McDonough County, Illinois - New Court House and Jail, 1878

New Court House and Jail

At the September term, 1868, of the Board of Supervisors a resolution was adopted setting forth that it was the sense of the Board that steps should at once be taken for the erection ot a new court house. For some twelve or fourteen years the question of a building better suited to the wants of the county had been agitated, but no definite action taken. Almost every grand jury during that time condemned the old building as being insecure and a disgrace to the county, but the Board of Supervisors had not the nerve to say, we will build.

In May, 1863, James M. Campbell, Esq., was appointed by the Board to confer with the Council of the citv of Macomb in reference to the subject of a new building, the Board being of the opinion that "the city ought to contribute liberally in the construction of a new court house." At the September meeting of the Board Mr. Campbell reported, and a communication was also received from a special committee appointed by the council declining to take action in the matter at that time for certain reasons therein set forth. The communication from the City Council was answered, setting forth the necessity for a new court house and stating that nothing would be done unless the city should do its part, A small sum of money was offered at this session of the ]>oard for the best plan of a new court house, and at its next session in December, 1863, W. C. McLeod, being the only person responding, was allowed the amount.

At the September term, 1864, a resolution was passed requesting our member of the Legislature to have an act passed authorizing the county to issue bonds to tlie amount of fifty thousand -dollars for the purpose of applying the same toward the said buildin"'.

At the March term, 1865, the Board appointed a committee of three to confer with a like committee appointed by the Council of the city of Macomb in reference to the location of the proposed building. No further action was taken in the matter until the September meeting of the Board in the year 1868, when Supervisor Taylor, of Industry, ofiered the following resolution :

Wheseas. It is apparent to all candid-minded men that the safety of our land records, upon which the title to the land of all onr citizens rests, and of the records of both oar Circuit and County Courts, as well as the Board of Supervisors, upon the preservation of depends vast public and private rights of the whole body of the people of the county, now rendered the more striking from their narrow escape from destruction by the elements, and the dilapidated and crumbling condition of our present court house ; by many deemed not only unsafe for the people to meet in while the courts are being held, but, as all know, wholly inadequate to accommodate the jurors and others coxmected with the administration of justice, absolutely demands the laying aside all local feeling and ijrejudice. but acting solely upon a high sense of duty to the people of the whole comity that we should at once proceed to take the necessary steps to build a court house ade(]uate for the wants of the large and daily increasing poijulation of our county, and a safe depository of its public records and archives ; therefore,

Resolced, That it is the sense of this Board that measures be taken at its present meeting to secure, with as little delay as possible, the l)uilding of a suitable court house in this county.

JResohed. That this Board appoint L. G. Reid a committee to procure plans and si^ecitications for the erection of a new court house in McDonough county, and the probable cost of the same : and to confer with the City Council of Macomb, or others, for the purpose of knowing the amount said city or others will appropriate to build said house ; and to report to this Board, at an adjourned meeting of said Board, to be held on the first Monday in October next, at one o'clock P. M.

A feeling existed among the members of the Board that the city of Macomb should contribute largely toward the erection of the proposed building. At this adjourned meeting, held in October, Supervisor Mustain submitted tlie following resolution, which was passed by the j^oard :

Jlenolced, That this Board refuse to erect a Court House in the city of Macomb uuiil said city become legally ol)ligat*d to donate in aid of the construction of the same twenty thousand dollars.

