The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-03-06


boys could be seen clustering around the
turn to be called and fearing 20 seek more
comfortable quarters, lest they should sub
ject themselves to legal penalties by not re-
spending when called. Considerations of
humanity, as well as propriety, demand that
some remedy should be devised for this evil.
So, too, there is no room for consultation
between attorneys and their clients, and
whatever OF this is necessary must now take
place In the courtroom. This is q fruitful
source of confusion and annoyance. And
all these defects affect not attorneys alone,
but every citizen who may have a cause in
court, or who may be summoned as g juror
or witness. A courtroom should be SO ar
ranged as to conveniently accommodate all
who may in any capacity be called upon to
take part in the administration of the law.
Other defects in the present room might be
pointed out, but enough for the present.
THE OTHER OFFICES.
The clerks office is already full Of records
and files, and more room must be provided.
The vault intended to keep the records of
this Office in is no better than potato hole.
1t has settled out of shape SO that the door
will not close, much less lock, and the files
and volumes Of records are dumped into it
in "most confused disorder" Another thing
the clerks office should be on the second
floor, which would save the carrying OF books
files end papers up and down q fight Of
stairs two or three times q day, during court
time.
There is no sheriff's Office at all In the
courthouse, fact which has long been q
source Of much just complaine
The Probate courtroom ID wholly unsuited
for the uses for which it was designed. Like
all the rest it is too small. 1t Is not arranged
for court room and cannot be. During the
sessions of the court of Common Pleas there
is no place in which to hold this court. The
business Of this court lie more nearly con-
nected with the masses of the people than
any other. Here wills are probsted, admin
istrators appointed, and estates settled
These are matters of the highest importance.
Much other business, such as habeas corpus
hearings, appropriations of property by cor
porations, ditch hearings, ETC., comes under
the jurisdiction of this court. This court
also has criminal jurisdiction In certain cases
and II conveniences were at hand would
hold q criminal court, which being open at
all times would greatly lessen the expense of
this branch of judicial business. This vault
is also full and more room must be had.
OF the auditors and treasurer's offices it
is not necessary to speak. They are so no
toriously unfit for the transaction Of the im-
mense business by law centered there, that
to point to each by itself would be q useless
superfuity.
The commissioners have no room at all.
The auditors Office where they meet
is about twelve by eighteen feet, including
desk room. OnSome road and ditch hear
ings from fifty to q hundred men assemble
and fill the room standing full, as well as the
corridor and portico of the court house.
That some suitable place should be provided
for the transaction of their business will be
acknowledged without argument.
Without further reference TO the necessi-
ties Of the case, a brief reference will be
made to the probable cost of the building,
and other particulars.
Tue ESTIMATED COST.
Another important matter in respect to
which inquiry il made is, how much will the
new courthouse costs 1t may be said at
the outset that no statement can be made of
the exact cost. A near approximation, how
ever can be reached by a consideration Of the
cost of other structures of similar size and
character, the time when they were erected,
and the cost of materials and labor then COM
pared with their cost now. The commission
ers have visited several counties in this state
and examined court-houscs already erected
n -. ~ av,1 To-,
of such as are in process of construction.
They have consulted several Of the most re-
liable architects in Ohio and Michigan and
have procured or soon will have procured
plans and specifications made especially for
them. No plan or specification will be paid
for unless adopted, and all will be made on q
basis Of S75, 1000. Among the architects con-
suited, Mr.. Kohler, of Cleveland, has shown
several plans, one of which, fashioned after
the courthouse at Newark Ohio, was favora-
bly, commented upon by all who examined 1t.
His estimate was thatit could be constructed
for SIS, 900. Some correspondence has been
had with E. Myres, of Detroit, Michigan,
architect Of the Michigan State Capitol and
of the Insane Asylum at Hillsdale, in that
state. He is said to be a thoroughly reliable
mau, aud well-shilled in his profession. In
letter under date of February Is, 1879, he
says:
Yours of yesterday have just received.
I will meet your Board at the time stated In
your letter and submit several designs for
tie proposed building. You can erect nrst
class building for the sum named. You have
excellent stone close at hand. We used the
stone from the Quarries near your city tor
the Michigan state capitol. The prices Of
irnx nd lf,fha of rials rpnnire0 In the ereC
tiop of such buildings and labor being plen-
ty, and the very low prices Of everything
necessary, which your county will reap the
benefit Of, will enable you To put up very
elegant structure for the sum OF $7o,ooo.
This is the estimate Of an experienced
architect and a man whose opinion is reliable
Further information upon this point will he