Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-01-05
Iss Shfuandoal AerAld.
Town and County Affairs.
Court House Questi on.


amount of money being subscribed to
build at that place.
We have been somewhat astonished at
the singular opposition to the action of
the Supervisors, and think that we would
not be dischargipg our duty if we did OF
say word in their vindication
They are the custodians the public
property Of the county, and it is their du-
ty to provide comfortable and safe public
buildings, together with their financial
and other trusts. An examination Of the
court room was made by efficient and hon
orable architects and builders, aud pro-
nounced unsafe and dangerous. As hu-
name gentlemen, much less responsible
county officials. they thought it then duty
to provide comfortable and safe room
wherin to hold the terms Of our courts,
where the lives Of our honorable Judge,
juries and htigauts are in constant jeop0r-
dy. Besides, the accommodations for in
teres;ed spectators are of the most uncom-
Portable character in the old room.
Dir. Richardson an architect and build
sr, from Edinburg, examined this build
ing. few days ago, and pronounced the
court room entirely unsafe, and SO danger
Gus that he would be unwilling to sit in it
as juror, The back wall is about eight
inches out of plumb, and by going into
the garnet OF the building one can see
down into the court-rooom through the
space between the joice and the vail; and
the main girders have nearly lost their
bold upon the masonry, by reason Of the
giving away Of the back wall. On fur
sber and thorough examina ton Mr. Rich
ardson pronounced the main building in
most excellent and perfect condition, ex-
pressing his admiration Of the beauty Of
the design and architecture.
Several very Intelligent gentlemen from
New Market also made an examination of
She Court house. and expressed their I'M
qualified appreciation Of the action Of the
Supervisors, and declared that in their
opinion the Courtroom was unsafe and
unfit for The purpose.
The petition sets forth as a main reason
for the removal Of the Court house, that
water is more abundant in Edinburg than
in this place. If it was necessary to have
4 great volume of water TO turn the ma
chinery of the court, that would be very
proper object, but as that is not the case,
and this place being we'll watered by ttco
running streams and number of excel
lent springs and aoeJ{s-one never failing
we'll at tie Court house-our friends from
the county need never fear any want for
water.
Nor has Edinburg any claim for being
the centre oftbe county. Our friend NJ
gtnnis should claim the Courthouse, for
he is just half scay between Edinburg aud
Woodstock But the North Western
portion of this county Is father from
Woodstock than any Sothcrn portion of
the county, which makes this place the
most central and by far the most eligible
point for the business Of the county,
Another objection to removing the coun-
ty seat is, that the upper end of tn is
county, will probably be taken off, and to
gether.with the lower portion Of Rocking
ham formed into new county. This has
been question proposed for some time.
and the citizens of the upper end are still
insisting upon its accomplishment. How,
ever much We may regret such result,
yet we know that the Linville Creek and
River portions of Rockingham and Shen-
andoah would form very rich and con-
yenient county. IF such should be the
result, certainly Edinburg would not be
a convenient location for the cou nty seat.
AS it is now. Woodstock is as central
as any place in The couaty, an d any at
tempt to remove the Courthouse would
not on y involve an unnecessary expense,
but would place the county seat at a great
er distance from the centre Of the county
than at present located Edinbnrg has
not one single advantage either in central
Location or otherwise ever Woodstock, as
Court house town. whilst tie later has
some very considerable advantage, both
in being more central and having some
local advantages.
1t will probably not cost less than thirty
[S3o000l thousand dollars to build the
necessary public buildings. Edinburg
proposes doing this by private subsorip-
ton. That indeed would be quite hand
some. But who guarantees this amount
Of money? It is quite necessary chat such
subscriptions should be certain, fixed and
forthcoming. Subscriptions are liable to
be lost, unpaid, or their payment other
wise defeated.
We hope we will not be thought serious
in noticing the proposition to remove the
Courthouse. We refer to it on account
of the inconsistency Of the objection to tie
Supervisors appropriation A causual
reference to the special act Of the last
Legislature in regard to the removal of