The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-02-09
NO VAULTS.
An Absolute Necessity For
Improvement
In the Facilities For Keeping the
Records Of the County.
The Surveyor Swims Out And
Talks with the Com
missioners,
Who Decide That the Law
Library Association
Must Move
Or Else An Addition Must be
Built to the Stark County
Court House.

Cost.
BY the use of the most powerful micro
scope in tho world, capable OF multiply
ing the size of an bjsct by several billions,
there could not be discovered after the
ruost careful examination, n single germ
OF virtue in patience, when the court house
of Stark county ID in controversy. That
building has done much III the past and
great respect ie due II on account OF lite
old age AVID decrepit appearnnce,b there
are times when old things must be put
ubide, conditions having outRrown them,
and they are no longer capable OF filling
the requirements. re The county officials
have borne in silence their burdens, made
doubly burdenoCme by crampgd rooms
and no place to put anything with the as
surance that IL would he there next time
IL WAS wanted. 1t was only matter of
limo however, un1il crisis should come,
aud il has now errived. All hail the ar
rival of the crisis, for IL undoubtedly will
work wondrous good in the way ofputting
the court house in some kind OF shape.
The county surveyor has been working
in the basement handicapped by molu,
Insufficient light and worse ventilation.
Aud the floods came and the waters rose
high unto the Ia bles and tbiDgs commenc-
ed to float around. Valuable papers were
caught by the current and there was some
difficulty in re estoring them to their proper
places.
surveyor took what little health
his damp office had left bin, and showed
it TO the commissioners. II was ut once
decided that something should be done.
1t is not 30 bad 10 sacrifice mans com
fort but is absolutely wicked 20 sxeai his
health. The commissioners decided that
the surveyor should have new office.
Now the question arose as to what office
he should nsve. II WAS discovered with
out any trouble at all that there wasn't
any place to put the surveyor. Inc
commissioners notified the Law Library
Association that they would hove to give
no their rooms in the west side OF the
building and let the county surveyor move
in. There were many Objectionable feat
ures TO such an arrangement as this, II Is
considered necessary to have ths library
in the building in order that whatever
books may be needed will be at hand so
that it will not be necessary to adjourn
court while the baliff goes after book.
There was unauimity of opinion that
Is would not do to move the law library
out OF the building hence the Law Library
Board was called together on Saturday.
There were preoeut Judge hcCarty, Hon.
II. S. Shields, Judge W. II. Dsy, Henry w,
Harter, David Fordinp, b. l.. Baldwin aud
the president, Judge A. A. ThGyer' The
sense of the meeting was that since the
question OF moving the Law library wns
not practicable, something should be done
in the way OF enlarRiug the court house.
All the schemes were canvassed and con-
sidered. The HRle OF the property is not
70 be considered at all, as IL was decided TO
the county for court purposes and If the
county would abandon it for courS pur-
posea 1t would fall al once to the heirs of
MIR. Wells, the donor. This would be too
expensive entirely.
The flrst scheme considered was an ads
IL ~ m a n
towards Market street. This scheme was
soon abandoned. Such an addition would
not only be upsiRhtIy but would shut off
the light from other offices and would be
of very little benefit.
The second scheme discussed was the
construction of an addition along Tusca.
rawas aIreef, east of the treasureI's office.
This would not be much better than
shauty, would spoil the entire appearance
of the building which is quite bad enough
as il is and would be unasinly in appear
ance and would not furnish the accommo-
dations most desired.
Tho third scheme was to move the Law
library out. Thia was opposed by Judge
McCarty and oil others, who know that il
is necessary to have the law books within
easy access. This scheme was not worth
considering.
The fourth scheme WAS to take the east
jury room off court room No l for either
the surveyor or the library, This was OPP
posed DC being unfair, as Judge McCarly
most emphaticelly declared that, he al
ready had two little room sud't that this
must be kept for the second jury room,
when there are two juries out at the same
time, which, with both courta in session, is
very often the case. Besides this room
was used almost constantly for consulta-
HoD room.
The next scheme was TO build a new
court house. There was no question in
the minds of those present at the meeting
but that the erection of new court house
would be eminsntiy the proper thing TO
do, but IL would mean the entire des-
! tTuctiou Of the old court house, an ntire.
| ly new structure and the cost would be
heavy and ~ thia time such action would
l resulI In q burden on the tax payers of the
1 county. This scheme was laid aside az
being too heavy In its scope to be now
| considered.
The last scheme considered and the one
1 which at first bIush SEEMED to be the beat
| one, under The circumstances, yet offered,
was the addition of a third story 10 the
present court house proper. This idea
/ was favored by every member of the
board. After this plan had been diss
1 cursed iu nl its details, the board adj
4 journed TO hold a conference meeting with
the commissioners on Monday, Feb
l ruary 6.
MONDAYS MEETING
! was attended by all the members of the
1 Board aud the three county commission
| ere, Remarks were made by every MEM
ber OF the Board, fsvoring the project OF
putting third story on the main portion
l OF the court house. In canvessing the
| advieahility OF putting on 3 third story II
| was found that the court stsnographeE
occupies the judges private room and the
4 judge OF the court thersfore has n o private
| room. In n county OF the size, wealth and
population OF Stark county, the probate
| Office 10 one OF the most Important Yet
l the probate judge haa no court room, and
| when both the regular court rooms are la
use he is compelled TO 90 TO the city hall
and crowd the mayor out OF bis room and
hold court there. Tho probate court now
has largo docket aud u IL essential that
l there shouid he q court room for the pro-
bate judge. The commissioners are also
short OF room aud have no place in which
10 hold consultations. Others of the ofii
cea have no private rooms, and addition
OF some kind TO the court house has come
10 be an absolute necessity.
The greatest defect, peThAps, Is that
th0re are no vaults Ia tho building Ia
which may I've atored the records. In the
1 Recorders olilce are all the records Of all
the land utlea la the county. A fire would
I destroy these titles aud reaVlt Ia n grea,
amount OF litigation and thousands OF
dollars OF expense 20 the Taxpayers OF the
county, Tho Cincinnati ilre ahould aeFvs
~ \ warning 20 other counties "a
see 20 II that vaults ars provided for the
reeorda, la Cincinnati all tho records
1 were doAlroyed aud ID has been necosaafy