The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-20
The New Court House.

| notice that the subject OF new count
court house is being seriously agitated, and
beg you to permit me to have my say on tn
subject The necessities of the public servic
do not require IL new court house any NOR
than a Quaker preacher needs new toms
hawk The old court house is as good to.da
as it was thirty years ago. The court room i
abundantly large to accommodate all who hav
any business there at any one time, four time
over. 1t is well ventilated and airy, and quit
as comfortable as a rev one would be likel,
to be made. No more parties, jurors or wit
ncsSes, Or even spectators, are required to at
tend upon the trial of cause now than were
required at any former time nor will more b.
required in the future court house is ont
of those things which does not require to bt
increased in size with the increase of popula
ton, for it is not designed to accommodate the
whole population at once. The same class OF
cases is tried now that was tried forty years
ago, requiring no larger attendance now than
then, and what would accommodate them well
then should suffice for them equally well now
Not one in fifty Of the taxpayers of the coun-
ty enters the court room once in five years, and
those whose presence is required would never
give a single quarter to have larger or a bet
ter room to go into than they now have.
But more room is required for the constant
ly accumulating records of the county. That
is true; and ample provision can be made for
these in the present court house by utilizing
the basement for that purpose. Clear out the
jail and thoroughly renovate the basement,
cement the walls and floors, which Will render
it clean and dry and sweet at all times, and
then. with stairs leading down from the inside
it will afford all the room necessary for records,
or even additional Office room.
That a new Jail is needed and has been
needed for the last thirty years is not an open
question. Our county Jail has long been a
disgrace to the county and n reproach to the
county authorities, which should long since
have subjected them to Indictment and punish.
ment for neglect of duty and cruelty to ami.
mails They are not responsible for not keep
ing II decent jail in that basement of the court
house, for that is impossible, but for not build
ing one outside and away from the court house,
where il could be kept clean and well VENT
lated, and comparatively sweet. Where human
beings are kept closely confined, even in small
numbers, a peculiar efiluvia will arise, thought
Lhe cells bc well ventilated which differs wide
" from the ottar Of roses. No Jail where
considerable number of prisoners are Liable to
be confined at time should ever be placed
under dwelling, a court room or Offices either
lbove or below ground for manifest sanitary
reasons 4 Jail should be, if practicable, iso-
lated from other buildings, especially dwell
ngs where good circulation of air can be
secured, with good sewerage and an abundant
supply Of water. Such a site can be found on
The rocky shores of the Illinois or Fox rivers,
md there is where a Jail should be built, good
and strong, and comfortable,
There seems almost mania in this country
for extravaganza in public buildings. I'm
mcnse sums of money are wrung from the
industry of the country in the form of taxes,
for mere decoration and show on public build
ngs totally foreign 10 any idea of utility. III
only those who desire and enjoy the benefit orr
The pleasure of this extravaganza had to pay
for 1t, it would be all very WELL but when those
who earn the money and pay the bills, or a.
large part of them, never or but rarely come
IN sight, it is not all very well. How many of
hose who have paid the millions for mere
decoration or display on our new state house
At Springfield, which in no wise contributes tol
rs convenience or utility, will ever see that
gorgeous structure, or even a picture of it'll
Let us not repeat the folly in our own county
by imposing a burthcn of two hundred thou
sand dollars or more for an elegant structure
% look at, which we do not need more than a.
Daldheaded man needs fnetoothed comb! !
But hear one man say we want a hall tori
he board of supervisors. Well then hire one,
IF which there are plenty in town, for week
,r ten days, four times year Surely it is not
necessary to spend one or two hundred thou.
sand dollars to accommodate that board when
It can be quite as well accommodated Tor one
or two hundred dollars. There is the city hall,
which is vacant about every day IN the yeas,
and could be, no doubt, procured for reason
able consideration.
Another objects lint it would be RSonve-
nient to have the Jail away from the court
house when prisoners arc wanted n court. II
may bc hardship On those gentlemen of leis-
urc who occupy 4 Jail 20 walk few hundred
yards to the court room, with a guard of hon,
or; but if so, then hire them carriages, which
would be cheaper than 10 build gorgeous
court rouse for the sake of putting jail I'M
der ii and saving prisoners little trouble.
Like the old one, such Jail must ever be a
stencil.
Make all needed alterations ard improve
ments in the old court house, which has served
as well for the last forty years, and may serve