History of Elkhart County, Indiana; together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history: portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 43

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, C. C. Chapman & co.
Number of Pages: 1192


USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > History of Elkhart County, Indiana; together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history: portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 43


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496


HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.


tribunal. Men feared it; even the incorrigibles grew tame before it, and after it had run its course, and disappeared before the advancing tide of cuteness, many said that the part which it played was highly beneficial, and its existence providential. It is unnec- essary to mention even one of the strange indictments made out by the officers of the Surrogugeon; any crime from the larceny of a pin to that of a horse, never escaped its notice; but the great idea of the court was to crush its victim by a terriblecross-examination. Atter having elicited every tittle of information, in fact a histro- biography of their prisoner, they might order his discharge or send him to jail until his sins would be atoned for. This, in the second quarter of the nineteenth century, seems strange; but the buoyant spirits of the first settlers and the easy-going habits of a few of them account for it, and still leave its memory green.


THE PRESENT BAR.


The legal fraternity of the present time differs in many respects from those of by-gone years. Knowledge, statutes and crime have all grown up together, and tend to entail upon him who would become a member of the legal profession long years of study. Few, in taet none, of the old legal pioneers reside in this county. Mr. Baker, and perhaps a few others, may claim a long and happy con- neetion with the legal interests of the county; but they cannot be considered as belonging to that class of men who made themselves known and welcome everywhere, ignored all the ceremonies which are now in vogne, and only took delight in reducing all law to equity. The following list ineludes the names of the principal legal gentlemen of the county :- Baker & Mitchell, M. F. Shuey, I. A. Simmons, Vanfleet & Bickel, J. W. Irwin, Geo. W. Best, Osborn & Herr, Wilson & Davis, A. W. Simmons, Delos N. Weaver, I. N. Hall, Col. Johnson, O. II. Main, O. T. Chamberlain, Lew. Wanner, W. L. Stonex, A. H. Johnson, H. V. Curtis, I. N. Everett, C. C. Gilmore, M. E. Meader, Otis D. Thompson, Livy Chamberlain, Ed. R. Kerstetter, Zook Bros., D. N. Leib, C. F. Shuey, Jas. H. State, M. I. Beck, A. F. Wilden, Milo S. Hlascall, H. C. Dodge, Bartholomew & Trimble.


CHAPTER IX.


THE REPUBLIC MUST BE GUARDED.


Yet remember this :-


God, and our good cause, fight upon our side;


The prayers of holy saints and wronged souls,


Like high-reared bulwarks, stand before our faces.


The interest taken in political matters by the people of this county is deep indeed. Their principles are so well set that neither time nor change seems to affect them; so that he who was a Democrat in his earlier years remains one still, and he who deserted the ranks of the old Whigs to ally himself with the Republican party observes all the forms which that alliance imposed, and may to-day vote for James Garfield as he did in 1856 for John C. Fremont. However, there is an apparent tendency to cast away the fetters of party, and to vote for the best and truest men who place themselves before the peo- ple, seeking their suffrage and confidence. Now, whatever benefits are conferred upon the country by the two great parties, who claim to be President-makers, no doubt can exist of the number and magni- tude of the abuses which have entwined themselves with the system, and contributed to lessen the influence of a great federal government.


" There was a time," said John C. Calhoun, "in the better days of the Republic, when to show what ought to be done was to insure the adoption of the measure. Those days have passed away, I fear, forever. A power has risen up in the Government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various and powerful interests, combined into one mass, and held together by the cohesive power of the vast surplus in the banks. This mighty combination will be opposed to any change; and it is to be feared that, such is its influence, no measure to which it is opposed can become a law, however expedient and necessary; and that the pub- lic money will remain in their possession, to be disposed of, not as the public interests, but as theirs, may dictate. The time, indeed, seems fast approaching, when no law can pass, nor any honor can be conferred, from the Chief Magistrate to the tide-waiter, without


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498


HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.


the assent of this powerful and interesting combination, which is steadily becoming the Government itself, to the utter subversion of the authority of the people. Nay, I fear we are in the midst of it; and I look with anxiety to the fate of this measure, as the test whether we are or not.


