Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-03-31
Rock Island County Court
House Dedicated.
TO TRUTH AND JUSTICE.
Imposing Ceremonies This
Afternoon.
The Addresses by Attorneys
Reception Tonight.

With hearts swelling with pride
and expressions Of qualification and
Joy, the people Of Rock Island county
today dedicated to the uses for which
It was designed, their new temple of
truth and justice. their house Of gov.
ernment. Such q structure as has
been thus consecrated to the highest
and noblest ends OF man, is in itself
not only q source Of satisfaction, but
OF inspiration. It is the embodi-
ment Of all 1t typifies. But it is not
essential that Its beauties and grand
eur be set forth in elaborate detail
here. The exhaustive descriptive
sketch has been given through The
ARGUS many times. So OF the pass
Ing building, from whose portals the
footstep has turned for the last time.
OF the part 1t occupied in the history
OF the community the story has been
breathed by lips made eloquent, and
souls touched by the associations
that one must have known to pro-
perly appreciate. All in fact that
could be said Of the old or Of the
new was most gracefully done by the
distinguished speakers Of today. 1t
need but be said by way OF intro
duction that the key has beon turned
In the door Of the historical old
building. and it will soon vanish
from the earth, while the people
turn to new hope and confidence.
The Scene Of the Dedication.
Threatening weather in the early
morning hours. and roads that had
been almost impossible for weeks,
combined to prevent as large an at
tendance from the country as would
otherwise have been present, but
there was nevertheless . goodly turn
out from all sections OF the county,
and all were more than delighted
with the new building. Sheriff
Hemenway had provided ample seat
ing accommodations in both court
rooms, the one in the old building and
the circuit court chamber in
the new building, every available
seat that could be brought into use
being employed. The ladies' COM
mittee on decoration had displayed
exquisite taste in the arrangement
Of flowers. plants and patriotic col
ors throughout the building. The
local florists had taken pains in the
contribution and artistic arrange
ment Of flowers. Anderson built
. gorgeous pyramid OF tropical
palms, plants, ETC., In the main ro-
tunda, while in the circuit court and
county court rooms and the super
visors' room Gaetje and Krohn mad
contributed the output OF their
green houses. All the county off i
GERS had their rooms pre,tily decor
ated.
From all the surrounding counties,
not only in this judicial, but in the
congressional and legislative dis
tricts, came visitors to honor Rock
Island on the occasion. Among
them were Judges j. j. Glenn, Of
Monmouth; II. Bigelow, Of Galva; A.
A. Smith, Of Gslesburg; Connell, Of
Aledo; Waite, Of Geneseo; j. P.
Hand, Of Cambridge; H. c. Ward.
Of Sterling; j. N. Bsssett. Aledo;
also C. A. Mclaughlin, the former
sheriff Of Rock Island county, now Of
Galesburg; F. ID. Ramsay. Morrison;
Thomas Diller. Sterling; NJ. d. John,
of the Sterling Gazette; Thomas
Nowars, OF Atkinson; Sheriff H.
Quinn, OF Cambridge. and others.
The Clinton county Iowa board ol
supervisors, together with the super.
vising architect, came down to wit
ness the ceremonies and inspect the
new building. Clinton has. owing
to complications, had its hope de-
ferred In the matter Of its court
house completion for years, but is
getting ready now to wind the jot
uD,