Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-11-21


their contents. This radical defect in
the planning of the vaults is common TO
them all.
Further, the wall Of the smaller vault
occupied by the county clerk, has a
thickness of but 10 inches, wholly made
quate as a protection against fire.
The arched ceiling Of this vault is
now badly cracked and its walls have
settled away from the outer wall. The
ceiling is not proof against heavy
falling weight.
The material for all these vaults is Of
a very inferior quality of rick, soft
and weak and so porous as 70 have
largely destroyed the strength Of The
mortar. In some cases, notably in the
east vault of the probate court, it has
been so badly put up that were it not
for the inside piastering it seems prob
able that the 8 inch lining would ad-
nit light through the untitled joints.
The vault in the office of the clerk Of
the circuit court has only an inch
thick arch of this inferior material, and
is without iron tie-rods. 1t is now bad
" cracked. This vault offers practic-
ally no protection to its contents in
case a fire should destroy the upper
part Of the building.
Besides this. we find that the larger
vault of the county clerk has only a
wooden floor resting on wooden joists,
always an element Of danger within
and means Of carrying fire into the
vault through the outer walls.
With the exception Of the treasurer's
vault door, the vault doors throughout
are of fiimsy and insufficient construc-
tion 10 render them proper protection
against fire.
In conclusion, the improper planning
and inferior materials used inconstruc-
ton Of these vaults renders them Who'll
ly unworthy of confidence as a protec-
ton to your records, and their faults
are such as cannot be remedied.
We further call your attention TO the
very inferior materials and exceeding
" light construction of the building
itself, and especially to its weakest
part, the three story corridor wall of
the front part, only 8 inches thick.
This IS always an element of danger
10 the building.
FREMONT d. OREF. Architect.
ALLAN ID. CoNovER, Architect.
Our attention at that time was called
TO courthouses to be erected during the
the summer Of 1901 as follows One at
Barron, Wisconsin, the plans of which
had been shown TO the members of the
board at the adjourned session and an
other at Waterloo, Iowa, and we were
requested by the architects to visit these
courthouses while they were under con-
struction and thus get a more exact
idea of the material and method of con-
struction. The committee could not
well arrange to visit either of these
courthouses until so short a time be-
fore the sitting of this Board that it
was thought better not to go at all.
Should the board determine to pro-
coed with the building of court house
it will be necessary to provide offices
for the various county officers and the
safe deposit for the county records
during the time that will elapse be-
tween the taking down of the old and
the completion of the new building,
and we have received from the Common
Council Of the City Of Lancaster
proposition 70 the effect that the au-
thorities Of the city of Lancaster will
provide during the time Of the erection
Of such new court house, suitable Of
fee rooms for the several county officers
free of charge to Grant county and
further, that they will provide a safe
place Of deposit for the county records
during that time, and will provide AN
efficient night watch to guard the rec
ords against obstruction by fire with
out expense to the county. Further,
that the city will provide, by the time
that the new building shall be com
plete, a sewerage system sufficient To
carry off all sewerage from the court
house. The proposition of the civ of
Lancaster IS made after due consider
alton by the common council and is
submitted in writing and will be be-
fore the board.
Your committee is fully convinced
that the present court house is made
quate for the needs of Grant county.
That it affords inadequate protection
for the county records. the value of
which is well nigh iuestimable We
are also Of the opinion that any at
tempt at building new vaults to be
used in connection with the old build
ing would, in order to make them rea-
sonably safe and proper receptacles
for the records. require an outlay APP
preaching the costs Of an entirely new
court house, and we therefore recon-
mend that this board appropriate
sum of money of not less than 500, 900
for the erection of a new court house
for Grant county. and that a building
committee be 1t once appointed with
power 10 select and accept plans for
such building and take such further
steps as will insure the building and
completion OF a new court house within
one year from mis- date.
All Of which i respectfully submit
ted +. N. Lowry.
JAMES JEFFFRY,
JACOB BRENMER.