" If nothing should be done,-if the money which justly belongs to the people be left where it is, with the many and overwhelming objections to it, -the fact will prove that a great and radical change has been effected; that the Government is subverted; that the authority of the people is suppressed by a union of the banks and the Excentive,-a union a hundred times more dangerous than that of Church and State, against which the Constitution has so jealously guarded. It would be the annonneement of a state of things from which it is to be feared there can be no recovery- a state of bonndless corruption, and the lowest and basest subser- vieney. It seems to be the order of Providence that, with the exception of these, n people may recover from any other evil. Piraey, robbery and violence of every description may, as history proves, be succeeded by virtue, patriotism, and national greatness; but where is the example to be found of a degenerate, corrupt, and subservient people, who have ever recovered their virtue and pa- triotism? Their doom has ever been the lowest state of wretched- ness and misery : scorned, trodden-down and obliterated for ever from the list of nations! May Heaven grant that snch may never be our doom."


Withont going to the extremes of thought, much of what that statesman had said applies to the present time. Not all by any means; because, owing to the foresight of the people, the combina- tions of wicked men who wonkl venture to assert their foul suprem- acy, have been dismembered, and their terrible, awful treacheries exposed. The followers of the great political parties resident in Elkhart county have made their voices heard in their cries for reform; they have scanned the actions of their legislators with jeal- ons eye, and rewarded or punished where justice pointed, and thus secured, and now essay to seenre, a fair representation in the legis- Intive chambers of the State and of the Republic. They understand the principles of liberty, they possess a good idea of all that is dne to the Republic, and seldom fail to reduce theory to practice by choosing men who believe as they do, and who desire to stand by the public good in every emergency. Nativeism, seetionalism and


499


ILISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.


all their concomitant viees are almost dead; but, unhappily, enough remains to cause some little disunion, and so destroy what would be otherwise a magnificent solidarity. The envy, the anger, the jealousy, the pride, and above all, the irritation arising from the civil war, hold a place in the hearts of a few. The place must be closed up forever. Merey, justice and patriotism require it for tenaney; so that sectionalisin innst die with all other vices-must fall before advancing civilization, and let Peace rule over the land.


One of our economists has said that it is a crime against human- ity to maintain this sectional irritation. On this continent of the West we have endeavored to set up a republican government, a gov- ernment of liberty-and a governinent of liberty means a govern- ment of equal right. The sun of liberty quickens men as the natural sun quiekens a field of grain. The myriad shafts rise npon thie even bed of earth, bathing in the common rain, strengthened by the generous heat, and lifting to the God of light the abundant fruit on every head which his equal justice has given them all to bear. Republican institutions, as has been well said, the last hope for the redemption of man, must be maintained and can only be maintained when a spirit of fraternity runs through and permeates the citizens of this country.


We cannot live as a republican government and maintain perpet- ual war. Even in the household and family, where the ties of blood are nearest, we must exereise charity and forbearance or there often- times will be diseord. How much more so, in a broad land where the interests are diverse and people are separated by many miles of territory, innst we exereise forbearance and charity and human kindness! The appeal goes to the better nature of men. It is an answer from the very heart of every man who has a heart to the taunts and flings that have been hurled against the unhappy people struggling to lift themselves up again to peace and prosperity and fraternity. This appeal is not to the selfish, except it be but an enlightened selfishness which perceives your own good in the good of your fellow men-the appeal is to a higher selfishness than that which is looking to the spoils of office, which is only considering political questions with the greed and avarice of power. The ap- peal is to our Christianity, to our humanity.


To render these assertions positive, it will only be necessary to review the vote of the county as recorded during the Presidential campaigns from 1832 to 1876, the Gubernatorial and Congres-


500


HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY-


sional contests of 1876-1878, and the names of the Senators and Representatives who have received political honors at the hands of the people. To this end the following statistical tables and names are given :


PRESIDENTIAL VOTE OF ELKHART COUNTY.


Year.


Dem.


Whig.


Dem.


Whig. Other. Total.


1832 Andrew Jackson,


Henry Clay ...


129


60


. . 189


1836 M. Van Buren,


W. H. Harrison.


305


354


.... 659


1840 M. Van Buren,


W. H. Harrison.


596


640


1236


1844 J. K. Polk,


Henry Clay


964


758


1722


1848 Lewis Cass,


Zachary Taylor


1050


756


*142


1948


1852 Franklin Pierce,


Winfield Scott.


1343


1068


28


2439


1856 J. Buchanan,


J. C. Fremont.


1651


+1971


+18


3640


1860 Steph. A. Douglas,


Abraham Lincoln.