The committee appointed by the Board to confer with the City Council of the city of Macomb, met with that body and presented their report. The Council voted to donate the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, and refused to advance above that a single dollar. The Board of Supervisors still maintained they would do nothing in relation to the building until the city complied with its demands. The city of Bushnell was endeavoring to effect the removal of the county seat to that point, and many of the citizens of Macomb l)ecame tearful thc}^ would succeed. At this juncture, X. r. Tiiisley, Esq., went before the City Council of Macomb and offered to assume the payment of the extra live thousand dollars demanded by the County Board, giving his obligation to the city for that amount, provided the city would accede to the demands of the Board to donate the amount of twenty thousand dollars. Upon the eighth day of October, 18G8, the following agreement was made and signed by the respective parties :

This agreement made tliis eighth day of October, 1868, between the city of Macomb. McDonough county, Illinois, by Joseph P. Updegnifif. Mayor, and William E. Withrow, Clerk of said city, agents of said city, duly appointed by the citj' council of said city for this purpose, and the county of McDonough aforesaid, by J. B. Kyle, Chairman, appointed the agent of the Board of SuiJervisors of said county for the said purpose of the second part, witnesseth. that, whereas, the Board of Supervisors of said county have in contemplation the erection of a court house and jail for said county, and the parties herein having had mutual propositions involving the location of said house on certain conditions in the city of Macomb aforesaid which have been accepted by the parties, it is hereupon agreed as follows, to-wit : That the Board of Supervisors will erect a court house in the city of Macomb at such point as the said Board may determin«, with which the said Board may, if they see fit, combine a jail for said county, the said court house with or without said jail to cost not less than seventy-five thousand dollars, and to be undertaken and completed in a reasonable time. It is moreover agreed that the said Board shall at this present session levy, and when the ordinary taxes for said county are collected for the current year, they shall cause to be collected towards the erection of said building the sum of one per cent, on the assessed jiroperty of said county. Also it is agreed that they shall take steps to carry forward the said building as fast as the lateness of the season, and the extent of the enterprise will reasonably allow.

In consideration of said agreement it is also hereby agreed on the part of said city that there shall be paid by the said city to the said county for said jiurpose, in addition to the share of taxes laid by the said Board on the jwoperty in the said city, the sum of twenty thousand dollars, in three equal payments : the first, on the first day of May, 1869 ; the second, on the first day of May, 1870 : and the third, on the first day of May, 1871.

It is also agreed that should the said city pay the whole or any part of said moneys in manner as agreed, and the said Board for any cause should fail to complete the said house in a reasonable time, or should abandon the enterprise, that whatever the said city may have advanced in the enterprise shall be refunded to the city : prorided, however, this -reasonable time" is not to be construed so as to hurry the said Board faster than a due regard to the quality of the building, the extent of the building, and the ordinary mode of erecting similar buildings of good grade in other counties of the State, will allow.

J. B. Kyle

This settled the question of the erection of a new Court House. L. G. Reid, in hehalfof the county, advertised for plans and specifications, and in due time one submitted by E. E. Myers, of Springfield, Illinois, was adopted. Rooms were rented in Bailey's new block, on the northeast corner of the square, for county oflices, and the ofiices were at once removed thereto. The work of demolishing the old building began, and the lot cleared for the erection of a building that would be an honor to the progressive county of McDonough.

On the twenty-ninth of December following, at an adjourned meeting of the Board, bids were opened for building the Court House, according to the plans and specifications agreed upon. The following comprised the number and the amounts bid :

The bids of all were rejected, and an effort made to have the house built according to the plans furnished by Mr. Myers, the county becoming its own contractor. A resolution to this eftect was offered by Mr. Reid, but voted down. Advertisements were again inserted for proposals, and the time set for the disposal of the same on the second day ot February, 1869. Accordingly, on the said day, the. Board met, when the following proposals were opened : seventy-five thousand dollars in the erection of the court house. A committee was appointed to act upon the same, who reported to the board that, recognizing the right of citizens to be heard, they would report it "inexpedient to go back on our work and open the door for new litigation," and that they were satisfied that a good tire-proof building, suitable for the purposes of the county, could not be built for that amount.

The bids being duly examined by the board, that of Walbaum & Co., of Chicago, was adopted as being the lowest and best. Messrs. Walbaum & Co. immediately entered into contract with the county for the erection of the building, and proceeded with tie work. L. G. Reid, Esq., of Lamoine, was selected by the Eoard, at a salary of $1,200 per year, to superintend its construction and entered zealously upon the discharge of his duties.

