The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-10-06

anu AmpO91n& CeFcmOnRes-A Fine
day and a Large Crowd.
Yesterday the Corner Stone of
the new Court House was laid un
der tue auspices of the Masonic
order, by NJ w. Grand Master
Daniel Mcdonald. The day was a
fine one and the attendance was
not less than eight thousand peo-
pie.
The grand procession was formed
ut l O'Clock, the Patrons of Hus-
bandry in front, followed by Ma
sonic fraternity, and the Richmond
and Muncie Communicates of
knights Templar, accompanied by
their Cornet Bands.
Arriving at the Building, the
programme of exercises, as pub
ished last week, were followed.
After music by the Winchester
Cornet Band, prayer by Rev. W. o.
Pierce, Grand Chaplain, singing by
the Choir, the Corner Stone was
deposited,a box containing the fol-
lowing articles: Copy of Holy Bible,
Roll of offices and members of Win
chester Lodge No. Sc F & A. NJ,
Reports of all grand Masonic bodies
for 1S74-75, Masonic Directory for
Winchester, copy of each paper
published In the County, copy of
the Wincbeste: Patriot first paper
ever printed in the county, dated
Oct. lS43, by Col. III II. Neff, Re
port of Superintendent of Public
Schools of Winchester 1874, copy
of the Premium List of Randolph
County Fair for 1875, names of
Judge and officers of the Circuit
Court, names of County officers
and members of the Bar, names of
corporation officers of Winchester,
copy of Neffs speech on the civil
history Of Randolph County, coins
and medals, copy of contract for
the first Court House, names of
members of the Richmond Com
mandery and Cornet Band present,
with the usual ceremonies of the
Masonic order, assisted by I. p.
Watts, Deputy Grand Master, H.
II. Nef. Senior Grand Warden. w.
Commons, Junior Grand and W. O.
Pierce, Grand Chaplain.
The Richmond Cornet Band
played most beautiful piece of
music, after which the choir sang
1--WE meet upon the Level and Part
upon the Square"
Hon. John e. Neff was intro
duced and after q few Introductory
remarks, saying that he WAS proud
of the fact that he Was Randolph
Co, boy, land that his relatives were
among the earliest settlers, his
uncle printed the first paper ever
published in the county, the Win
chester Patriot, of which the Win
chester Journal is the successor, al
though the old readers of the Pa
triot would hardly recognize their
old iayorite in the Journal of to-
day, printed by steam on its fine
press and perfect type,he proceed
ed to give short civil history of
Randolph County. He produced
the original bill as presented by
MIR. Beard of Wayne county for the
organization of the county of Ran.
dolph, January 10th, 1918 Ran
dolph county then comprised all the
territory north of Wayne county to
the Michigan line. The first court
was held in William Ways house,
and the first court house built was
erected on the north side of the
public square, at cost of $3.50, o
copy of the contract for the build
ing being deposited in the box in
the corner stone. Jonathan Jen-
nings was then Governor of the
State. Judge Holman was the first
Circuit Judge, then followed Judge
Eggleston, Judge Test and Judge
Bigger. who was afterward Cover
nor of the State. Mr.. Neff then
produced copy of the laws of 1918
and read several extracts from it
which were very interesting. The
wealth of the State in 1918 was
$44, 100000. And now it has
reached the enormous sum of
1854, OO0,0OO The wealth. of the
county then was 100000, while
now it is $12,O0O,00O. The county
now contains 81 miles of railroads,
valued at $674,O00 while the pixies
are numerous and first class. Four
papers are now published in the
county. two of which are issued at
Winchester His remarks were
full of interest, and were well re-
ceived by the vast assemblage of
people present
The Benediction was then pro.
nounced by Rev Sparks of Rich
,nond, and the vast crowd dispersed
to their respective homes, well
pleased with what they had seen
and heard
There were many of our oldest
citizens on the stand, prominent
among whom were David Lasley.
who was born April LIST, 1900; Tbut
lacks great deal of being an April
or any other kind of fool, who
cleared the Public Square in 1921,
David Wysong, who was the con
tractor that built our first Court
House, and John Coats, who is the
oldest man in the county, being So
years old The latter is quite a
patriarch, having II children, 40
grandchildren. $50 great grand
children aud 4 great great grand
children living.
Everything passed. off smoothly
and pleasantly. everybody was
pleased and the day will be long
remembered, by all who were press
Of