1938


2471


$27


4436


1864 G. B McClellan,


Abraham Lincoln.


2000


2253


4253


1868 Horatio Seymour,


U. S. Grant


.2706


2962


5668


Horace Greeley,


1872


Charles O'Conor,


U. S. Grant.


.2344


2998


5342


1876 S. J Tilden,


R. B. Hayes.


.3390


3742


7132


1880 W. S. Hancock,


J. A. Garfield.


....


* Free-Soil, + Republican, # American, § Breckenridge.


In the above table there is no mention of the various candidates in 1836 who drew but a small and insignificant vote in the United States, and for whom there were no tickets run in this county. The figures do show, however, that Elkhart county partook of the spirit of the whole country at each election, and did its share in aiding every new departure. For instance, while in early day it was strongly Democratic, yet it gave Harrison (Whig) a majority of 49 in 1836, and a majority of 44 in 1840. Since 1856 the county has been, on national issues, strongly Republican.


In the table on the following page the vote of each township on the national ticket is given, and the figures serve not only as a record for general historical reference. but also a source of reflec- tion upon the causes which may have existed in various parts of the county for the variations of public sentiment from time to time.


PRESIDENTIAL VOTE OF THE TOWNSHIPS FROM NOVEMBER, 1856, TO NOVEMBER, 1876.


1856.


1860.


1864.


1868.


1872.


1876.


Buchanan


and


Fremont


Dayton.


Fillmore


Donelson.


Douglas


Johnson.


and


Lane.


Lincoln


Hamlin.


McClellan


Pendleton.


Lincoln


Johnson.


Seymour


Blair.


Grant


Colfax.


Greeley


Brown.


Grant


Wilson.


Tilden


and


Hayes


and


Wheeler.


Dem.


Rep.


Am'n.


U. D.


S. D.


Rep.


Dem.


Rep. Dem.


Rep.


Lih'l.


Rep.


Dem.


Rep.


Cleveland.


29


71


35


79


46


72


64


85


49


74


51


78


Osolo.


58


70


79


1


80


68


97


100


98


77


95


123


126


Washington.


63


167


3


78


1


156


87


186


111


229


101


183


151


196


York ..


36


63


63.


95


73


83


107


102


82


87


128


97


Baugo ...


69


39


92


47


75


46


91


64


72


53


93


60


Concord.


226


263


7


280


360


286


369


481


586


452


864


824


970


Jefferson.


70


95


7


92


4


137


89


110


117


125


108


101


143


115


66


193


103


4


245


113


215


146


226


133


211


182


251


47


90


63


1


127


54


107


45


159


22


164


49


212


Olive . . .


86


120


95


148


91


111


121


139


89


134


135


212


Elkhart ..


398


335


371


14


433


424


423


571


543


536


464


667


629


Clinton .


137


73


191


100


218


47


282


83


225


106


274


157


Locke ..


47


26


49


44


56


30


77


86


54


75


122


137


Union.


88


75


105


81


115


44


151


71


107


53


164


109


Jackson .


118


141


124


165


99


139


119


167


95


169


138


197


Benton.


113


150


118


6


174


107


179


123


200


142


163


146


196


Total.


1651


1971


18


1938


27


2471


2001


2258


2706


29621


2344


2998


3390


3742


.


.


.


HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.


501


TOWNSHIPS.


Breckenridge.


and


and


and


Breckenridge


and


and


and


and


and


and


and


Hendricks.


Middlebury


Harrison.


1


502


HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.


VOTE OF ELKHART COUNTY BY PRECINCTS, IN OCTOBER, 1876, AND IN


OCTOBER, 1878.


ELECTION OF 1876.


ELECTION OF 1878.


PRECINCTS.


GOVERNOR.


CONGRESS.


GOVERNOR.


CONGRESS.


D.


R.


N.


D.


R.


N.


D.


R.


N.


D.


N.


Elkhart, First. .


372


361


354


374


308


271


4


269


305


4


Elkhart, Second.


298


285


295


285


314


337


303


369


5


Clinton, First .


215


82


210


86


111


51


2


111


51


2


Clinton, Second


76


6


3


62


2


88


48


22


80


48


27


Concord, First.


326


404


13


331


403


6


391


551


187


377


552


197


Concord, Second.


