The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-13


\ the most honest and iudicious expenditure Of
money appropriated for the great work. If, how,
ever, the work were postponed 10 be commenced
in flush times when business is lively and our
hopes running high, there might be danger oil
our being led into extravaganza and IA heavy
debt entailed upon the county. This Is wen IL
Illustrated in Mclean county, which Just ut the
close of the war built Court House, the con-
tract price Of which was 100000. BONDS were
issued falling due in ten equal annual payments
with ten per cent. interest, and the people nave
paid for ten years $4,000 year TO meet the IN
terest and principal of the Court house oeot
They now have but poor substitute LOT jan
and will soon have to build one. The present
low price OF labor and materials Tor WORK OIL Tue
kind is well known 10 all OF the Board
Your committee, Notwithstanding all Oblcc-
tions that have been urged have decided unan-
mously to recommend that the Board proceed at
once to the erection Of Il suitable Court House
and Jail and they have also arrived ut the con-
clusion that the two combined in one building
and in one work, will be most economical and
practicable for La Sale county. Your commit.
tee, therefore, with much care and labor, and
with the voluntary assistance of our citizen arch
itect Mr. III. {. Furness, prepared the accompa-
nying plans which embody the views of your
committee, and with the explanations Of the arch
tect, are herewith submitted for your inspection.
Your committee believe that suitable Court
House and Jail can be completed upon substan-
TALLY these plans ut cost of not exceeding One
Hundred and Twenty Thousand dollars.
Your committee would also state that the cost
of the building would be somewhat greater II
constructed Of stone than if composed of brick
vet they believe that the sentiment as we'll as
Judgment of the people would not only justify
but demand the use of the most desirable anu
available stone and the committee so recominenu'
Your committee have carefully examined inc
various methods devised by different counties ior
raising the money to build court houses ana oih-
er large public buildings and would respectfully
recommend that, as the county OF La sane Is en-
trely free from debt, it ought to pay Tor thc cree
ton of the buildings in question III lhree years
pursued, viz: That Il tax of Forty Thousand
Dollars be levied each year, Tor three years, anu
not to exceed the sum of One Hundred and IWen-
ty Thousand Dollars altogether for the purpose
Of erecting and completing court house anc JAIL
Your committee, in conformity with this plan,
propose for adoption with this report the fol-
lowing resolution, viz: THAT q building com
'mittee to consist Of seven members OF this
BOARD be appointed, which committee shall
abe empowered to mature and perfect plans and
"specihcations and to make all contracts for
building and completing suitable Court House
"and Jail including the lighting and heating of
the same, said building to be erected on the
site of the present court house. The power OF
"ssid committee is hereby expressly limited as
"follows: The whole cost of erecting and com:
"pleting said buildings shall in no way exceed
1.-THE sum of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand
"dollars. Obligations shall not be contracted
for the payment of money any faster than the
"leves of tax will provide the same. The build
"ing committee are, however, expressly empow-
"ered, when the last levy shall have been made,
"to borrow the amount OF such last levy in anti
"cipaton of the collection of the same, and thus
"enable them to complete the work within two
"years"
Your committee have not considered the qucs-
ton of the location of a court house and Jail as
coming within the scope of the resolution under
which they have acted They have, however,
given the subject their attention and are unable
to see any sufficient reason for removing them
from the county property where they now are
1t is claimed that the location is such that bust
ness seriously interrupted by noise in the streets
This would be obviated to 4 great extent by a
proper construction of the new building and the
laying of the Nicholson pavement around the
square, an improvement much more likely 10 be
made in that locality than in any other part OF
the city. 1t is also urged that the ground is not
of sufficient size. Your committee cannot con-
cur in this objection. They find that extern
sive grounds surrounding or in connection with
Court House and Jail are not desirable. The
fitting up and repairing them according TO the
taste OF numerous persons ana OF various sue
ceeding committees of county boards involves
too much expense and is a constant drain upon
the resources of the people. This objection is
especially applicable to a combined Court House
and Jail, such as your committee have recon-
mended, as the supplies are of necessity very
large and the refuse considerable, and both have
ty has become so serious at Quincy that plan is
now under consideration there OF tunneling the
grounds for railroad to furnish fuel and other
supplies and for the removal of debris. This will
be very expensive but they must either do this
or construct railroad track over the grounds
which is also very Objectionable.
In conclusion, your committee would say that
they have visited quite number of court houses
and have collected great deal of Information
pertaining to the subject which might be out of
place in this report. They find that many errors
have been committed by Others whose expert
ence should benefit us. At Quincy the acoustic
properties of the court room are very bad and tho
arrangement for heating complete failure. The
janitor informed your committee that on q cold
day ne could burn 400 bushels of coal without
successfully heating the house. The acoustic ar
engagements of the court house ut Bloomington
are not much better than at Quincy. Their heat
ing apparatus, steam, is made more satisfactory
though expensive. In the Pontiac court house
the acoustic properties are tolerable and the
heating arrangement furnaces, perfect success
besides being much cheaper than any thing your
committee examined.
All Of which is respectfully submitted.