The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-03-22
THAT COURT House SCARE.
AC0RRESPOMDENT IkCLINEDTO
MAKE FUN
To the Editor Of the NEW D,xrx1os

OIueT pcopit, HhScs itSHt w tHCii
opinions touching public matters,
and especially when written in their
own papers. But on this occasion
we feel the spirit moves Us" and we
must speak out, even at the risk Of
being called a constitutional objec
tor" for we would rather sail under
that banner, than as an unconstitu-
tional alarmist, or srend-thrift.
Will you pardon us for thinking
THAT some body prompted your edi-
torial of last week, on that subject,
who had, an axe to grind in
the building of new court house.
You remember the fable of the hun
CRY, but sympathetic wolf, that called
early every morning to see the sick
mule, to inquire after its health, hop
ing each time, to find the mule dead,
that he might breakfast on its carcass.
1t seems to us that cartain gentlemen
acted as commissioners to overlook
the building OF the new jail, and
charged several hundred dollars
therefor, each without rendering any
material or real service to the county.
But really, Mr.. Editor, why not have
those, pleading for new court house,
put the project on its true basis, or
merits, rather than on false one, Of
pretended fear for its safety Why
not stick to it, that our present court
house is mot the kind Of public
building for the people of Monongalia
to maintain. That it does not com
port with our standing and charac-
ter rs people?" Why not say plain
ly it is not fine enough; not grand
enough for us? Why not say that
we want court house to ornament
our town. Not so much for service
as to look at. How much better this
would be than to enormously try to
terrorize our people by making them
believe their lives are endangered by
entering the present court house?
We personally do not care whether a
new court house is now built or not.
II the people are ready for it, we are;
but what we do object to, is that the
people shall be scared to death in
advance, and that too, as we verify
believe, without the least cause for
alarm or of real danger
Now let us say that we saw the
present court house built, about 30
years ago, and have seen it almost
every day since, and have as good
means to know its present condition
as any one; and in our candid opinion
and belief, it never was safer than it
is now, except that the plastering
over the court room is cracked and
a little loose in place or two. There
is good and firm foundation under
it, planted on q natural rock bed all
round, except at the northeast corner
that corner by some means settled
down little soon after the house was
built, causing the wall at that corner,
to crack. The brick walls are is
INCHES thick all the way up to the
square The roof was strongly and
thoroughly framed with strong oak
timbers so that it cannot spread, no
matter what weight be put on it..
Ten or twelve years after it was built
it was re-roofed with the best article
Of slate, which still remains intact
and in good condition. A few years
after this the court room, originally
put on the first floor, was changed
and put on the second floor, which
neccesitated lowering the joists of the
second floor some three or four feet.
This was securely done by inserting
the outer ends of the joice full nine
inches into the solid brick wall-then
few years after this, so MS to make
safety doubly secure, the county court
caused three strong iron rods to be
run through said building at the
second floor. and about equal dis
tances apart, and we'll and strongly
clnched on the outer surface Of the
opposite walls, with strong burrs
nearly two feet in length, but shaped
like the letter S, and now It'll next
to an impossibility for the walls to
spread; and without spreading the
walls, being Of good brick cannot
give way or fall, and so there now
stands this much abused court house
of ours-safe but not grand. We say
safe. Yes, we firmly believe as safe
as any other building in Morgantown
And yet an attempt is made to terrify
our people by calling it "a death
trap" Julian, don't do it any more
please don't.
Well, but it is said that the Sheriff
10 afraid, and. religieaely naintains
his post near the door. We know
the Captain is brave man and VIZ
doubt if he appreciates this compli
ment. But then it might be more
agreeable for the Sheriff to pocke1
his commissions on the $4,000 Of
$50, of taxes to be collected off the
people thatit is proposed 10 put int
this new court house, than to stay
in it when built But again it il
said that the Judge protests ane
don't want to die before his time
comes. Now that may be so too, and
yet there be no necessity to fear thu
safety of the court house. Tha
cracked plastering overhead, in thu
court room if not repaired soon, may
! cause some of us to scratch 0ur heads