500


546


2


500


544


1


192


298


71


190


301


70


Benton.


147


196


5


147


196


4


130


199


6


122


200


11


Jackson


133


196


133


196


130


168


125


169


9


Harrison


141


192


142


192


96


161


1


97


160


4


Baugo


93


63


93


62


82


43


13


82


13


13


Olive.


52


203


53


202


42


171


25


39


168


30


Jefferson'


149


111


147


113


116


112


19


102


114


27


Middlebury


177


249


177


250


149


245


33


143


247


38


York


127


93


125


92


105


74


13


103


74


13


Washington,


152


189


152


189


110


131


72


107


134


72


Osolo ..


119


124


121


122


69


108


56


68


109


55


Cleveland


48


82


48


83


40


82


2


39


82


2


Union.


161


106


161


106


153


76


1


150


79


1


Locke.


124


136


124


136


112


105


2


112


104


2


Total


3410 3679.


23 3338 3693


13 2768 3231


541 2619 3309|


582


N -National Greenback.


STATE SENATORS.


1832, Samuel Hanna ( Elkhart, Randolph, Allen, Delaware and La Porte counties); 1835, D. H. Colerick (Elkhart, La Porte, La- grange, St. Joseph, Allen, Wabash and Huntington counties); 1836, Geo. Crawford (Elkhart, Lagrange, Steuben, De Kalb and Noble counties); 1839, E. M. Chamberlain (Elkhart, Lagrange, Steuben, De Kalb and Noble counties); 1842, W. B. Mitchell; 1845, Abraham Cuppy ; 1848, Delevan Martin ; 1850, Jos. H. Defrees; 1852, Thomas G. Harris; 1856, John Thompson; 1860, C. L. Murray; 1862, John H. Baker (nnseated); 1864, Robert Dykes; 1866, Abner Lewis; 1868, J. R. Beardsley; 1872, J. R. Beardsley; 1876, E. Beardsley, B. L. Davenport.


STATE REPRESENTATIVES.


1831, Samuel Hanna (Allen, Elkhart and St. Joseph counties); 1832, Geo. Crawford (Allen, Elkhart, St. Joseph, Lagrange and La Porte counties); 1833, D. H. Colerick ( Allen, Elkhart, St. Joseph, La- grange and La Porte counties); 1834, J. B. Chapman (Lagrange,


503


HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.


Elkhart and attached territory); 1835, E. M. Chamberlain (La- grange, Elkhart and attached territory); 1836, John Jackson (Elk- hart county); 1837, E. M. Chamberlain; 1838, Samuel Clymer; 1839, M. Rippey; 1840, M. Rippey; 1841, John Jackson; 1842, Jas. Cowan; 1843, Jas. Cowan; 1844, Sam. Clymer; 1845, Sam. Clymer; 1846, Asa A. Norton; 1847, H. H. Hall; 1848, Lovinas Pierce; 1849, Jos. H. Defrees, Michael C. Dougherty; 1850, Milton Mercer; 1851, Joseph Beane; 1852, James I. Maxfield (two-years term); 1854, Walter E. Beach; 1856, Milton Mercer; 1858, Jolın E. Thompson; 1860, Noah Anderson, Robert Parrett; 1862, Silas Baldwin, Amos Davis; 1864, M. F. Shuey, Joseph Reford; 1866, M. F. Shney, W. A. Woods; 1868, H. G. Davis, Geo. W. Chapman; 1870, Elam B. Myers, Joseph H. Defrees; 1872, John E. Thompson, David Scott; 1874, Albert Osborn; 1876, John E. Thompson; 1878, Ed. H. Stevens and J. D. Osborn.


THE CONGRESSIONAL APPORTIONMENT


bill passed by the Legislature and approved March 20, 1879, con- tains the following sections :


SECTION 1. That the State of Indiana be divided into thirteen districts for the election of Representatives in the Congress of the United States, each of which districts shall be entitled to one Rep- resentative.


SEC. 2. The limits of each district shall be as follows:


The counties of Posey, Gibson, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Pike, Spencer and Perry shall constitute the first district.


The counties of Sullivan, Green, Knox. Daviess, Martin, Law- rence, Orange and Dubois shall constitute the second.


The counties of Jackson, Jennings, Washington, Scott, Clark, Floyd, Harrison and Crawford shall constitute the third.


