East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-08-16

With the work of remodeling the |
court house, which is now under way, |
is again brought to light the colossal
blunder that was made when that
structure was first erected. Built in
1SSS-only II years ago-and at a
cost that is variously estimated at
from $4,000 to 100000 it has stood
ever since as a monument to the in
competency of its designers
Although the large building makes
somewhat imposing appearance
from without, its internal arrange
ment is such as to make a modern
architect grieve. Probably the most
serious mistake made in the design of
the building was in the placing of the
large main stairway on the College
street side.
This entrance has never been used
to any extent at all, and for months
the large stairs have gone without
ever being used, while the two ner-
row stairways running from the other
two entrances have furnished the sole
means of reaching the upper floor.
VI
which alone is estimated to have cost
$1,000, there are other errors in the
arrangement of the lower floor. The
sheriff's and the clerks offices, where
nearly all of the business of the lower
floor is done, are so small and poorly
arranged that they are standing dis
grace, and i'm the clerks room the
light is poor.
on the upper floor the arrangement
is as bad as on the first floor, for the
circuit court room is so poor in
acoustics that it can hardly be used,
even with the change that was made
after the building had been erected.
/ Also, the light is poor, and on dark
/ day it was necessary for light to be
/ turned on for the judge to see to read.
| But tn thing which proved the
most serious shortcoming, and which
made it absolutely essential that inn
proyements be made. is the roof and
/ the construction and foundation for
/ the large tower. Owing to improper
/ support for the tower the weight of it
/ has caused the roof in the center of
! the building to sink seven and three
/ fourths inches. AS a result leaks in
| the roof have been caused and also 1t
1 is regarded that were it left alone
long enough the tower would eventu-
ally drop down through the roof
| thereby creating havoc.
Under the plans made by Architect
| Troutman the tower will be thorough
! ly braced by steel pillars, two set upon
| the brick walls and the other two
upon steel beams set with both ends
| on brick walls. In this manner the
tower will be rendered entirely safe,
and the clock bell will be placed in it
after the work is finished. During the
past the bell has been in one of the
small cupolas on the roof, it being
! considered unsafe to have it in the
main tower because of its weight
All three of the cupolas will then be
removed, thus adding much to the ap-
pearance of the building in the opin-
ions of many.
1t is estimated that the changes
now being made will cost somewhere
between six and eight thousand dol
lars. and the building will be much
the better when the work is done.
However, it will even then be a source
of reproach, for 1t is impossible to
make it what it should be without
building it all over again. Thus 1t
will have to remain, perhaps for gem
erations, as a subject of architectural
criticism and a solemn warning to
those who build, that it is better to
build right and not to rely upon
changes.