Although the contract called for the completion of the building hj the first of November, 1870, it was not until the summer of 1872 it was finished. We now have a building in which every c'tizen of the county feels a just pride, and erected in a good substantial manner, fireproof throughout. The following is the total cost of the building and the entire furniture and surroundings:

Description Of The Court House

The exterior of the building presents an imposing appearance and harmonious picture from whatever point of view it is approached. It is situated in the center of the square, in the city of Macomb, in the midst of a beautifully decorated yard, enclosed by a neat and substantial iron fence. This square is in the center of the city and within a few hundred 3'ards of the exact center of the county. The building is one of the neatest and best in the State used for a like purpose, and one to which every resident of the county points with pride. The many valuable public records of the county are considered safe within it walls.

The building is of modern style of architecture, and is three stories in height above the basement. The basement story is built of Sagetowu limestone, which gives the structure the appearance of solidity, and is in beautiful contrast with the red brick with which are built the exterior walls of the main and second stories. The openings and corners of the building are also trimmed with the same kind of stone. The outside walls of the fourth, or entresol, story are covered with slate and the roof with tin. The roof, which is Mansard, presents a neat appearance, and is elegantly trimmed with cast-iron trimmings. j

There are four entrances leading into the corridors of the maiii story, one in the center of either side, and one in each end. Eacjh of these open from a portico constructed of iron and stone, ai|d reached by fine, wide stone steps. Under each portico, excej)t the one on the north, and directly below the main entrances, al'e openings leading into the halls of the basement. The building is surmounted by a fine belfry, which rises from the west end. It contains a large town clock, the bell of which, weighing fitte«n hundred pounds, peels forth the hours as they pass. On foursid^s, and in plain view from all points, are large dials, with huge hauls pointing to the hour and minute. The entire frame-work of tie belfry is constructed of wrought iron. From this belfry a fine view is obtained of the surrounding country for many miles, it being the highest available point in the county. ^

The ground plan of the building is 114 feet long, by 72 wide. The front walls are broken by projections forming an irregular outline. Large halls pass through the basement and main stories. The fioors of the walls in the basement are made of stone, while those in the first and second stories are marble tiling, twelve inch-j es square. The partition walls, with few exceptions, are made oj brick, upon which rests heavy wrought iron beams and joints for the support of the floors. The ceilings are of corrugated iron, painted white. The halls are wainscotted throughout with black walnut and ash. The doors are large and heavy and made ot ash, with black walnut trimmings, while the inside window shutters and casings are of the same materials.

In the center of the south side, leading from the basement to the fourth floor is a broad, iron stairway, while one in the west end of the building, south of the main entrance, leads from the basement to the third floor. Leading from the fourth floor to the balcony of the belfry is an iron spiral stairway.

III the basement is the room for the engine used for heating purposes, fuel and storage rooms, water closets and bath-rooms. The main floor has commodious apartments for the County Judge, County and Circuit Clerks, Sheriff", Treasurer, and School Superintendent, with fireproof vaults for public records. On the third floor are several good oflEices, the private room of the Circuit Judge, oflice of the County Surveyor, jury room and council room of the city of Macomb, also the Circuit Court room, which occupies the eastern portion of the second and third stories. This room is quite large, with ample provision for the bar, witnesses, jury and spectators, being seated with about four hundred arm chairs. The rooms in the upper story are used principally for storage purposes. There are in the entire building thirty-four rooms, all of which are heated by steam, the principal rooms being provided, in addition, with fireplaces and mantles. Its ventilation is good and throughout it is supplied with all the modern improvements. The entire cost of the building was ^128,000 and its furniture |27,000. E. E. Myers, of Springfield, was the architect; A. Walbaum, of Chicago, the contractor; Martin & Thomas, of Macomb, carpenters and cabinet work; Frank Whitson, plasterer; Ingram & Argenbright, painters.