The counties of Union, Decatur, Franklin, Ripley, Dearborn, Jefferson, Ohio and Switzerland shall constitute the fourth.


The counties of Putnam, Hendricks, Morgan, Johnson, Owen, Monroe, Brown and Bartholomew shall constitute the fifth.


The counties of Delaware, Randolph, Henry, Wayne, Rush and Fayette shall constitute the sixth district.


The counties of Marion, Hancock and Shelby shall constitute the seventh district.


The counties of Warren, Fountain, Montgomery, Vermillion, Parke, Vigo and Clay shall constitute the eightli district.


The counties of Tippecanoe, Clinton, Tipton, Boone, Hamilton and Madison shall constitute the ninth district.


504


HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.


The connties of Lake, Porter, Newton, Jasper, Pulaski, Fulton, Cass, Carroll, White and Benton shall constitute the tenth district.


The counties of Miami, Wabash, Huntington, Wells, Adams, Howard, Grant, Blackford and Jay shall constitute the eleventh district.


The counties of Lagrange, Stenben, Noble, De Kalb, Whitley and Allen shall constitute the twelfth district.


The counties of La Porte, St. Joseph, Elkhart, Starke, Marshall, and Kosciusko shall constitute the thirteenth district.


The bill concludes with the usual clause repealing all laws and parts of laws which might come in conflict with this act. The bill had a majority of three in the Senate and twenty in the house.


THE ELECTION STATISTICS


of the Congressional districts in connection with the great political parties of the State may be given, since such a compilation mnst be interesting as well as instrnetive.


The first district gave a Democratic majority of 1,909 in 1876; 1,729 in 1878, and showed an actnal vote of 34,350.


The second district gave a majority to that party of 4,388 in 1876, and 4,546 in 1878, out of a poll of 32,877.


The third district gave a Democratie majority of 4,474 in 1876, and 5,948 in 1878, and showed a total vote of 32,381.


The fourth district carried the Democratic ticket in 1876 by 1,435, and in 1878 by 2,020, with a total vote of 33,731.


The fifth district gave a majority to the same party in 1876 of 2,183, and in 1878 of 2,525, showing an aggregate vote of 33,488.


The sixth distriet gave a Republican majority of 7,851 in 1876, and 6,832 in 1878, out of a total vote of 33,348.


The seventh district gave a Republican majority of 241 in 1876, and a Democratic majority of 502 in 1878, polling a total vote of 84,191.


The eighth district went Republican in 1875 by 1,360 majority, and Democratic in 1878 by 257, showing a total vote of 36,810.


The ninth district claimed a Republican majority in 1876 of 353, and a Democratic majority in 1878 of 422. Total vote polled, 34,828.


The tenth district gave the Republicans a majority of 1,045 in 1876, and 1,680 in 1878, polling 34,804 votes.


The eleventh district showed a Republican majority of 400 in


505


HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.


1876; but went Democratic in 1878 by a majority of 840, polling a total vote of 39,863.


The twelfth district gave the Democrats a majority of 1,864 in 1876, and 3,113 in 1878, out of a total vote of 34,957.


The thirteenth district elected the Democratic nominees by 151 in 1876, and by 682 in 1878, polling an aggregate vote of 35,291.


The vote of 1878 cast in the thirteenth Congressional district, according to the new apportionment, was as follows: Republican, 13,900; Democratic, 14,582: National, 2,731. This district now comprises the counties of Elkhart, Kosciusko, Marshall, St. Joseph, La Porte and Starke, and in the foregoing statistics it will be under- stood that the figures given for 1876-'78 refer to the counties named.


CHAPTER X. COUNTY INSTITUTIONS AND OFFICIALS.


A thing of beauty is a joy forever. THE COURT-HOUSE.


