St. Paul daily globe., 1889-12-08
1T COST A ROUND MILLION
That Was the Amount Paid for the City
Hall and Court House.
\ SCRAP OF HISTORY.
The Joint Commission About Ready
to Wind Up and Re-
tire.

1n6 interesting feature OF tHF Hlee.l-
ing of the court house and city hall
commission yesterday was the submiS-
sion by DIR. Day of the sketch of the,
forthcoming history Of the building.
which for the first time completely
rounds up the cost. 1t appears the
original court house grant was donated
on Jan. IL, 1850. by Vital Guerin. In
the competition examination of plans
for a building the design of DIR. Day
was accepted, but it does not appear
that he ever got the reward of
81 0. though he has since been album
dainty rewarded. The building erected
in accordance with that plan in 1851
cost $1,000. The legislature in 1878
aut horiZed the submission to a vote of
the people of proposition tOi issue bonds
to erect court house. At that time
would be eventually located at st.
Anthony Falls, as that was thriving
town. and the limits of Ramsey county
extended westward along the MisSiS-
Sippi river and north to Lake Superior,
they voted against the issuing of the
bonds, and the necessary votes III favor
thereof were not recorded. In 1881, the
legislature again authorized the sub
mission to vote of the people prOpo-
Sition authorizing the issuing of bonds
TO the amount of s25U.000. One-half to be
issued by the county and the other half
by the city. There being some doubt
about the legality of the proceedings in
this case. the matter was again taken
before the legislature. which. in Febru-
ary, 1888, authorized the issuing of
bonds in the sum of s3OO,000 in lieu of
the other sum. The vote on this
proposition by the people resulted
in authorizing the issue. The legisla-
ture constituted joint commission on
construction, the personnel of which
was, the mayor of st. Paul, and the
county auditor, who we're to be eX-offi-
Ella chairman and secretary, respect
lively, and w. q. Hendrickson, William
Dawson, IL. r. Bigelow. G. ID. Gilfillan,
and DIR, David Day. This commission
determined to construct a sub
stantial foundation and basement
and use the remaining funds in putting
up such a Superstructure of wood as the
, money left would afford. Upon com
petitiye examination the plans of E. B.
BaSSford were selected and OH Oct. 10,
1884, ground was broken for the pres
sent edifice. and the wOrk K of demoliSh-
ing the old building commenced. A
contest arose within the commission
about this time as to whether the main
entrance should be on Wabasha or on
Fourth street, but the latter was
chosen. On Feb. IA, 1885, the
! legislature authorized the issue
of bonds for $4,000 additional, and
!. The commission decided that it was bet
ter to erect fire-proof structure of lime
stone kascta stone and iron beams. As
the work progressed the s60O.OO0 pre-
viously appropriated were found made
quate for the completion of such
building, and the legislature was again
appealed to for the right to issue bonds
for $500. 900 more. The act of Feb. 2,
1887, did increase the amount, but
made the sum 100000 more
grand total of S1,000,000. to in
clude all expenses of building,
grading, furnishing and Ornamenting
Difficulty arose in securing quorum of
the joint mission of the common
council and the county commissioners
and the co Isent of three-fourths of each
body to every item of expense. and the
! legislature was applied to for releaf.
On Jan. 80, 1889 Dr. Day was named as
commissioner to procure the furnish
ings for the building. The Furniture,
except in minor details, was manufac-
tured in accordance with special
designs prepared by the Su-
pervising architect. E. P. Bassford,
The size of the building is 263 feet long,
and $50 feet wide: from the ground to
the eornice is 92 feet. ana to the comb
lbs feet. The tower is 248 feet high. The
| clock dial is 10 feet in diamater. The
floors have an area of 1900 square
| feet, or about 2 7-10 acres. The space
covered by the floors, ceilings and walls,
| including the openings, is 755.210 square
| feet, or nearly IL acreS-actual measure
ment- The financial statement to date
| is as follows:
| Amount of bonds issued 81 600, ,OO0 90
| Premiums bends. s....... 1l520 90
| Accrued interest. 1927 n
| Interests on deposits.......... 1899 IL
IOtdi...s .Sl.US6,Z36 80
| disbursements. 1,ol3,999 5S
| Balance on hand Dec. z, 1859. s1,2s7 81