On the completion of the new Court House, the subject of a new jail began to be agitated more than ever. The old rattletrap was pronounced by the different grand juries unsafe and a great nuisance. Large bills of expense were continually being presented to the Board of Supervisors for guarding the jail and repairs, so that the members began to consider if it would not be more economical to build than to pay out the people's money in that manner. Several attempts were made to have the matter favorably acted upon, but it was not until the beginning of the year 3 876 that it was successful. A committee had been appointed to examine the Knox county jail and had made a report recommending the adoption of the same plan with some modifications. Advertisements were inserted in the Macomb papers, one Quincy, and one Chicago paper, and in March the bids were opened and contract awarded to J. M. Price & Co., of Macomb, for the sum of $23,000. Without any delay the work was commenced and completed, and at present is occupied by the sheriff and family, with the prisoners of the county. The work was done in an excellent manner, and the prison is as safe as it is possible to make it. The front part of the building, which is occupied by the sheriff, presents a very handsome appearance, and the whole is an honor to the county. It may be thought at times that our count}' authorities are a little slow, hut when they do anything they do it not by halves - they make complete work of it. The following is the total cost of building, ground, &c. Building $23,000, lots 1900, barn, fences, walks, &c., |1,722 99, making a grand total of $25,622 99.

Desci'iption. - The entire building is in height two stories, with basement; the front portion, or sheriff 's residence, is 35x42 feet, the jail proper 35x40. The architectural design is modern, very neat and well proportioned, presenting, on the whole, a light, cheerful appearance. The basement is constructed ©f limestone, with the exterior surface rough ; the walls of the main building are of red brick, the openings being trimmed with stone trimmings. In the sherifi''s residence are eight pleasant rooms, with closets, wardrobes and halls. There are three entrances, all leading into this portion of the building. In the jail are twenty-four cells, each 4|x7 feet, and seven in height, the walls of which are of six-inch limestone flagging. The cells are arranged in six tiers, four in length and three in height, one-half opening toward the east and one-half toward the west, into corridors eleven feet wide. The upper cells are reached by stairway and balcony, which extends in front of each tier. Beneath each of the lower tier of cells are seven feet of solid concrete. In the north end is the prison dining hall, 12x35 feet. Separating the dining hall from the corridors are partitions of seven-eight inch iron grating, with an iron slide door, which is worked from the hall of the dwelling. The doors of the cells are all locked from the dining hall, so arranged that the sheriff or attendants are not required to come into contact with the prisoners. Above the cells are two large iron tanks, capable of holding eighty barrels each, from which the prisoners arc supplied with water for bathing purposes. In the dining hall is a force pump leading from the well, which supplies drinking water. Extendiui;: from the basement through the roof is a veutilating flue, 3x4 feet, with which each cell is connected, and affording ample ventilation. The outer door, leading from the dwelling to the dining hall of the jail, is solid wrought iron ; the inner one a grated V door. The heating furnace and fuel rooms occupy the basement. In the rear portion of the second story of the dwelling are the female and debtor apartments, consisting of three large, well lighted rooms. There is also in this part the sleeping apartment o± the turnkey, and a large sized bath room. The jail proper has a bath room also, for the accommodation of the prisoners. A large vault is in the main part, for the storage of stolen property recovered. The entire building is covered with a tin roof. A neat iron fence surrounds the lot on which it stands, which adds much to its general appearance. The jail proper was iirst occupied the latter part of November, 1876, four prisoners being taken there from the old jail. Sheriff Hays took possession of the dwelling on the first of January, 1877.

William Quale, of Peoria, was the architect; J. M. Price & Co., of Macomb, contractors ; "W. O. Thomas did the carpent«er work; Johnson & Co., mason work; Patrick Ferman, plasterei' ^ Ingram & Argenbright, painters, all being of Macomb. The entire work was superintended by William C. McLeod, of Emme t townships. The building stands upon the corner of West Jackson and McArtlmr streets.

