Buchanan County, Missouri - Chapter 14: Buchanan County's Three Court Houses - the Court House Fire in March of 1885. - the First Market House and City Hall and the, 1900

First Market House And City Hall And The The Present Institution

BUCHANAN COUNTY'S THREE COURT HOUSES - THE COURT HOUSE FIRE IN MARCH OF 1885. - THE FIRST MARKET HOUSE AND CITY HALL AND THE PRESENT STRUCTURE. - PATEE AND OTHER MARKETS. - THE CITY WORKHOUSE AND CENTRAL POLICE STATION. - COUNTY JAILS OF THE PAST AND THE PRESENT INSTITUTION.

The first court house of Buchanan County was made of logs and stood at Sparta. It is yet in existence, being used as a granary upon the McCauley farm, which embraces the site of Sparta. The courts, county and circuit, met at the house of Richard Hill and at the house of Joseph Robidoux, as related before, up to the summer of 1841. In January of that year the county court ordered that a building be erected on lot No. 1, block 1, in the town of Sparta. This was a log house, containing two rooms - one 18x20, the other 16x18. The. contract was let to Guilford Moultray, and the building was finished by the following July. This house served more than one purpose, for, aside from being the "palace of justice," it was also the academy of learning, the temple of worship, the forum of the people, and the opera house. It was lighted by day through two twelve-light windows in each room below, while the second floor, a half-story, was lighted by a six-light window in each gable. When it became necessary to use the building by night, as for worship or entertainment, tallow candles were used.

On November 9, 1842, the county court appropriated the sum of $6,000 to erect such a court house and jail, to be built at Sparta, as the necessities of the community demanded. But Sparta never saw this pretentious structure. When the new court house was provided for the question of moving the county seat to Blacksnake Hill took formidable shape. As a result of the agitation Sparta lost and the $6,000 was invested in St. Joseph. The block occupied by the present court house was the original site. It was a high hill that had been donated by Robidoux, and its apex was fully fifty feet above the present grade of Jule street. A brick house, of which Louis S.

Stigers and N. J. Taylor were the architects and builders, was erected on this hill, fronting south. It was a two-story building, the dimensions being 50x74 feet, including a portico, and the people were quite proud of it. In 1871 this structure was condemned as unsafe, after twenty-five years of service, and, in October of that year it was vacated. The county offices were for a time located in the parsonage of what had been the first Catholic church in the city, on the east side of Fifth street, between Felix and Francis streets. In the summer of 1873 the circuit court, circuit clerk's and sheriff's offices were moved to Brady's hall, on Felix, near Fourth street.

The next court house, of which the present one forms a part, was begun in 1873. Its architect was P. F. Meagher and its builder was John De Clue. The cost was $173,000. The corner stone was laid August 25, 1873, the Masonic rite being performed by Captain Joseph S. Browne, acting grand master of the state. It was a momentous event and the people entered into the spirit thereof with pride and enthusiasm ; and well they might, for they were laying the corner stone of the grandest county building in the West at that time. The plan, so far as external appearances go is preserved in the present court house. It has a frontage of 235 feet on Jule street, with a depth of 205 feet. It is of brick, with cut stone foundation and trimmings. The building was completed in August, 1876, though some of the county offices occupied rooms as they were finished, as early as January of that year.

On the morning of March 28, 1885, this magnificent building was severely damaged by fire, and much valuable public property was destroyed. The origin of the conflagration is enshrouded in mystery. The building was heated by stoves at that time, and it is a generally accepted theory that from some neglect or accident the fire was transferred from either a stove or an ash receptacle to the floor. Shortly after three o'clock on the morning in question, Wm. H. Mitchell, a compositor on the Gazette, was going north on Fourth street, home from his work. When near Robidoux street he looked back toward the court house, his attention having been attracted by crackling noise, and he saw smoke and flames issuing from a window on the north side of the first floor of the west wing. He gave the cry, which was taken up by persons within hearing distance. An effort to reach the fire department by telephone failed and there was an unusual delay in getting the alarm to all of the stations. So fierce was the fire, and such tremendous progress did it make, that before the first apparatus arrived the dome had collapsed and crashed into the burning mass. The only thing left for the department to do was the salvation of the mam walls, and this was accomplished by hard and heroic work.

