The daily gazette., 1880-12-20
THE COURT HOUSE.
THE BUILDING FINISHED
AND NEARLY FURNISHED.


ToN-A DECEPTION OF THE
BUILDING.
Probably the "oldest inhabitant"
does not remember exactly when
the first attempt was made to have
the county seat Of this county re-
moved from New Castle to Will
mington but it is certain that at
least forty years elapsed between
the first effort; which proved q
failure, and the successful fight made
for the great movement at Dover,
two winters ago. To-day the prac-
teal results of that memorable legis-
lative battle ara,seen in handsome
new Court House in this city, to
which the county records Of New
Castle will soon be removed, where
upon the forty odd thousand people
Of Wilmington will be enabled to
transact their legal business without
the customary tiresome trip to New
Castle, and the great results OF
Court House removal will have
been accomplished.
| HISTORY OF THE LAST MOVEMENT.
1t is not designed In this article to
give q review Of the old and
unsuccessful efforts for the removal
of the seat Of justice to Wilmington,
but just now, with the beautiful
new Court House nearly ready for
| occupancy, the GAZETTE deems 1t
proper to take O brief retrospect and
give a summary of the leading events
teat culminated in depriving New
| Castle of her chief honor, and be-
slowing it upon the people of this
city.
| H... THE START.
When the legislative session of
1879 commenced, Court House re-
moyal was indifferently talked about
as one Of the subjects that ought to
be presented for legislative consida-
ton, but no special move was made
to bring up the subject until, on
Tuesday, Feb. 18th, Senator j.
wilkins Cooch introduced a bill
authorizing the Levy Court Of this
county to issue bonds to the amount
Of 10000, for the purpose of con-
structing new county buildings, at
| Nep cattle. This brought the
people of Wilmington face to face
with their critical situation, for with
new and expensive county buildings
erected at New Castle, goodbye to
Court House removal for a century,
at least. Two days later the GA
ZETTE published an article urging
the people TO move in the matter,
and the battle for Court House re-
moyal co nmenced. The fight was
short, sharp and decisive. A bill
was at once prepared authorizing
the expenditure Of 100000 for the
construction of new county buildings
at Wilmington, which was promptly
forwarded to Dover and introduced
in the Senate by Senator Sharpley,
| on Tuesday, February 25th, one
week after Senator Couch's Dill
aroused the people to the necessity
for action. Wilmington business
men rushed to Dover in support OF
Senator Sharpley's bill, and on
Tuesday, March llth, at l2:45
O'Clock, D. M, it passed the Senate,
without a dissenting voice. The
amount to be expended in the
construction of the buildings was re-
duced from 100000 to $4,000, but
friends of the measure made no cap,
tious opposition on this score, and
were satisfied to effect the mere re-
moyal of the county seat, without
regard to the amount Of money to be
exnended for the purpose. The
same afternoon the bill was taken
to the House of Representatives,
and there read the first tim on
motion of Representative Ware.
THE FIGHT IN THE HOUSE
was one that will long be remembered
Represent alive Cochran, OF this county,
now Clerk of the Peace, opposed the
: bill "tooth and toe nall" and Repre-
sentative Lambson, who resided Ill the
CITY of New Castle, was also determined
in his opposition. Representative ware
of this city, worked like IroJah ior
the bill, and friends of the measure 10
Wilmington we're unceaslng IN lIs sup
! port. Scarcely day passed witnout
delegation from Wilmington visiting
Dover, and the city press gave Inc mea T,
sure a hearty and united support. Inc
+, decisive vote was taken on the afternoon
Of Thursday, March 20th, when, aitel
the defeat of an amendment requiring
!, the suAiect to be referred to vote OF
, tbe people before any action was taken
/ 6y the Levy Court, the bill was nnaily
+ passed by ayes and nays, as follows;
. AvesEMessrs. Cannon, Collins, Con-
: away. Dean, Doran, Fooks, Hal, ,Hearn
3 Houston, Lindale, Needless Riggs, Sav,
= m. Sharp, Short, Ware, Webb, and the
= Speaker, DIR. Swlthin Chandler:-lS.
e Nays-Messrs. Cochran, LamDsor
o and Law-3. o -
u within an hour after the passage o
3. the hill It was enrolled. aud next morn
s ING the enrolled copy was signed by tn'
Sneakers of both Houses and the Dill
became law of the State.
10 The news of the final passage OF In'
II Court House bill was recelvea IN WI
) ,ninoton with manifestations of delight
= All the bells were rung, and thoug'
= there was no public demonstration, tn
'e people fairly boiled over in the exhuoer
Of rnce of their joy. The members Q
ID the legislature, on their return from
ie trim to Washington al the close OF tn
,e session, were entertained at hahds0m I!
70 banquet, given by the citizens OF WI
2, minatop at the Clayton House.
no SELECTING A SITE.