Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-06-07
REPUBLICAN TICKET.
The Court House.

The Court House.
The exterior of our Court House is
geueraIly admired. 1t is handsome
pile of stone. The architecture is coed
and the wall is well built. 1t is noticed
bv strangers who have an eye for that
sort of thing. OF course, since the
building Of the National Bank, at the
corner, it is apparent that it was mis-
take to allow the builder to take fonr-
teen feet (some say seventeen) of the
tower; and the same will become more
apparent if the third story is ever ex-
tended over to the west end OF the
bniIding. 1t would be pity TO change
those walls into square, stone box, as
is now proposed and, the necessity Tor
30 doing should be made made as clear
as the sun at MONDAY to the Grand
Jury before they agree to it.
The trouble with our Court House is
that is was never properly completed.
TO begin with the west end of the base
ment, the part under, the Prothono-
X tary's and Commissioner offices was
never excavated; and if this were done
now and the space walled of and
cemented; with stairway from each OF
the Offices to it, the vantage OF each
those offices would be doubled, at but
slight expense, and this vantage would
probably be ''as dry as powder for be-
fore that cellar was paved you could
sweep dust from the floor of it any
time.
More vault room is also needed in the
Register and Recorders Office, and this
can be built in the space now occupied
by the north-front stairway, which is
not needed.
The thing of the hrst-foor hallway
and lobby is worn out and should be
replaced, and the floors of all the offices
should be made fire-proof from above,
or nearly so. by asbestos board covered
with linoleum. while iron ceilings filled
in with mineral wool would make them
fre-proof from below
The Offices of the Prothonotary and
Register and Recorder can be transfer
red, If thought best, as the Office now
used by the Prothonotary has the most
vault room.
On the second floor there is an
abundance of Court and Jury rooms.
for all present necessities. The Court
Room 10 sometimes dark and gloomy,
but that can be remedied in part by
taking ont those ridiculous pink
windows and letting in the light of day.
Some of our fnest-haired attorneys
want some marble wainscoating some
where in the building and as marble
slabs are cheap. we suggest to the
County Commissioners that they fit up
one Of the numerous wash-rooms of the
second floor with marble, for the
especial benefit of these attorneys.
The roof Of the building should be
repaired. Part of it il steep and is
slated, while the fiat or tin part can be
covered with prepared paper and
-Cemgnt, wffcn n1s- proved effecrive-
other fiat tin roofs in Butler.
The architect employed by the county
to make plans and specifications for the
the proposed remodeling and enlarging
Of the Court House, win be here today
with his plans, and will explain them
them to the Grand Jury.
Who originated the idea and what
made it grow to it's present proportions
we do not know, but the fact is patent
that the room the. county now has
within the walls as they now stand. is
not being properly utilized, and until
that Is exhausted. why make more. and
at the same time spoil the architectural
beauty Of the building
When the former Court House was
burned. and the books and papers of the
county taken down to the old Wither-
spoon Institute, they were in jeopardy
all the time for about two years, If we
remember right. This will be repeti-
tion Of the same thing. lasting for some
months, and as there is no one building
here that will accommodate all. the Of
fees and books Of the county will be
scattered over the town.
The proposition, looking to the future
needs Of the county, to purchase the
Esq. Kennedy property on the Dia-
mond strikes us favorably, as the rent
OF that building, for offices. would pay
the interest on the investment, and
there is but slight danger of the proper
ty depreciating in value.