Surveyors. - Jesse Bartlett, James W. Brattle, Charles W. Bacon, Samuel A. Hunt, H. I. C. Averill, A\^illiam H. Rile, Charles A. Gfilchrist, A. J. White, J. B. ITickel, AV. J. Edie, James Shannon, 15. F. Howard.

Chat'Ter Xxi

As recorded elsewhere, McDonougli count}- voted, in 1856, to take stock in the Rock Island and Alton Railroad Company, to the amount of fifty thousand dollars. This ^vas on condition that Macomb should be a point on that road. AVith the Northern Cross, now Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, we had an outlet east; with the Rock Island and Alton we would secure an outlet south, and would have the benefit of competing markets tor our produce, and also for our general trade. After several years attempt to obtain sufficient funds to build the road, the managers were forced to the conclusion they coukl not obtain the means, so the franchises of the road were sold to the Rockford, Rock Island * St. Louis Railroad. This last named company started out with a grand flourish of trumpets, and with the boast that they would finish the road in short order.

Aid had been voted the Rock Island & Alton Railroad all along its proposed line. This the new company were desirious of obtaining and, knowing the people were very desirous of having the road built, they imagined they would have no trouble in the matter. They announced their intention of building upon the original line specified in the charter of the Rock Island and 8t. Louis Railroad, and then immediately began the canvass on other proposed routes, and making offers to build thereon on condition that the counties and townships would take a sufficient amount of stock to make it an object for them. The object of this was to make two or more proposed lines enter into competition, and so obtain the largest amount of money possible. In this they succeeded well, obtaining large amounts from the townships through which the road finally ran. The eastern lii e gained the day.

securing the road and voting the following subscriptions in the variolas townships through which it runs, or is supposed to benefit, in MeDouough county :

The officers of the road continually held out the idea to the people along the original line that the road would be built there; the eastern line, if built at all, would only be a branch of the main line. The result does not speak well for their veracity.

"While the matter was pending as to the location of the road a demand was made upon the county for the bonds voted to the Rock Island and Alton railroad a few years previous. The demand vras at first refused, but finallj", at a meeting held in the year 1870, the Board of Supervisors passed an order instructing the clerk to issue the same and deposit them with the Auditor of State to be delivered to the road when the conditions on which aid was voted were complied with. The bonds remained with the Auditor for several years, until all were fully satisfied the company would never comply with the conditions named in the vote, when they were returned to the Board.

As built, the road has never been a paying investment. This may in a measure be due to the management, and we are inclined to believe that such is the case. Other roads crossing it have refused to co-operate or extend toward it the usual courtesies due from ooe road to another. This has been particularly true as regards the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad, it refusing to transfer cars and compelling all freight to be taken out of the cars and reloaded into cars belonging to themselves, thus entailing additional expense and loss of time upon the shipper.

In the spring of 1875 the road was sold under mortgage, the German bondholders becoming the purchasers. For about one year, under the management of Mr. Osterberg, as their representative, they continued to operate it; but in the early part of the summer of 1876 a new company was formed, composed in part of the German bondholders and leading business men on the line, to whom the franchises of the road were transferred. This company changed its name to the St. Louis, Rock Island and Chicago Railroad. They only continued in its management for about four or five months, when it again changed hands, this time the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company becoming its purchaser. Under the management of this last named company the success of the road is secured, and we have no doubt of it becoming a paying road in due time.

We have been unable to obtain a statement of the business of the road, as we designed, the officers declining to give it, for reasons known only to themselves.

At a special meeting of the Board of Supervisors, held in tJanuary, 1870, a petition was presented, signed by a number of the citizens of the county, praying that a vote should be ordered taken on subscribing stock to the amount of $75,000, in a pro - posed new railroad, called the Havana, Mason City, Lincoln and Eastern Railroad. The prayer of the petitioners was granted, and the vote ordered to be taken on the fifth day of April following - the day of the annual town elections. This order was rescinded at the March term of the Board, for the reason it was thought that the promises held out by the parties representing said road could not be complied with, and therefore it would be unwise to vote upon the proposition.