The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-03
IN A POOR CONDITION.
A COMMITTEE MAKE An ExAMfNA-
TON OF HEyRICO COURTHOUSE.
Its Walls are Found to be Cracked In
Many Places-The Board OF SUPERVISORS
VIII Build a New Structure.

The question of building a new County
Courthouse In Henrico. Is at present
subject of absorbing interest The Board
Of Supervisors meet tomorrow morning
to receive the report OF the committee
appointed by them to make thorough
examination of the building, and IT is
upon this committees report that the
Board will definitely decide whether 10
repair or entirely rebuild the present
structure. At the last meeting OF the
Board, Chairman Henry {. heepler M
cd that 81 900 be appropria.eu 70 "a
not meet with a second ana Nir. .. - -,
Rose offered as a substitute that S'vy'
no sunronriated to repair the presen'
buildine, This motion was lost, the VIZ
standing tw, for and two against An'
Board then decided TO postpone oie me-
ter until tomorrow, ana III t"S ~. =.
time to appoint committee oil eNPe- - ~, ~
make an examination OF the buiiuiis' ~
committee aupointcd. consisted OF VI,
,rbor,as SAVAGE Mr.. Thomas Newell, ana
Air William Knucsles, all of whom are
prominent contractors. and nave H"o
much experience in the examination "a
building I'm addition TO this committee
Mr.. William 9. West. a prominent a.
chitect of this city, also assls'eu III Liz
examination. III
A Times representative accompanied
the committee 10 the County Our
house last Thursday mornins' "neie w
examination was made s''''"i .ti1
were consumed in going over the buiiu-
ing from cellar to garnet, ana III tesu
inc the walls inside and out. Inls "N-
.mination was made with great tnor-
opghness and detail, and when IL ""7
finished the committee were OF out o''r
opinion. namely: that as building inc
county courthouse OF Henrico IS stru--
tire that is on the verge OF clss0iu'io','
The committee will frame their report
and will present 1t to-morIo" "''''''7'
VERY POOR CONDITION..
The main court-room was the hIst pi ~
ovamined and its walls showed that the
bricks were not well flushed, Wnhe
knife was easily inserted through 'iS
mortar An examination OF IL snow,
conclusively that IL had lived us ialuia
life and possessed no strength III "'-
dftion to the fact that the palslerlhS
was off ;he walls in many places am
that they we're hlackencd by he smohe
of the recent fires that have occurred IN
the buildinr. there were also found sew
eral cracks in the walls running entirety
through to the Out-idc, and reaching
from the floor 20 the ceiling. Inc bricks
IN several places were easily taken from
the walls. Further examination OF lNe
walls in other parts OF the Dullnihe sHo"
el them 10 be la even worse CONDITION.
The second floor was next visited, two
direy little rooms where was gathered
The dirt. dust and debris OF many years,
showed very deapldated state OF az
fairs. The rain was dripping through
the ceiling I'm many places while the
walls were even i'm a worse condition
than those in the main courtroom. The
ventilation was poor, and disagreeaOle
odor Of mis- tiness was very prevalent.
These rooms are reached by rickety
staircase that threatens to come down AT
any moment. The basement was the
worst of all. Not only were the walls
badly cracked and crumbing, but the
beams uiPortiLg the main floor We're IN
many places, almost burned through. as
a result of the fire that occurred in the
building about a year ago.
cEAcKFD CONDITION.
The building looked best from the out
side, but upon a closer examination, il
was found that beneath the stuccO the
walls were IN the same cracked condition.
while at the rear OF the building IL was
found that the right-hand corner Of the
courthouse was entirely separated from
the main structure by a large crack run
ming from the ground to the roof I'm
addition u these glaring defects that
the Board Of Supervisors cannot posi-
bly, overlook, the main structure is at
best a crude affair." and inadequate in
many ways for use as a courthouse.
The rooms for the accommodation Of
the jury and Board Of Supervisors are
small, and badly ventilated, and without
any modern conveniouces whatsoever.
while the judges room is nothing more
than a small pen, boxed Off I'm one cor
nor Of the courtroom. To repair this
building al a coat of 5000 IS utterly i'm
practicable If the Board adopts Mr..
Roses motion il will be just the same
as throwing away that much money.
The county officials and three-fourths OF
the taxpayers are in favor Of building Il
rev courthouse, one that will be a credit
10 the county
HISTORY or THE sTRUCIURP.
The present building was first built in
1lJ2, Oh Twenty-SrOnd street. il was
next moved TO its present location I'm
1913 and joined on 10 "a building that
Lad been used as the clerks office. In
1850, il was destroyed by fire. and only the
walls were left standing. II was rebuilt
in 1867, and has twice since that time been
severely damaged by fire. 1t Will be seen
That many of these bricks have been
used three times, when il is a Well
known fact that a brick should not be
used but once in building If IT can be
avoided. There Is hardly any doubt but
that the Board, when these facts are
Nlnddc Anown TO them. IN unanimous
~ decide 10 rebuild the courthouse: at
least they owe II 10 the citizens Of Hon
rico. TO see that 5000 Is not appropriated
10 repair worthless shell. and since
new courthouse must be built. and that