The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-03-06
T, La Grange. 7"

thus been drawn to the matter, they consid-
cred it their duty to submit the question of
the "propriety of building new courthouse"
to the people, in accordsnce with the law in
that respect enacted. At the election to be
held the first Monday OF Apr. next, the electors
Of the county will be called upon to record
their decision respecting the matter. This is
question Of the highest Importance TO the
people OF the county, and is worthy of thor
ough discussion and careful consideration.
1t Is believed that q large number of the peo-
pie Of the county will agree with the grand
jury, and will favor the erection of q court
house adapted to the needs of the present,
as well as all necessities Of the future that
reasonable prudence can anticipate.
There are some, doubtless, who will op-
pose this Improvement or any other, and that
too, without any regard to its necessity or
cost. 1t is not expected that such will be
Influenced by any argument. however forci-
BILE it may be. 1t is believed that there are
many others who will support this measure,
IL convinced of its necessity and practical
bility, who would otherwise oppose it. Be-
fore such 1t has been thought not to be i'm
proper to place facts and statistics for their
consideration. The people of Lorain Co.,
are noted for their intelligence and public
spirit. and /: is believed that IL the proposed
improvement is demanded by the public ne
cessities the people can be convinced of that
fact, and being convinced, will give express
ion of their conviction at the ballot-box.
THE NECESSITY OF THE IMPROVEMENT.
In the first place, it NAV be said, the pres
ent courthouse has served its purpose and
'soutliyed its usefulness" 1t was erected in
1928 four years after the Organization Of Lo-
rain county. The population of the county
in 1880, the first census after its organization
was 5,696. The taxable valuation at that
date was, in round numbers, s75S, 900. The
cost Of the building was, as nearly as can be
now ascertalned, $500. 1t was considered
at the time, and was, very fine structure,
equal to the requirements Of that period,
when the country was sparsely settled and
the enterprise and thrift OF later years had
not commenced their growth. As popula-
ton increased, the files and records of the
courts accumulated and the volumes of the
records Of deeds, mortgages, etc, multiplied
1t plainly appeared that there were many de-
fects liz its construction, as well as that every
room in 1t was too small in which to transact
the public business. The only possible ex-
ception to this is the courtroom, which, If
large enough, Is badly arranged, with no
conveniences in the shape of witness or jury
rooms. Some Of these defects may be more
particularly pointed out. First in importance
is the
REcoRDKR's OFFICE.
Everyone who has had occasion to transact
business in that Office must have observed
that the room is totally unit even to do the
everyday business accumulating there, to
say nothing Of the clerical work required In
recording the instruments there deposited.
Ten men fll the room full. But one person
can, with any convenience, examine records
at the same time. In o county of over thirty
Thousand inhabitants, full of life, activity,
and enterprise, the business Of searching the
records of titles is immense. In the next
place the vault-such as it is-in which the
records are kept, is full. But few more
volumes can in any manner be slowed away
In It. A new vault must be provided for this
purpose, and that, too, without delay, wheth-
er a new courthouse is constructed or not
For such q vault there is no room in the
present building, A more serious matter
about the vault business is that 1t Is unsafe
and unfit to keep the records 10. 1t Is dark
and damp, and the volumes of records are