian and the wild beast roamed
within its limits. The Court House, when
first built, and for many years afterwards,
no doubt answered the purpose for which 1t
wasintended.7 With the increase OF wealth,
of population, and of businesspit will be
readily admitted that the structure built in
the early settlement of the county, in which
to transact the business of the public, is
now wholly inadequate. Even il the Court
House first erected were sufficiently CO.
bsS cor, bieteJJ dnne lis work. IT'S cracked
and rn;nad walls its mouldv' and ancient
IN nnearance. IFS damn and unhealthy
spartments' and its general rickety looks
mete it discrpdit not onIv to the citizens
Of thc c;tv of Lancaster. hut of the whole
vnn ~ ~ ybo IN intelI;Tence entprnrise and
UII nnI,Iic sn;t;t arc second fo that no other
county In the State. The Grand Jurors of
y be cCrntv time and again, have declared
n,iso1ce which onght 70 he abated.
Eoirtinid cnmntv' has 8 nonniStion of over
;tbirtv thousond and has on the tax 'dupli-
bate over fonrteen millions of dollars, and
sTg ~ n oyervthin% fiat Goes to make a
r.n,,t .Iu o,,d yrosnernIs Mamie = ','1'T'- ~
stThS Thora i - Pi now In tie @Treasurv Of the
oonnt1 snrniIs FnndsIamounting IN thirty
ponsSSa poS i daIisrs wnieb co1Id he frans ferred
inr tbe n,frnrse If %{i;dinosa Court House.
which would probably be as much as
nonld hh iudicionslv extended the coming
couiu ~ 5S h;Gn tybu1d nj obviste R tbe neress
s;tn ~ Oh" borr6winS II isSnronosed. that
iaSios iiay not r. eYcsed twentv[ FIVE thou sand
JoIior - in o,,v nne vaarl betmade. until the
y, mnrI isi ao,n hIetad. and t6hs withont i'm
= i, y :, 81 u h,rtheh on the tav vers
tha an AZ " roS,,ired yonId he raised
UP Rnt nna instaHce iof tbe ablljtv Of onr
neonle & G 70 raise innds viii be cited During
tbe rehell;on one of the rurals townshins
roisad % and maid as ho,fntvJ fo vomnteers
tba ann of eigbtv.two II t6os,sand dollars
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