Rock Island Argus., 1897-03-31

ish of this edifice especially inter ests
the members Of this bar. The wears
OF the past have come and gone; the
administration OF the law and the
business Of the courts has not been
done in marble halls. yet it has been
we'll done. At no time have the peo-
pie considered it necessary to assume
or take the administration of the
law out Of the regular channels; thev
have al ways entrusted it to the direc-
tion OF the lawfully constituted au-
thorities. There is not, at this bar
today, lawyer that connects us with
the beginning of our judicial exist
ence, but few links, however, inter.
vene between this assemblage today
and the very beginning. This, how
ever. can only be said of the lawyers.
We have with us today in this room
citizens Of advanced years. who were
active citizens Of this county in the
years of the beginning; who helped
to lay, firm aud deep, the foundation
OF law and order in this county, and
who can. and do, today rejoice that
the work was so well done and has
been 80 well maintained. To en-.
phasize this present thought. we
would pray that in the conduct and
heart OF the future people of this
county, there shall dwell that sense
OF the dignity and supremacy of
the law that SO signally characterized
the fathers. The log house of John
Burrell was soon superseded by the
brics court house, to which we have
this day hidden adieu. and while we
contemplate the grandeur of the
present editice, and consider the bur-
den, voluntarily imposed by the peo-
pie to provide for its construction,
we must not forget that the pioneers
OF this county, according to their
numbers and ability. assumed an
equal burden to provide the court
house that we have just abar doned.
which. in the day of its completion,
was the pride of this part of the
northwest.
The History OF tho Movement.
The construction of this court
house in which we are now met, is
not the result Of q protracted effort.
First suggested in The boa,d Of su-
pervisors, in April. 1898, by Super.
visor Joseph Fitzpatrick. the means
to erect provided by the people by
vote in 1894, the foundation stone
laid in October. 1898. and com plesed
for dedication in March, 1897. The
necessity for new court of Justice
was promptly recognized by the hon.
orable board OF supervisors, although
the building OF new structure in
volved increased taxation, and added
one more to existing burdens, yet
the people of this county, by their
votes, declared that the time had
come when the character and digni-
ty of the county, in connection with
its executive and judicial depart
ments. demanded temple of JUS
tice that would truly represent the
progress. culture and improved ar
tistic taste Of the present. The peo-
pie decreed; it has been done.
We look around, and beyond. and
behold this edifice; beautiful in de-
sign. symmetrical in proportion; in
Its architecture the designer lives,
and will continue to live to tell the
onlooker how. in his brain. there was
planted that quality Of art. and ar
Iistic appreciation of form. color.
quality and proportion. that could
conceive and plan this building about
which there can be only one express
sion, How Beautiful
They Builded Wen.
Not only does the building display
the ekill and artistic talent of the de-
signer. but also the skill of the more
humble craftsman, who. by cunning