The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-01
THE COUNTY OFFICES.
They will Soon be Ready for Occu.
pancy.
A Fine Building Nicely Arranged for
Comfort and Convenience.

A Fine Building Nicely Arranged for
Comfort and Convenience.
Through the courtesy of County Clerk
Richard A. Donaldson, an ARGUS reporter
had the pleasure of inspecting the lately
erected county building situated in the
southeast corner of the court house yard,
and bounded by Third avenue and Fiji
teenth street. The board of supervisors
at the may term, 1888. solicited bids for
the erection of said building, and on the
28th of June S. j. Collins was awarded
the contract The decision to erect a
building was arrived at only after earnest
and continued solicitation on the part of
the county and circuit clerks, who finally
convinced the members of the honorable
body that it was absolutely necessary to
have more room, and better offices in every
respect, In the present offices all avail
able room has been utilized, and the
question where to put the accumulating
papers and documents became perplex
ing.
The corner stone was laid in August
with appropriate ceremony. The work
progressed quite rapidly, and the exterior
of the building was completed some time
age. The interior is not yet finished,
however, but soon will be. The structure
is two story and half brick with
dimensions of fifty two feet front and
sixty feet deep. The entrance is on Third
avenue and by ascending few stone
steps the hall is reached. To the right
is the room designed for the county clerk 5
office, which is twenty by thirty eight feet
This room is supplied with eight windows
which will afford abundance of light 1t
is the most desirable Office, fronting both
on Third avenue and Fifteenth street. 1t
is proposed to extend a counter from the
south windows along the center of the
room about twenty two feet, and then
extend it to the left wall On top of the
counter viii be wire railing, such as
used in banks. The officers will have
their desks behind this counter, and out
siders will not be allowed admittance. In
the rear of the office is large vault, and
to gain an entrance two iron doors of the
Diebold & Co.'S make, will have to be
opened. The dimensions of the vault is
eighteen by twenty two feet. The mate
rial used for the ceiling is corrugated iron
covered with deep layer of concrete,
which is also used under the floor, which
is of tile Double brick walls surround
the room, and the joists and rafters are of
iron. The vault is therefore both fire and
burglar proof, Each wall extending to
the ceiling is covered with a frame work
of miniature cells, in all 1900 in number.
Small boxes will be inserted in these ap
ertures, containing papers to be filed away.
Adjoining the main Office is also wa sh
room and coal closet.
The circuit clerk is allowed an equal
amount of room, with vault, etc A
partition, however, changes the main
office into two apartments, the first to be
used by the clerk and recorder. The other
will contain books and records, and serve
as place for lawyers to make an investi-
cation of what books they desire.
An oak stairway, with handsomely
carved ballusters, leads to the second floor
or tower. Here the sun can shine
through neatly arranged sky light,
which can also be used for ventilating
purposes. At the head of the stairway a
door opens into what will be the county
court library. It is also intended that
the visiting judge can occupy this room.
On the second floor are two other rooms.
over the county and circuit clerk apart
ments respectively, which will be used fol
storing away articles that are little
wanted.
The entire building, of course is heated
by steam, which passes through large
pipes that extend from the boiler room
The coil of pipes are not located in each
room, but are directly under the floor, and
the heat issues from iron registers. such
as are used with furnace The heat il
concentrated in large boxes with tin GOV
ering, and from there passes into the iron
radiators, which can be closed or left
open, as desired Fresh air can be easily
admitted by the same means a: steam, by
opening slide connecting with the reg
lister. The heating appliances and mode
of ventilation is certainly superior tt
anything ever attempted here. and car
not fail but give the best satisfaction
The entire cost of constructing and fur
nishing the building will amount to abou
$4,000. The county has now at least ont
handsome and substantial building.
Probable Billiard Tournament.
Mr. William Cation whose billiard
playing is attracting considerable atten-