The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-03-08
Hundreds See First Shovel
full of Earth Turned for
New Structure.
MONUMENT TO PEOPLE
Judge J. C.. Slater and Attorney
C. E. Randall Claim New
Structure Tribute to People.

Kenosha county's dream of new
court house began to come true this
morning at eleven o'clock when a
crowd of more than two hundred gath
cred in the center of the site upon
which the new structure is to be built
and watched the ceremony marking
the breaking of ground for the build
ing. The incident, which will go down
officially in the records of the county
board, was a part Of the meeting of
the board of supervisors, started in
the county court room and adjourned
to the site of the new building for
the ceremony.
Oratory and fitting formalities mark
ed the occasion. Judge John G. Slater,
acting as master of ceremonies, in a
short address. reviewing the long need
of such structure for Kenosha county,
presented golden spade to A. H..
Lance, as Father of the Civic Center
Plan" to start the work.
Digs Three Times in Dirt.
Using this spade Mr.. Lance form
ally overturned three shovels of dirt
in token of starting work on the beau
tiful court house planned for the
county. The ground was frozen solid
and all that could be done was to scrape
the surface with the instrument.
Following the ceremony Attorney
Clifford E. Randall gave short adj
dress in which he declared that Keno
sha county's new court house would
IL
and integrity of the pioneers who
blazed the way in Kenosha county and
of their children and children's child
rem who were carrying forward the
work which they had accomplished.
Recalls Days of King Tut.
ain ancient days kings and queens,
who enslaved the people, made their
subjects build great monuments to
perpetuate the glory of that dynasty"
declared Attorney Randall. "Today
the papers are full of the story of the
excavations made in Egypt where an
English archeologist has found the
tomb which old King Tut forced his
subjects to build for him by the sweat
of their brows. Conditions have
changed since that time which was
more than five thousand years ago;
instead of building monuments to
kings and queens, the people of this
county are here building a monument
to themselves under their own direc-
ton. This structure will be SYM
bolical Of the era of freedom in which
we live; it has been ordered by the
vote of the representatives of the peo-
pie; it is to be built by the people for
the people. Here will be carried on the
affairs of the people of the county"
Attorney Randall also reviewed the
recent history of the county showing
the need here of such structure.
A Time of Rejoicing.
"This should be time Of rejoicing"
he said. Rejoicing because Kenosha
county is so situated financially that
it can erect building fitting with the
dignity of the great duties which it
will perform for the people-rej
ing because Kenosha county can now
take its place among the counties of
the state that are providing such
buildings as memorials to their peo-
pie. This structure will be place
of service and of beauty where the
functions of free government may
be performed"
Judge Slater likewise emphasized the
fact that this was an occasion of real
Importance in the history of Kenosha
county. He recalled how for years the
work of the county and county officials
had been hampered by lack of proper
facilities and declared that the new
court house was evidence of new
awakening in the county.
Another Day Coming
There is another day coming of
even more Importance" declared Judge
Slater. THAT is the day when we
will lay the cornerstone of this new
building, marking another step in its
progress"
The entire ceremony occupied less
than an hour. Among those who
watched the proceedings were all of
the members of the county board
who have worked so zealouslv to make