Of all the public buildings of Northern Indiana, the Elkhart county court-house is, perhaps, the most beautiful. Twelve years ago the county business was transacted in very humble offices; but the people. sharing in the busy activities of the times, resolved to substitute for the antiquated building one in every way worthy of this progressive age. In this landable enterprise they met with some opposition from many tax-payers, who failed to see the exist- ing necessity for such a building as was suggested; but in this matter, as in all others, fogyism was subdued, and subsequently an editice was raised upon the public square of Goshen, which, in itself, is a tell-tale monument of the extraordinary progress made by the people of the county within a period of halt a century. This beantitul building was opened for public business in 1870. Messrs. Jacob Bechtel, J. E. Thompson and Nathaniel Thompson were the Commissioners who inaugurated the work in 1868, and to them and the great majority of the people who countenanced and urged them onward in this work much praise is due, because they co-operated in doing that which keeps pace with the age and adds a central attraction to the county. The building stands in the center of spaeions grounds extending north and south from Clinton to Market streets, and east and west from Main to Third streets. Shade trees lend their aid in making the site more beautiful, and already there are 6,000 feet of concrete walk leading from Main street to the eastern entrance of the building, with a corresponding number to be laid down on the west side. The grounds are enclosed with a net work of iron rail. There are eight gates leading from the eneireling streets to the main promenades, and one large gate to admit vehicles. Outside this palisade is another wide gravel walk surrounded with a chain fence, and he who would desire to entertain an idea of the utility of this first line of defense, must


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507


HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.


positively come here on market or other days set apart for a meet- ing of the people; for then these chains offer a comparatively seenre hitehing place for the thousand horses and vehicles which are attached to them, the whole presenting a rare seene of rural greatness.


ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN.


The design of the new court-house was drawn by Barrows & Garnsey, architeets, of Chicago, and adopted by the commissioners of Elkhart county June 11, 1868.


The building as represented in its front elevation is most impos- ing in appearance, and strikes the observer as chaste in design, mass ive, and of great strength and delieaey of finish.


It stands 52 feet in height from base to cornice, its broadside, 82 feet in width, presented to Main or Fourth street, with a grand entrance, its roof supported by four Corinthian pillars. The tower, which rises from the south end, adds greatly to the appearance of the building, and is exceedingly chaste in its proportions.


The basement story, 12 feet in height, is designed for heating apparatus, storage for fnel and two offices. The entrance to the basement is in the tower, with east and west doors leading to the hall under the steps leading up to the grand entrances. The width of the building east and west is 72 feet, and the rear entrance on the west side is precisely similar to that on the east.


The second or main story is 16 feet in height, with offices for the clerk and recorder, each 26 x 22 feet, on the south side of the hall; and offices for the auditor and treasurer, each 22 feet square, on the north side. Each office possesses fire-proof vaults of some extent, for the better protection of the valuable records.


The third floor, 24 feet in height, is devoted to the court, jury and commissioner's rooms, with the sheriff's offices. The court-room is a thing of beanty. It runs from east to west the entire width of the building and occupies its entire southern end. The material used in the construction is brick with stone trimmings, slate roof, and cornice of galvanized iron.


A REVIEW.


Now the foregoing brief notice would of course convey a fair idea of the extent of the edifice and the salient points in its architecture; but it deserves a more precise description. The east and west


50S


HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.


frontages are similar in style. Thres great doors or gates resting between massive square columns are approached by a flight of steps, which are as solid as artifice and nature combined could render them. Springing from the Romaie columns are a series of Corin- thian pillars with capitals of that order, all forming a facade on which rests the front of the well-proportioned roof of the central section. The tower at the southern extremity is beautifully pro- portioned. Springing from a substructure, in keeping with the architectural style of the main building, it is carried upward in pure styles, giving position to the great clock section, bell floor, lookout chamber, capital turret, and all surmounted with a monument, in iron, representing the water lily. From the very summit of this tower the indomitable lightning rod man succeeded in carrying the electrical conductor down, down to mother earth; and though the wire interferes somewhat with its true outline, or architectural beauty, its supposed utility may be considered a set-off. Beneath the tower proper and in its substructure are rooms devoted to the law library and judges' chambers, county clerks' private office and library, and, in the basement, an entrance to the offices therein situate; so that this elegant appendage of the county building is at once useful and ornamental. The county offices are well arranged. A spacions hall occupies the entire center of the main floor. Entering from the east, the anditor's and surveyor's offices ocenpy a position on your right, and the clerk's office on your left; further on, the great iron stairway, leading to the second floor, is on your right hand, while at the western side the county treasurer's office holds the north quarter section of this floor, and the recorder's office the south. Ascending the stairs, the hall of justice is entered from the main lobby, the sheriff's offices are on the left, and the Commissioners' Court on the right. While conceding that these offices are well arranged, neatly kept, and remarkably well adapted for the transac- tion of county business, it must be confessed that the magnificent




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