Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-15
THE SAVANNAH COURT HOUSE.
The Architect who Drew the First Plan
Why the Plan was Rejected-yhe
TeIfair Academy-PIeasant RecoIIec-
items of the Old DAYS.


with what remember of some facts con-
nected with the building of the court
| house, as presume that the object is to
interest the rising generation in matters
| generally concerning those who have now
almost entirely passed away. / shall in
no case confine myself to my text, but in
rambling way touch on anything con-
nected with the subject, directly
| or Indirectly, knowing that little
things give better insight into human
| affairs than the accredited lie'' received
as history. The present subject was Sc
lected because of the deep interest I feel
IN the scheme for the establishment of an
Art Department of the University of Geor-
gia in the city of Savannah, as a first step
towards so educating our own men to be
mechanics and proper appreciators of all
art work as to enable US to shake off our
pr0rtRcidl dependence on Northern and
foreign influence, whereby all our riches
flow away from US, to make the lcedIth of
aliens to us in all things Of domestic and
State interest,". G., in doing that which,
possessed of such a country as ours, we
could do for ourselves to our great advan-
tage if wall of brass was raised on our
borders.
ALL THINGS REGARDED, OUR PEOPLE
are in every respect the equals of any
other on the face of the earth, and, prop
erly trained to the using of their resources
and natural qualities, would stand first
In the march of civilization. / have seen
much of other peoples of all classes, and
great deal of ours, having taught school
for SIX months in ''piney woods" log
house for no other purpose than to form q
correct opinion of the mental calibre of
our country population. My conclusion
is that, with a system of primdru school
education for the masses and a selection
OF the choicest few from each county for a
university education at. the expense Of the
State, we would, in a generation or two,
make the Southerner as proud of his
name as was the Roman when he thought
of Rome in her glory.
My subject was suggested by reading in
your "Guide to Strangers Visiting Savan-
nah" this remark on the court house: at
is solid structure of the Doric order.
Unfortunately it was not raised above the
ground level, which mars It's effect by de-
stroying the impressiyeness of that heavy
style of architecture"
When plans and specifications for the
proposed court house were invited. there
resided in Savannah a German by the
name of GOttenburg. He had been edu-
Gated in the art department of Frances
great university, L'Ecole Polytechnique,
and had taken two gold medals for supe-
rior talent during the latter days of the
great Napoleon. l saw them both, and
also some of his architectural designs.
than which | never beheld any more mi
mute in detail and beautiful in execution,
His reputation was such that he had been
invited to visit Brazil for the purpose of
experimenting the erection of public
buildings there. He started ththerWard
about the year 1929 or 1880, but his ship was
wrecked at sea, and he was picked up and
brought to Savannah. He saved little
more than his medals and drawings. al
ways the true artists greatest treasures
next his lady love, and sometimes beyond
her, so that he found himself here with
out resources. The gentlemen of SaYan-
nah were at that time noted for their hos
pitality to strangers and appreciation of
all talent, whether displayed by the poor
youth OF their own city, or by visitors from
abroad; and while they We're not easily
taken in by barber-counts from France, or
tailor-barons from Germany, they were
sure to welcome any stranger who proved
worthy of their attention. l could men
tion dozen names OF citizens whose in
telligence and reputation caused their
houses to be sought for the attractions of
their drawing-rooms almost as much as
for those of their tables, famous for the
unequalled excellence of their Cognac
brandy and fruity old Madeira, now, alas!
so utterly departed that Wen, !
1.-THE memory of joys that are past, like |
the music of Carrill, is sweet but mourn
full to the SOUL" so you will allow me to |
draw veil over the vision and leave the |
subject, lest it draw tears from nv eyes, |
such as are now brought out by incOn- |
siderate mouthful of the boosted dry |
sherry, which has supplied the place of |
the departed. One hundred dollars bot /
tie would not now purchase these nectar |
wines, for the simple reason that, like the I
Nj II Il 4
her weeping voice in Rama, they are not |
THE LAST THAT IS RECORDED OF THEM /
in gastronomic history is that Savan-
nah and Charleston supplied the Cognac |
and Madeira that gladdened the hearts of /
the guests invited to Queen Yictoria's /
supper. OF course, in praising I
the past-which they say the old always I
laud as better than the present, and which /
the young rank as old fogyism-I mean no 4
reflection on the existing wines or on
those who drink them, since they never
tasted better; and if l could / would not /
enlighten them as to what they have lost,
since 'swhere ignorance is bliss tits folly
to be WISE" and | would not disturb that
which seems to be all
left to us as an Inheritance from our TO-
vial progenitors based upon the idea that
cotton was king and they its prime min
listers. Besides, in those days the ladies
ner tables of the city attractive by their
direction of the kitchen as their lords did
in the cooking of their wines, under the
shingles of their gaTrets, while their own
cultivation was such that no pre-
tender to culture could long pass
undetected among them, and therefore
poorly clad, but accom-
plished artist, skillful musician and mod
est gentleman-as soon as known, became
a fayOrite. But true merit is always re-
firing, and it was only in few houses
that he felt entirely at home. Ours was |
one Of these, for while my mother reserv-
ed the morning hours to the exclusion of |
visiting for household affairs
and the cultivation of herself and daugh-
ters in music, her evenings were always
available for social intercourse. At that
time copying music was almost as CON-
mOu an employment for ladies as crochet
ing is now, and, in the absence of htho-
graphy, she had with her own hand or
that of friends of a past and her own
accumulated a pile of bound
music, near two feet high, which the van
1als who invaded Beaufort carried
off with the old carved furniture
accumulated since 1715. To this pile
added some things, done in
beautiful style, but for which he could
scarcely be persuaded to receive a re-
'sThe pleasure of accom-
Qabying madame's piano on his violin
being sufficient reward for much greater
abor." ''Les manieres,' say the French.
'sont DIES petites morales" and SaYan-
1ahians, both male and females, understood
t well, even to the extent of considering
hat smoking in the streets or in the pres
snce of ladies, or appearing in their
presence with the fumes of strong
rink about them, was repro
1ated as ungentlemanly in the
extreme. s'Times change and we change
With them" Gottenburg understood
manners better than oil painting, but he
painted a presentable picture, and from
lin learnt to "set palette"
WHEN A CALL WAS MADE
or plans and estimates for court house,
by the advice Of friends, pre-
iented his, very artistically drawn and
closely calculated. If / recollecI Alright,
he style adopted was the Doric, on base
If about four feet of elevation, assembled
" a broad flight of steps flanked by two
ions couchant. On the plea that these
ions lrOuId make the cost too qredt, the
)lan was rejected, and his offer to leave
hem off was ignored. 81 could have got
hem from France" he told me, ''for $500,
tut suppose Americans have no taste
or the lion and the unicorn in their public
Ha! ha! ha! When in years
IfteT, looking at the building as it now |
tands, remarked to aSayannah builder,
Who sympathized with my feelings, in
apard RI Tho nmnIovynonf ne hOuna y4ya,.l-