The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1869-01-02
THE NEW COURT HOUSE.
FULL DESCRIPTION.

Irigg, have fully completed the new and
| beautiful Court House that so much adorns
our thriving little city, and will to-day, as
we learn, turn the keys over to the commits
sioners, or building committee heretofore
appointed by the County Court To say
| that the structure IS magnificent is not
whit too much it is really monument,
and attracts the eye of citizen and stranger.
Indeed, every one who gazes upon its mas
sive walls and chaste proportions invariably
exclaims: +" Well done, those good and faith
| full servants. Take the building all in all,
it has no equal in the South, certainly its
superior in every arrangement cannot be
| found anywhere; for, from the foundation
to the top Of the artistically arranged dome
every inch of the brckwork, woodwork
and painting bears the impress of master
minds and skilled hands. We have no
hesitancy in saying that it is the best piece
Of work ever completed in this State for the
sum of $25, 900, the contract price, and our
| honorable County Court may justly feel
proud of having caused to be built temple
of justice that would embelish any town or
city in America. In order that those of
our readers who have not had the pleasure
of seeing the building we will give as per-
feet description of it as we can:
The Bolivar Court House is SO feet wide
and 70 feet long, and two stories high. The
first story is ~ feet high in the clear while
the second story is twenty-five feet six
inches high in the clear. On the west, or
main front, there is a massive portico, 26
feet long, projecting out from the building
eight feet The second floor Of the portico
is supported by groined arches resting on
four square brick pillars and two butrasses,
rustic work-the wole capped with a neat
stone cornice. The entablature and roof of
the upper portico is supported by four CORN
THAN columns, two feet in diameter and
nineteen feet high the whole capped with
a heavy cornice ornamented with modilions
extending around the entire building and
up the pediments of either end There
are seventeen windows in the first story of
eight lights each; of l6x24 inch glass, and
eighteen in the second story having semi
circular heads, eight lights each, 1884 inch
The windows in the second story are thir-
teen and half feet high by three feet six
inches wide. The sash are all balanced by
weights, and are easily moved up or down.
There are two entrances to the first story;
one with a circular head from the front
portico, five feet wide, and corresponds with
the arch between the two center pillars.
The other is directly opposite, on the cast
front, same size, with side lights and large
transum over the door There are also two
large doors in the second story, with side
lights and transums one opening out on the
upper portico and the other on to the top of
& one story porch on the east front. The
porch is enclosed with railing and balusters,
and is covered with tin. There are piIasters
all round the building between the windows
and on the corners, of three feet six inches
on the face with projection of four inches
surmounted by heavy truss brackets, extend
ing to the sofit of the cornice. The entire
building is covered with tin roof, which
is surmounted by a beautiful dome, rising
up from the center, twelve feet square at
| the base, and % feet high above the apex
of the roof The dome has four fronts,
| each arranged for dials, and ample room for
| a town clock The design of the dome is of
the Roman order, and handsomely capped
and painted.
The first story is divided off into six
rooms for Offices, witb a twelve foot corridor
extending through the center east and west,
| and a hall extending from the corridor to
the south wall, in which the stairway as
| cends to the court room and gallery. The
offices of the County Court Clerk and Reg
lister are each twenty by twenty-seVen feet
with fire proof vaults of seven by thirteen
! feet attached. The Circuit and Chaneery
| Court Clerks offices are each fifteen by
eighteen feet. while the Offices of Treasurer
| and Sheriff are each thirteen by eighteen
| feet The court room is in the second
story, and is 40 by SO feet, 224 feet high.
Right and left of the stairway, the
second floor, are two Jury rooms of Is by
Is feet, ten feet high, and over the Jury
| rooms is a gallery with raised seats, with
! capacity to seat over 100 persons. About
onethird of the courS room is divided of
with circular railing of black walnut with
| heavy turned oak balusters, for the Bar, and
! is provided with convenient tables and desks
for lawyers and clerks. The rostrum, or
judges stand is five feet high and ten feet
long, and is ornamented with two Ionic col
umns, and two GntaS, with PANELS between,
and a neat cornice The platform is ele-
waited three steps above the floor. Outside
the bar are thirty-two benches for specta-
tors, capable of seating over 290 people.