The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-02-07
TIE RESULT OF THEIR INQUIRIES

| O'Clock and alter some private consultation
| entered the courtroom and presented the
following rs
TIE RESULT OF THEIR INQUIRIES
| In pursuance Of special charge of the
honorable Judge Of the Hastings Court OF
the cifv Of Richmond the grand jury of
| said court have inquired into the condition
| of the City Hall, the building in which this
| court and the Chanccry Court OF the city are
held, and in which the records OF the Chan'
Gerry Court are kept.
II was in evidence before us that the fonn.
datious of the building are seriously I'M
paircd, and are daily growing worse; that
the main walls on every side are dangerously
| cracked beyond remedy; that the western
| wall is kept from falling by only two l3-inch
| iron rods, liable to be snapped by the sud-
den displacement Of The heavy timbers OF
! the dome, which rest upon very insecure
support; and that on the occurrence of such
an event the greater portion Of the building
| would be crushed.
Experts testified that owing to the gene
rally di!apidated condition Of the building
aud the peculiar construction Of the clerks
Office Of the Chancery Court said office was
not fire-proof, and that if the building were
DESTROYED by fire it would almost certainly
| involve the loss Of all the deeds for pro-
perry. iduciary accounts, bonds, and other
valuable records in the office.
| Among many witnesses examined by the
grand Jury were the City Engineer and some
4 of the principal architects and builders OF
| the CITY. All of these testify, as will be seen
| from the paper filed herewith and signed by
them, that the City Hall building is unsafe !;
| that the room in which the records OF the
| Cbancery Court are kept is not tire-proof, as
REQUIRED By section 2 of chapter so of the
| Code of 1918; and that the building. is In
such state Of decay that it cannot be re-
paired to make it safe for any Of the pur-
poses for which it is used.
Your grand jury unanimously concur in
the opinion above expressed, aud recon-
mend that the honorable judge of the Hus-
tipus Court ent;" an order for the lmme-
diate removal of court; that temporary
provision be made .rr the preservation in
| fire-proof building t the public records;
that such process as it, law authorizes be
issued rs will compel tie City Council to
provide suitable building for the courts,
| With a tire-proof room therein, for the re-
cords of the Chancery Court; and that if it
be within the power OF this court so to order
that it prohibit the future use of the City
Hall building by the officers Of the city.
| lSiSUcul II. IL. SoLs loiSl1"h couh
H. TYLER, W. S. Donnan, Joseph G. Dill,
William II. Palmer, Archer Anderson,
joseph Hall, Charles Phillips, John W. Fer
eusson. John Ahern, w. 81. Gordon, A. l..
| Shepherd. P. ". Gibson, j. III. PleaSants,
John c. Page, Jr., G. p. Word, Robert j..
| Burlington, Samuel Maecubbin, Charles
| Campbell, Silas L. Johnson.
The following is The report OF the experts
| referred TO in the communication from the
grand jury:
R1cHMoSD, VA, February 5, 1874.
| We, the undersigned, being this day sum-
moned before the grand jury of this city to
inquire
i. Whether the City Hall building is safe
for the uses to which it is now put;
| II. Whether the room in which the re.
cords are KEEP. is Il safe place for their keep
ing; respectfully report
| That we have carefully examined the
! building in company with Colonel w. E.
Cutshaw, city engineer, and are ofopinion-.
/. That the building is unsafe.
! 81. That the room in which the records
| are kept is not tire-proof, and is not in any
sense safe place for keeping the records Of
the city.
| Sd. That the building cannot be repaired
so rs to make it safe for any of the purposes
| for which it is used.
Respectfully submitted.
lSigued] Henry EXall, architect; Alex. 7.
Lee, architect; John Gibson, builder; Joseph
F. Powell, builder; George Gibson, builder !;
William B. Cook, builder Albert l.. West,
architect; w. E. Cutshaw, city engineer.
After the reading of the finding of the
grans jury Judge Guigon thanked them for
their patient Investigation Of the matter,
and said that he would follow their sugges-
tions, and would cause the necessary and
proper steps to be taken in the premises.
The grand jury were then discharged,
and Judge Guigon addressed the following
LETTER TO MR.. DAVIS,
chairman of the Council Committee o1 Pub
lie Grounds and Buildings, for an interview
at the City Hall at o'clock
HUsr,SGs COURT OF CRY OF RtcHAoSp,1
RICHMOND, February s, 1874. )
Charles 7. Dacts, Esq Chairman, &c:s
Dear sir,-The grand jury having this
day condemned the City HALL building. rs un-
safe and likely to be crushed ut any time
and iuasmuch as, after such finding,.I am not
at liberty longer to occupy the bHaldlng as
cosrt. house, and must find some place at
once for the trial Of cases pending. and for
the safe disposition Of the reeeDds-saeh
action ia also necessary in the case OF the:
Chancery Court, Judge Fitzhugh-I Y2uif
be glad to meet you and your committee ae
once, before any order is made In the pre-
misses.
I have the honor to be, &c.
A. B. GuIGoN.
The Judge also addressed the following
LETTER TO THE COUNCIL,
which will probably he considered at their
meeting on Monday
| HUsT1SGs CouRT, CITY OF RICHMOND,
RICHMOND, February 6, 1874.
To The Council of the Cityof Richmond:
have the honor TO transmit herewith q
copy of the finding of the grand jury OF The
city of Richmond, this day presented, con-
demuing the City Hall building, in which
the Chancery and Hastings Courts are heid,
as unsafe and unfit, and presenting that the
records are liable to be destroyed at any
time.
| Under these circumstances, with the recon-
mepdation of the grand jury for The imme-
date removal of this court, sustained oy my
own judgment and conviction, | have II. ie!t
myseif compelled to decline holding TINS
court in the City Hall, and to make sucn
orders for the protection of the pu6ic
records Us in my judgment the law REQUIRES
at my hands. / have the honor 10 De, very
respectfully, A. d. uoidoH'
TIE PETIT JURY DISCHARGED. },
Just before the adjournment of the court
Judge Guigon discharged the petit jury,
| ,,,,;no fhot in Consideration of the IndtQg