Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-11-24
New Court House Site,

Everything so far has gone harmon
iously and in fact the campaign itself
was not very badly out of tune. 1t
was principally one of education or for
disseminating information, and If 1t
could have had another month the
majority would have been much larg-
er than it was. Since the vote was de-
clared carried, every one interested
has felt so elated at the certainty of
having a new building in the place of
the dingy and cramped old structure,
that no difference has arisen, or indeed
much discussion about the location.
This is good healthy state of af-
fairs and shows the almost unanimous
wish of this community for progress
and improvement.
A number of men from the country
who voted against the proposition
have been heard to express themselves
as glad it carried. This feeling will
grow as time advances and the people
throughout the county come more and
more to understand the character of
building that the county will erect un-
der this vote.
COUNTY BUILDINGS.
The term Court House is somewhat
inapt in this case, for it includes so
much more that the term County
Buildings would be more correct.
There is probably no building more
cheerless and uninviting than the Or
dinary court house. 1t is looked upon
as place to go to pay taxes or rent,
as some of the city folks facetiously
remark; or it is rated as a place given
over to the dry details of the law; or
as safe place to stow away legal doc
uments of $4,000 people, and place
it is good policy to get away from as
soon as possible.
Now, why should this be so? Why
should a court house be so utterly de-
void of interest or attractiveness? +?
Why not make a visit to the county
building a pleasant memory? There
must be numerous rooms devoted to
the dry details of business and some
of it disagreeable business, no doubt,
but before and after the transaction of
such business why should there not be
rooms devoted to the comfort and con-
venience of the people from the coun-
try who come to town to attend court,
or indeed for any kind of business.
Let US have pleasant waiting rooms,
a reading room, toilet rooms for both
men and women, so that during tax
gathering time and court time, and in
fact, all the time, people may have a
place they may call their own, where
they can go and rest for awhile and
be comfortable. We do not mean by
this that the county should keep up a
reading room; nothing of the kind but
files of the county papers tables with
writing materials, city directories and
other things for the convenience of
the taxpayer who pays for the build
ing and whose comfort and conven-
ience should be catered to sufficient at
least to render his visit to the court
house pleasant memory instead of a
repulsive one.
A sitting room or waiting room of
good dimensions should be as much
a part of the plan as the Auditors Of
flee or any other office and a toilet
room or rooms for both men and
women, where h.. and cold water can
be always ready, also the best kind of
water closets, for the best are in the
end the most satisfactory and at the
same time the most durable.
Will you treat the man who helps
build a building as well as the hotels
treat him, or how will you treat him?
The hotel throws open its doors to ev-
cry one, be he guest or visitor: it
makes no difference as to the common
of life, all who are decent
are welcome. Shall Washington
county depart from the beaten track
md dare to do something correct and
sensible, or fall back on the common
place and hide-bound method of max
ng pile of stone as repulsive and |
as possible. Oh, you
Jay, we have not money enough to do
.hese things even if we wanted to do
IT, Nay, verify; men always have
money enough and surely Washington
county has enough TO do the decent
Ind eommon-sense thing, no matter