Aside from the county offices, the building was occupied for various other purposes. On the first floor were the offices of the recorder of deeds, the county collector, the prosecuting attorney, the county clerk, the county court, the probate court, assessor and public administrator. There were also the law offices of B. R. Vineyard, Ryan & Stewart, M. G. Moran, A. D. Kirke, Yories & Tories, Moss & Shortridge, Judge Sutherland and Pitts & Porter. The Latter Day Saints occupied a large room for purposes of worship, and several rooms were used for sleeping. On the second floor was the circuit court room and judge's office, circuit clerk's office, sheriff's office, Col. John Doniphan's law office, jury rooms, etc. What is now the criminal court room was used as a lecture room by the Northwestern Medical College, and where the grand jury room and assembly room now are was a large concert hall, used bv the Mendelssohn Society.

The losses sustained by the lawyers and roomers were severe, many valuable books and manuscripts being consumed. The county lost nearly all property that was not in vaults. The recorder's office, which is a vault in itself, was unharmed, and those records of the county clerk, circuit clerk, probate court and collector, which were in the vaults, were left intact.

Twenty-eight prisoners were incarcerated in the county jail, and these were escorted without delay by Sheriff Carey and a posse of citizens to the City Hall, where they were guarded until the following day, when they were returned to their old quarters, the jail not having been damaged.

There was an insurance of $95,500 on the court house, the adjustment of which began as soon as possible. Quarters for the county officers were provided at once. The circuit court, circuit clerk, sheriff and prosecuting attorney were located in the Tootle building at Sixth and Francis streets, and the others, except the recorder, occupied a building at the corner of Second and Charles streets that had been used as general offices by the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs Railroad Company.

After considerable parleying with the insurance adjusters, an agreement was reached whereby the companies restored the structure. R. K. Allen was awarded the contract, and Judge Bernard Patton was employed by the county court to superintend the work.

The end of the year 1885 saw the court house restored and better equipped, so far as heat, lighting and other conveniences go, than before the fire.

MARKET HOUSES AND CITY HALL. - When Joseph Robidoux platted the original town he dedicated half a block, bounded by Second, Francis and Edmond streets, for a market house. The space was occupied by sheds and shanties until 1853, when the first market house was built. This was a brick structure, about 50x50 feet in dimension. The lower floor was occupied as a market, and all vendors of fresh meat were compelled to locate therein. Grocers were prohibited from dealing in vegetables and huckstering was forbidden until after market hours. This made the market a busy place, and the merchants located on the square enjoyed the best patronage. The upper floor of the original building, at the south end, was occupied by city officials. It was first reached by an outside stairway on the south side, but when an addition was built on the north a covered stairway was provided.

Early in the seventies the building showed signs of decay and the owners of property on the square began to agitate a new market house. However, there was no money in the treasury for such purpose. Finally, in 1873, a plan was developed which brought about the desired result. The sum of $50,000 was subscribed, for which the city issued certificates of indebtedness bearing 6 per cent interest. These were redeemable for city taxes at the rate of one-fifth of the face per year.

The present City Hall and market house is the result of this subscription. The building was begun in the fall of 1873 and finished in July of 1874. The plans were bv Boettner & Stigers and the work by R. K. Allen, at a cost of $50,000. It was the most pretentious building of its kind in the West at that time. The upper floor was a public hall and was formally opened by St. Patrick's Benevolent Society with a grand ball on July 18, 1874. It served as such until 1888. The two upper floors were then remodeled and the engineer, city clerk and boiler inspector were quartered on the third floor, where a commodious council chamber was also provided.

Patee market house was built in 1859 upon a square dedicated in Patee's addition. There was never much of a market there, except for hay, wood and country produce. At different times the building has been occupied by butchers and produce dealers. The city scales are located there.

There was formerly a live stock market located at Seventh and Messanie streets, where the Central Police Station now stands, w here theer was also a public weighmaster. This was abandoned in 1890.

