Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-01-17
ACTUAL CONDITION OF VAULTS.
Opinions Advanced by Experts.

1t having been intimated in the de-
bate Tuesday that the committee had
not made sufficient investigation of
the vaults and walls of the court
house the committee employed two
competent architects to inspect the
vaults and walls of the court house
and to report in writing thereon.
The report of the architects after
making the investigation follows.
These two men are men of recognized
ability in their profession and their
report is complete vindication of
the report of the county committee.
To Court House Committee OF County
Board of Supervisors of Grant
County, Wisconsin:
Gentlemen:-At your request. the
undersigned have made a careful ex-
animation of the vaults of your pub
lie court house, to determine wheth-
Ell their construction is such as to
render them an efficient protection
to their contents from fire.
For that purpose we had the aid OF
a mason and carpenter to assist ou1
investigation. We find as follows:
First, as to their construction. In
most cases these vaults are construct
ed inside of the original walls Of the
building, by building an eight inch
wa separated from the main wall by
an air space. At the windows the
original wooden windows were un-
disturbed and the airspace left open,
extending up to the floor ioists above
no attempt being made to cover this
air-space with the covering arch OF
the vault. 1t results from this that
should the slight iron doors opening
to the windows be left open by acct
dent or oversight, embers from a fire
above would drop directly into the
vaults. and consume 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 thickness of but 10 inches,
wholly inadequate as a protection
against fire.
The archcd ceiling of this vault is
now badly cracked and its walls have
settled away from the outer wall.
The ceiling is not proof against a
heavy falling weight.
The material for all these vaults is
of very inferior quality of brick,
soft and weak and So porous as to
have largely destroyed the strength
of the mortar. Iu some cases, nota-
blv in the east vault of the probate
no. bod
that were it not for the inside plas-
teriDg it seems probable that the 8
inch lining would admit light through
the untitled joints.
The vault in the office of the clerk
of the circuit court has only an 8
inch thick arch of this inferior mater
ial, and is without iron tie-rods. 1t
is now badl, cracked. This vault Of
fers practically no protection to its
contents in case 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
ioisrs, always an element of danger
.itnln ami means of carrying fire
nto the vault through the outer
walls.
With the exec ption of the treasur-
ar's vault door. the vault doors
throughout are of flimsy and INSULT
.ient construction to render them a
proper prote etion against fire.
In conclusion, he improper plan
ning and inferior materials used in
construction of these vaults renders
them wholly unworthy Of confidence
: protection to your records, and
h"ir faults are such as cannot be
rene Eel
We further call your attention to
the very inferior materials and ex-
ceedingly light construction of the
building itself, and especially to its
weakest part, the three story corri-
dor wall of the front part, only $
inches thick This is always an ele-
ment of danger to the building.
Fremont ID. OREF,
Architect.