The Republican journal., 1874-03-05

TO THE COUNTY COMAuSstONERs OF TME
COUNTY OF kNON.
The undersigned Committee appointed b, the
foregoing commission, having attended to the duties
therein assigned, beg Leave TO submit the following
report
ist, We have examined the building now leased
to the County Tor county offices and court room ana
most particularly the vaults and safe where the pub
lie records are deposited Ihe lease expires in
October OF the present year and some new arrange.
ments must be made before that time The lease
cannot be renewed without paving a largely incrcas
Ell rent even without any chan4tS additions or i'm
prOYtmontS. Ghc lowest offer bV the landlord, was
sixteen hundred dollars per year in its present con
dtion As ii now is, we find ii in all respects wholly
unsuitable Tor the necessities of the county Tn,
vaults and safe which contain the public records, are
not against fire, and all the records of the
county would probably be destroyed if the building
should be burned we find the vault in the office Of
the Register OF Deeds, in which the records of all
the conNeyances OF this county ara kept well as
the conveyanceS Of large portion of this county lor
twenty -four years before knox County WIS formed
be entirely destroyed if the building were burnt I'M
less there was an opportunity to get them out and
The vault is insufficient in size without entjlaion
the. RECORDS are III danger from moisture
The vault in the Probate office is better ana dc
not regard that as entirely secure against fire i'll
OF the destruction OF the building and it j. too small
There is no vault or fire proof room for the safe
keeping OF the records of the courts. In the Office
of the Clerk of Courts there is an iron safe. which is
the only means of preserving the records of the SUI
premc Court and the Court of County CommisS sion
ers. 1t is neither safe against fire sufficient in
slAt ~ cOHSlutfablc portion OF the records mas To
be kept IN an open room Outsid" the safe, exposed
to loss by other means, well as by fire
The construction Of new freproof vaults for each
of the offices Of Clerk Of Courts Register OF Deeds
and Register OF Probate, would he necessary to rem.
per them safe and cony enicnt for the OF thc
county, Tor any term of years, however short.
The court room is in respect suitable. For
many years ii has been constant subject of com
paint on the part of the Judge, the Bar ana those
persons compelled 10 attend the courts. some of
the Judges of the Supreme Court have expires ed
the determination not to hold another term in it, but
TO direct the Sheriff to procure another place in
which to hold the Court. The rooms cannot be suit
ably warmed without new warming apparatus nor
can it be Ventilated without opening windows upon
the principal business of the city, exposing the
court TO the annoyance Of the noise from the streets
ny winch ITS proceedings ar" much interrupted. and
the ventilation by this method is pcrilous health
and in no respect such court room ought to
have.
1t would be difficult to MAKE, any such alterations
in the hall now used, as would make il suitable for
4 court room, rs it was not built with reference q
Its use tor such a purpose.
Other rooms and convcnicnctS are required in
connection with the courts, which cannot De obtain
ed IN the building now occupied.
The cost OF such alterations i'll the building {tver
If II were teasibe are necessary to render tine
pubilc Offices "saft and cpny cnien for Il term MOI
ceeding twenty years from the expiration Of The
present lease" would be great that cannot adj
wise it to be undertaken. The proprietor OF the
building Will not give his 10 such alterations
they could not be made. without substantially de
strOyng tie building fl other and if ii
determined to continue the of the building
the county would be compelled TO purchase ii, at Il
cost OF not less than thirty thousand dollars The
purchase money, and cost OF necessary altcrat ions
and lmproN cments, would, in Judgment, largely
exceed the cost of new Court House, built upon tn,
spohord lot, which is now owned by the county
ana We should then have Court House IN an undo
sirabe location, while one erected upon the lot
ed by the county would be free from objection in
this respect.
ID. There i no other building in the city Of Rock
land which is suitable for a court room and county
oihceS' There is no building, properly located
which could he made suitable. We consider it a.
bad policy and rool economy for the county x z, IL
remodel amy building now in existence, Tor tll,t par
pose, and lease il to The county.
81. The statute requires OF the County Commits
sioners, that they shall provide Court lion5t
- and lire proof buildings OF brick or ston" for the
sale keeping Of records and papers belonging to thu
office Of Register OF Deeds, and OF Probate and tn,
Clerk of Courts, with separate fire proof rooms to
each office"
We have been county fourteen years but this
has never been done. Phere is an imperative neces
sy that il should be done without more delay. AT
much investigation and careful Sideration We
have come to the conclusion that il is the WScSt ant
most economical for the county TO build Il Conr
House, which shall contain all the conNoncncea re
quired by the statute and estimate he cost O
such a building at fifty thousand dollars. We HAY,
reliable assurances, both from experienced arcltl
tecs, and persons acquainted With the constructor
OF such public buildings that the cost Wou4 not tN
coed that sum; would be able To contrac, loT It,
construction At that price The building would alr(
contain four strong cells, in the basement story
(Which is to be built of granite to te used y jA
| for temporary purposes, the county now having nC
place for the confinement OF prisoners.
We herewith submit plans fora Court House, sub
Stantially like that recently erected in Somerset
County, at cost OF abont 81, 600, which We have
| examined, among others; and submit it ~ our opin
ion that Il building constructed substantially IN &C
cordance with these plans would answer all the re
uirements Of the county, and be satisfactory to i'll
citizens in every respect.
9Th. We report the form Of an Article 70 be insert
ed in the town warrants at the approaching election
of town and city officers i'll the month Of March 'n'
TO be submitted to the several towns and plantations
i'll the county, and to the city of Rocklamd, for thr
decision upon the proposal 10 build a Court House
and to obtain their consent that the Comfy [ ON
missionerS may obtain loan of money, not exceed
| ing $4,000, upon coupon bonds, for Il term not eX
ceeding twenty years, with which to pay for ii an'
| we believe such bonds could be sold par the,
| would be certain and very desirable security fo
savings Banks, trustees, guardians, private indi
| viduals. The question propoundcd in the Narran
| must be answered by yes, no, upon written o
printed ballot
Al of which j. respectfully submitted,
| A. Il, GOT Id Chairman.