Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-02-01
THE NEW COUNTY BUILDINGS.

THE NEW COUNTY BUILDINGS.
Now that the Court House, Jail and
Jail House, authorized by the Legislature
of 1884 to be built at Newport, have been
completed and accepted by the Judges of
the county court, brief description and
some dimensions, such as we were able
to hastily gather in the interval be-
tween the afternoon train north, and the
terest to our readers. We shall not be
able to show an engraving of the build
ings or diagram of the interior, nor give
glowing account in embellished SEN
fences, as no doubt will our contemporary
of the Express in to-morrow's issue, who
has watched the constructions with an
eagle eye since the laying of the corner
stones; but give some of the plain, cold
facts as correctly as we were able to write
them down and converse at the same
time, rs gathered from the gentlemanly
contractor-Mr. M. j. Caldbeck of St.
Jonnsbury, -and Mr.. j. A. Mitchell, of
Craftsbury, master workman in Mr.. Cald-
becks absence, to whom we are indebt-
ed, as we are also to county clerk, H. B.
Cushman, for pains taken in showing us
about the court house, and Mr.. L. D.
Miles, who took us in and out Of jail.
Getting off the train at the depot, we
walked as straight as we could up Main
m thn thraa bOucopH Id al tbrao
fourths of an acre of ground, wherein the
buildings stand and halted for a moment
in front OF the court house, which stands
on an elevation Of few feet from the
level of the street, fronting north and COM
handing good view of the lake in sum-
mer, but rather a bleak picture in winter.
Though the exterior of the building is
beautiful, we could not help contemplate
ing how much prettier it would appear
to US erected on some one of the fine sites
of our own village; then turning our i'm
agination aronnd we thought how differ
ent it would look to the people of New
port. But as the county buildings ques-
ton" is now dead and buried beyond all
hope of resurrection, we will drop the
tomahawk for the present and resume our
subject.
The court house is 80 by 80 feet. From
underpinning to top Of final is 96 feet The
first story is eleven feet; court room 49,
and ante and other rooms Is feet The
building is Of brick made by Hamilton &
Jenne of Barton Landing, and 500, ZOO
were used in its construction. The un.
derpinning is broken-face granite with
cut wash, and was got out by Curtis
Wiley Of Derby, and the window stools
and caps are of the same. Eighty -ivt
cords OF stone were used in the founda
tion, which is firm and solid, having
stood the pressure until this time wthou
a crack. The roof is Of Queen Anne arch
itecture, covered with black slate, o.
which ninety-one squares were used, fur
nished by New Rockland, P. O., Co.
and the slate is considered the best il
this part of the country. Steps are ham
mered granite. Arched entrance of six
teen feet span. Hall, tile floor, differen
colors, and diamond shaped, furnished b,
parties in Swanton.
AS we enter the building, the first room
on the left-hand side of hall is the Count,
Clerks office, 1SX22 feet with vault con
nected 7xlS and under this, in basement
is another vault, same size. Next is tn
Judge of Probate office, 1Sx20, with sam
sized vaults adjoining. These vaults ar
Of brick with railroad iron covering an
perfectly fire-proof. The two rooms be
You'd the Probate office-one Is fee
square and one SKIS will be occupied b
t. Grout. On the right of the hall is Nj
Cranes office 13x22 and ante-room 11x1S
Messrs. Young and Burke's rooms, 17xl
and SKIS; Hon. j. L. Edwards office,
rooms, SKIS and 16x1S.
On going up stairs to the second stor
we come into hall Is feet wide by 26 i
length. On the right of the hall is TIL
sheriff's room, 13x22. On the left is til
counselor's room l9x33 and private rool
from same SKIP. The court room is 4
feet square. Southeast corner room
the Judges chamber 16xlS; southwe
corner room for Jurors 16x1S Betwee
these rooms are back stairs, water closets
etc, etc.
The court room is finished in birt
with pine shutters. In the room are eig
twelve-.ighted windows, lights, doubl
thick plate glass 15x20. The room w
be heated by two large z. 2. Stewa
coal stove. (the same as in all 9th
rooms) There are also four fire place
(and also fire place in each of the OF
er rooms) made we were told more f
ventilation than for use.
The court room is beautifully frescoe
the ceiling light olive and gray with c
nament in the center; the walls lar
panel light salmon; band of old gold, a
trimmings, robin's-egg blue. red and "
low. All the rooms are we'll finished a
frescoed aud the workmen deserve mu
credit. We did not get their Names
Except the court room, the Judg
chamber and the jury room, all are fms
ed in spruce and stained i'll 4 tint /
tween cherry and mahogany. The Judg
chamber is finished in spruce in the viii
and the jury room in birch in the VIII
There are two furnaces in the baseme
one the private property of Mr.. Graz
the other of Mr.. Grout.
The Jail is 81 feet square, story a
half high, hip roof, slated, and wa
slated outside. The outside walls
eight inches in thickness, two walls Gf
got it right of four-inch planks, {
laid top OF the other and driven full