The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-05-15
THE COURT HOUSE QUESTION.

The building of new court house is
not an uninportant affair in fact it is
a matter of very great Importance. The
buildings of a people are correct and
truthful expressions of their character.
The Digger Ipdian is content to live in
a hole in the ground and the best
types of our aborigines live in bark
huts, made more or less comfortable
with the skins of wild animals killed for
food. The early settler was content and
happy in the single room of his log
house. He was satisfied, because it
was all his means and resources could
supply. But fifty years of industry and
economy have brought competency and
wealth. Who now builds home of
room, though it would afford enough of
mere shelter? What now would be
thought of a man if he should build in
Kenosha county as scantily as the first
settlers were obliged to build?
five build new court house it will
be built of, or ought to be, such material,
and in such manner, that it will en-
dure for hundreds of years. What
shall it testify of us to our sister coun-
tries or to the stranger who comes to us
for day, or a month, or a year? Shall
it say the people who built our court
house had low, mean ambition? Or
shall it speak for us in unmistakable
tones, and say the people who built it
are thrifty, enterprising, money-mak-
ing people, of a high spirit and ambition?
The court house is the most important
county building, and whatever we
build it will tell very distinctly to those
who see it one hundred or two hundred
years from now just what metal the
citizens of 1885 were made of.
1t may be we'll for the history we are
now to write of ourselves that there are
several young men on our county board.
Their characters have not beenmoulded
under the influences Of the limitless
toll, microscopic profits, and the pinch
ed economies of the first settlers. They
have been brought up and educated in
a more generous and broader civiliza-
ton. We confidently look to them as
opponents of broader views and more
pronounced ambition. We expect them
to make a record for us in building a
court house that shall not belle the
strong strides Kenosha county has made
in civilization in the past fifty years.
They will realize, too, that, notwith-
standing its wonderful prosperity during
the last half century, its career has but
just opened. There are prosperous
times in the future for Kenosha county.
1t is our duty to build now so that our
building will not shame us when Keno
sha county has doubled, perhaps quad
rupled its wealth. There are some
questions with regard to the building of
the court house that require and should
have long and thorough discussion and
consideration by the County Board. It
ought not to be hastily decided that the
jail, sheriffs residence and courthouse
should be built under one roof. 1t may
be desirable to build the jail and sheriffs
residence separately, and the expense
be no greater. The question is one of
some Importance, and ought to be thor
oughly inquired into before an irrever-
sible decision is made.
A majority of the people will most
surely expect the County Board to do,
in this matter, what will be truly credit
able for Kenosha county. This, how
ever, implies no warrant for extravagant
OR useless expenditure. The people do
not desire it, and in fact are opposed to
it. Extravaganza on the one hand must
be guarded against as we'll as mean
parsimony on the other Either are
undesirable; either will be productive
of wide dissatisfaction. What the peo-
pie will hold the country Board respon-
sible for is the right expenditure of the
money. They want a dollars worth for
every dollar they pay out. One thing
that must be closely looked after is hon.
esty and thoroughness in construction
r. F. ROBERTS.