COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES
85
and were scrupulously foUowed by the con high* with a large square tower and a portico. tractors. In the new (xirt are the offices of the prothono T he new courthouse was constructed of tary and commissioners* on the first floor. On brick* burned by Daniel Snyder himself* and (he second floor are the judge’s officc* county w as of the pure Ionic order of architecture. superintendent's office* ju ry rooms* and a re It w as 40 by (K> feet in size* with the county tiring and rest room for women. A second offkes M o w and the court and ju ry rooms courtroom* 26 by 44 feet* is located on the third above. The cupola was fitted with a bell and flcwr* where is also a room occupied by the clock* the former put up in 1848* at a cost o f Historical Society. Tlte oilier county offices $400* and the latter provided by private sub remain as before. T he building is hcatc<l by scription. In 186S the courthouse w as e x steam and well supplied with all modern con tended by the addition o f a 2^-foot building* veniences. T he nutcrial in the addition is the upper story for the law library and the brick, with brownstonc trimmings. It pre use of the judges and juries* and the lower sents an imposing appearance. fo r the court records. T he roof w as also raised at this time* which destroyed the true COUNTS' J A IL architectural proportions. In 1882 a new clock w as installed in the cupola* and a year later The first ja il w as constructed o f brick and steam heating w as introduced into the build stone* and combined the usual features o f ing. jailer’s residence and prison. It served the A t the September session o f court* 1890* a county well for thirty years* although its in petition* signed by a large number o f taxpayers* security in later years caused considerable w as presented* asking fo r some changes and complaint. F o r a number o f years successive improvements to the courthouse. T his was grand ju ries recommended the erection o f a referred to the grand jury* who recommended new jail* but the opposition of the people pre that an addition be built to the front of the vented any action. Finally the county com old building. In accordance with (his the missioners made it known that if another ju ry county commissioners inspected plans sub recommended action it would be taken. The mitted by architects* adopting those o f A . S. fourth grand ju rv sanctioned the report o f its W agner, o f Williamsport. Bids were invited* predecessors* and in 1877 the county commis and the contract awarded on N ov. 19* 1890, sioners began measures fo r the construction o f to Matthias Shaffer* fo r $21*600* that being a new jail. F o r various reasons it w as decided (he lowest responsible bid. lli e r c w as some to abandon the old site* and the Pursel lot. on opposition to the expenditure o f this money* Market street* below Third, w*as conditionally as there alw ays is to public improvements* and purchased for ^ .0 0 0 . These moves ^ v e rise a move w*as made to procure an injunction to to severe criticism of the commissioners’ prevent Sh affer from beginning the job* but plans. before this could be done he was at work with T he plans fo r the new* prison were drawn his men early in the morning, and had the stone by a M r. Wetzel* and on A pril 21* 1877* the steps and part of the porch at the front of the contract was awarded to Charles K rug. T his building tom away. There was no injunction action intensified the dissatisfaction of (he asked for. While the work w as in progress critics, who rapidly included a ta**ge propor Mr. Sh affer died, and the contract w as com tion of the population in their raiiKs. It ap pleted by his son. Barton Shaffer* as adpiin- pears that there had been ten proposals* rang istrator. T he work was finished, and ac ing from $4 1,0 75 to $119*0 25, and that the cepted by the county commissioners on Feb. award was made to the second lowest bidder* 29. 1892. at a price $5,900 higher than the lowest one. T he board o f commissioners at the time the It w as at once charged that these were grave contract was made w as composed o f William reasons fo r suspecting jol>ber>* on the part o f G. Girton* Jesse Rittenhouse* and Ezra the architect. T he commissioners were urged Stephens, with J . D. Bodine as clerk, In to dismiss him. abandon the new, expensive, January* i8g2. a new board went in offkre. "mud-bottom” location* and cither order a new consisting o f Jesse Rittenhouse, B . F . E dgar letting or promptly accept the lowest bid. The and C . I - Sands. C . M. TerwilUgcr was commissioners refused, and on April 27th an electe<l clerk. injunction w as applied for to restrain the T h is addition to the courthouse is 70 feet authorities from building on the Pursel lot on Main street ami 40 feet deep to where it and from entering into a contract with K rug. joins on the old building, and is three stories T he hearing developed that the lot w as too