In 1874 an effort was made to establish a public market on North Sixth street, and the city erected a frame building in the center of the street, south of the City Brewery. This was not a success, however, and the building was torn down in 1884.

THE WORKHOUSE. - Prior to August, 1855, the citys' prisoners were kept in a room in the old county jail, which stood on the hill with the old court house. They were in charge of the street commissioner and were generally worked on the highways by him. In 1855 the first workhouse was established in a two-story stone building upon the site of the present institution. In 1884 the stone building was torn down and the workhouse of to-day erected.

Up to 1855 the street commissioner fed and cared for the prisoners. The first superintendent of the workhouse was Anton H. Dalhoff, who served 1885-88. He was succeeded by Peter Reiplinger, 1890; the next superintendent was Charles Johnson, who served 1890-94 and was succeeded by William H. Dersch, 1894-96. In 1896-98, Bert Martin was superintendent, who was succeeded by Andrew Arnell, the present incumbent.

The prisoners were worked upon the streets up to 1891, when this practice was abolished. There are sheds in the enclosure about the workhouse where prisoners are employed at breaking rock, which is used by the engineer's department in the repair of streets. The superintendent of the workhouse receives a salary of $600 per annum and fifteen cents per meal for feeding prisoners.

CENTRAL POLICE STATION. - A holdover cell was provided in the workhouse for city prisoners held for trial, during the early days and up to 1891. It was necessary to walk or cart them to police headquarters at the city hall, where they were searched and booked ; thence they were marched or carted through the streets to the workhouse to. be detained until the following morning, when they were marched back to the city hall for trial. Those who were sentenced to the workhouse were returned to that institution after court. One of the first steps of the board of police commissioners, when the department had been reorganized under the metropolitan system, was in the direction of a central police station. In 1890 the council appropriated $10,000 for the present central station, located on the site of the old hay scales at Seventh and Messanie streets. With this money the walls and roof was built. In the following year the council appropriated $10,000 additional, and the building was completed and occupied in November, 1891. It is one of the most substantial and best appointed buildings of its kind in the West.

THE COUNTY JAIL. - The people of Buchanan County have no cause to be either proud or satisfied with the county jail. It is an antiquated, unsafe, unsanitary pile, that would be considered about the "proper thing" in Spain, where they are retrogressive and cruel.

The first jail was at Sparta, and was built of logs. It was a small affair and stood in the public square of the first county seat. The structure survived the town, but was afterwards destroyed by fire. It was used as a hold-over. Prisoners of importance were taken to Liberty jail pending trial. When the first court house was built in St. Joseph, a brick jail and residence for the jailor was also constructed. This did service until the night of January 21, 1850, when it was destroyed by fire. Another was built, which was replaced by the present institution, 1859. At that time the new jail was considered strictly modern ; but the architect who designed it had fearful and wonderful ideas of ventilation and sanitation. It is a house within a house, the inner structure being of brick and cement, and the outer of brick and stone. The inner room contains two tiers of cells, ventilated only through grated doors, each having a capacity of four prisoners, though six have been crowded in. Until a few years ago the building was heated by stoves, each cell having a small box stove, wood being the fuel. Around the cell house there is a corridor, now heated by steam and lighted and ventilated by windows. Formerly there were no sanitary arrangements, but now there is sewerage, with water, etc., in the corridor. Quarters for female prisoners were, up to a year ago, in the upper tier of cells, and there was a woeful absence of humanity and decency in the arrangement. At the present time the female prisoners are kept on the second floor, in quarters formerly occupied by the sheriff for residence.

The jail has long been a farce and grand juries have condemned it regularly for thirty-five years. Escapes have been so numerous that they are no longer regarded as news by the reporters. Crim- mals ridicule it and hold it in contempt. Humanity protests and appeals to the people, but the people do not respond with sufficient force to be of effect. Such was the case in November of 1896, when proposition for a new jail was voted down at the general election ; and the grim old pile remains, notwithstanding the condemnation of grand juries, building inspectors and humanitarians. And it were idle to speculate upon its future.