The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1906-10-17


etc vas awarded 70 James Czrrutt-
ers. a The sun Of ssea3- Also =
ennlraeE On JhsT dzy to suild jzry
rooms or q logs. z4xI4 feer n Ire
clear. petition across the center. doc.
in each end. etc 20 - built OF the
c0uTz house lcT wsS awzr6s1 TO jams
Ellis. Al The sun Of $1,000
n 1ue tine these buildings wers
completed and accepted D. the
coEniy commissioners.
The hoard Of county commissioner
held their first meeting. <hich %
tham vas styled The COur1- in the
~ court house n Ocsls- Se3remne-
:. ISsc- Present. John NJ Neln1osh.
judge o. probate. am ex0EeI0 presi-
dent and clerk Of the board. Abra-
ham Geiger. John Morrison ard s F
daiicar, commissioner
A. q regular meeting Of the board
Of county commissioners he'd IL
Ocala. March ). lS4S. c. A. n Mitch
ell ESQ., presented 20 the board 2
subscription signed b. several PEI
sons oblieafins themselves 10 pay. OF
contribute. I've or SIX hundred dollars
towards building a suitable and SUI
s5anIial c0uTr house Hc also pre-
seHtec 2 petition signed By 3 number
Of citizens. pe1itiOning the board 10
lave such court house siilI. e-hCr,
upon the hoard took action i.
= accordance with said petition r.
sulting N awarding the contract 10
build the new court a0lse on the
public square Of Ocala. according 70
plans AID specifications that has
been adopted. but not entered in the
minutes. 10 j. A Barber. al the sum
Of $4,000. September ;. 1850
A peculiarly in awaiting this con
tract was. all sealed bids were reject
81 a. bling TOO high. aid the board
let out the contract then and there
by public apctiC1 tc the lcN-eSt bio
der, resulting in a saving OF S90.00 70
the TAX payers
The building was Completed and re-
cegved D. the county commissioners
December l. 1851 This building. as
10 size. architecture, and finish, being
very familiar 10 most Of our people
and no plans and specifications of il
being accessible. will not attempt 10
describe il in detail II was a frame
building out of lUmber. neatly painted
outside. and plasteIed inside, with
stairway going Up ~ the court room
outside OF the east end. having CORR
doris on the ground floor east and
,--est and north and south through
court house was used as suc1 for
thirty odd years. during TINS time
such learned iurist as Judges For
ward. Putnam, GOss, Dawkins, King,
and Finley held the scales Of Justice
in equal peise: the bar of the court
5eing occupied by many OF the most
learned and eloquent barTisters Of
the land This building. some eigh-
teen years ago was replaced by a sub
yta tial brick building. at a COS; Of
SIS. 100 90. bat was too small % &C.
cOmOdate the officers Of the county
and aid not afford protection for i'm
portant public records and vas de-
icieat in architecture from start 10
iniSh That building is now being
eplaced by tais magnificent temple
Of justice. which Is modern ans
apt. date in its architecture in all
OF us departments. and affords an of.
fee for each county officer. jury
rooms and waiting rooms. etc, ana
suitable offices for the JUDGE If the
fifth judicial circuit court OF Florida
aid states attorney
Although the building as a whole
viii practically be a fireproof build
ing. as a wise precaution Of absolute
safet.- vault 81 ace has been provided
fer The ditereIt Offices for all i'm
i5r.alt records.
As his address will he deposited in
the col rer stone and may be read by
generations yet to come. as a rlemen-
70 20 the memory of the patriotism.
sacrifices. hSrdshiPs anI periIS OF
those grand men. who brought their
families and established homes with
in the territory that now comprises
our county. who. as pioneers Of civil
lizarior cast their destinies in a Wi
jerneSs country. where they often had
To place their families in forts con
strueted Of logs in the form OF
houses. With port holes at convenient .
distances apart. through which with
the truSty rifle. and flint and steel
shot gun. protected their lives from
the raids OF a ruthless foe whose
highest amhition was 10 carry o.
the scalp Of a pale face as a trophy
Uf their savage pride.
Such men as Marion c3unty's first
CO. .aJy officers. Ide TyIerS. Tanners.
z TS Edwar.Fs Prr-nI-S (-rr-ry-S