Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-01-17
County Board of Supervisors In Ad
jOurned Session Postpone Voting
On New Court House Until Fall.
Other Business Transacted Full Attendance and Great
Interest Manifested
ENCOURAGING Outlook For Favorable Consideration in
November.

county. where we devoted day to the ex-
animation of the court house there. The
building was built in 1891 at i cost of $4,000.
Externally the building is very handsome.
being quite ornate in It's style Of architecture
and treatment. II is built of st Louis press
ed brick with trimmings of Bedford stone
and steps and balconies OF Joliet stone with
granite columns. The building stands in the
center of a public square similar TO the site
in Lancaster, The outside measurement is
iO5 IT. y so TT. tower rises from each cor
ner. The principal tower rises 10 a consid-
cradle height above the others and is used as
a clock tower.
Some changes were made in the plans dur
ing construction.
The entrances are at east and west ends Of
the building opening into hallway about
ten feet wide and extending through the
building. The floors OF the Railways are of
MOSAIC tile. and the other floors in the build
ing are Of hard wood.
The basement is unfinished except that it
contains Il toilet room TOR men,
Two flights of stairs connect the first and
second floors.
detailed description of the building
would occupy too much space and would
convey but little information. The commit
tee has rough plans Of the building and alse
cOpOuS notes rs to advantages and impcr-
lection Of the building.
\ building of this SIZE might be sufficient
for Grant county, but to be 50 the basement
should be finished for offices.
The building contains vault room for many
years to come, for Green county and this
vault room could be considerably increased
by carrying the vaults into the basement
and finishing them there as well as on the
The building was originally heated by hot
air The heating system is now being chang
ed to a direct steam system at cost of So
400.
general criticism Of this building would
be that some of the rooms are too small.
This is especially true of the County Court
ROOM and of the SheriTS office.
The Circuit Court room Is too large and
the ceiling is too high.
A serious objection to the building is the
roof. The roof was originally framed for
cedar shingles. The committee then conclud-
ed to COVERT with slate. The doing of this
necessitated additional braces in the attic
and even now the roof is unsatisfactory on
account of its great weight. large size and
trail construction.
The Board has been to considerable eX-
pcnSe in preventing leaking. he defects
being in the valleys. they were finally obltg-
ed to line the valleys with sheet copper.
which has proved effective. The roof Is not
fire proof.
4 few hundred dollars expended in the at
tic would greatly strengthen the roof and
greatly diminish the danger of fire.
Your committee IS of the opinion that the
Monroe building is not suitable for Grant
County.
From Monroe we went to Waukesha and
spent a day in examining the court house
there 1 his building IS a two-story struc-
ture with basement, size 74X90. exclusive of
bays, height of ceiling in basement 81, first
story l4-3. second story lbs except court
room. which is - feet in height.
Materials:-The building is built of brick.
faced with rock faced Waulesha stone i'm two
sized courses. spaced alternately with red
mortar joints. trimmed with Bedford stone
and terra-cotta. Cornice is stone. roof ma
terlal slate. with composition rock deck.
This roof has stood since 1888 without any re-
pairs whatever. Repairs to this kind of
roof can be made very cheaply.
The roof is OFndmcutcQ With a stone para
pet.
The two main entrances east and south are
Ornamented with polished granite columns,
supporting a balcony.
cal having round lowered bay at each cor
RndVN GfslfH tony nd
There is a tower rising from tho south en-
Tie floors in all the corridors are Of color
ed tiles Floors in basement are hard wood
laid on concrete. except floors IN vaults ana
boiler room. which are cement The floors in
the offices are of maple, and in the vaults of
plain tiles All rooms and corridors are
wainscOtted with quarter sawed oak.
The plaster Is adamant mostly. white FIN
iShed. with cOrnice in most of the rooms.
Ceiling in COURTROOM has large cornice.
with deep panels forms by plasIering beams.
The construction of the entire building was
substantial. and though not fireprOOf. was 50
built that fire could spread very slowly.
The stairWayS are all of oak. metal
staircase instead of the wooden one would
make the building practically ire-proof eN
cept IN attic.
The roof, although strong in its construc-
ton. could he made stronger and danger
from fire in attic could he greatly lessened
by the expenditure of IA few hundred dollars
i'm attic.
The triple window in stairway and transoms
glass. presenting a very pleasing appearance
both from within and without
The vaults in this building are very sub
stantlal in construction. Walls 30 inches
thick with ventIlating fues- All of the
vaults are dark except one tier of three
vaults.
The offices in this building are as rule
well arranged. sufficient in size except the
county court room. Change could be made
readily and the building is so shaped that it
could be enlarged without changing its gen
eral appearance. A large room used
assembly room for the County Board could
he dispensed with and the space used for
other purposes.
The committee was most favorably i'm
pressed with this building. more 50 than with
any other court house they saw on their
travels.
The cost ofthe building was $4,000. but the
heating system is too expensive and is not
economical in operation.
Tiles could well be used for wainscotting
instead of oak. The building is well supplied
The committee has complete floor plans on
this building and same can be seen by any
person desiring to examine them.
From Waukesha went to WATERFOWL.
where we examined brick from It. Louis
Milwaukee. Ohio and the local brick made
there
From there we went 70 sparta and made a,
thorough an examination Of the court house
there a. was possible. The floor plans Of thi,
buibltng NAY been returned 70 the architect
and W. had TO prepare such plans as we could
from inspection and measurements. We
have "A complete plan II the first floor.
This building - three stories high without
any basement. The building is sre-prouf
structure except - tGthe roof. Tie root -
manSgra with slate side and tin deck and
was huit iu ls3 he roof ieaes badly The
.c8rs-sirt price was $4,000 and they afterward
added Boiler house 20 = cost ID s.55.lOo which
Is detarhtc trla n9til Jail and court house
aud aeat- nath hy orect radiation steam.
o o.srl. a very e-lu1rlic8 system Building
los4xIa4 s,eos - nra. seisht - -.l.n--'i
90. o
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