THE SECOND COURTHOUSE

There was a large immigration to the states west of the Mississippi during the years 1855 and 1856 and quite a number of the immigrants located in Marion County. Money became more plentiful than during the early years of the county's history, lands and lots sold for better prices, and on every hand were to be seen evidences of prosperity. Under these conditions many of the people grew dissatisfied with the old frame courthouse, because it did not properly represent the wealth and importance of the county. The old board of county supervisors had been abolished by law, and the responsibility for the erection of a new courthouse fell upon F. M. Frush, at that time county judge. As there was no law making it his duty to call a special election to submit the proposition to the people, he assumed the responsibility and early in the year 1856 employed D. H. Young as an architect to make plans and specifications for a new courthouse. The records of Judge Frush's court for September 16, 1856, contain the following entry:

"Now, in the matter of erection of courthouse in the city of Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa, for the use of said county, the following proceedings among others have been had: From the manifest necessity of a better house and also from a recommendation of the grand jury, it became obviously necessary as well as expedient to make arrangements for the erection of said courthouse. at as early a date as the best policy would warrant; therefore, in accordance with the duties imparted and the rights and privileges conferred upon the several county judges, within their respective counties in the state by chapter XV of the Code of the State of Iowa, F. M. Frush, county judge of said county, caused notice to be given in the three newspapers of said county to the effect that proposals would be received up to the 16th day of August, 1856, at the office of the county judge of said county for the erection of a courthouse in Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa; to be of brick, built two stories. high upon stone foundation, and to be 48 by 70 feet in dimensions. Said notice was dated July 16, 1856. Subsequently, on account of giving more ample time to prepare specifications and design for the house, the time for the reception of proposals was prolonged till 4 o'clock P. M. of the 10th day of September, 1856. Of this extension of time notice was also caused to be given by the said county judge, which notice was published in the public newspapers of the county.

"And at the expiration of the time for the reception of proposals, there were found to be eight sealed proposals for said work; whereupon they were opened by the said county judge in the presence of J. B. Hamilton, clerk of the District Court of Marion County, Iowa, and in the presence of A. B. Miller, former clerk of said court, and were found to be as follows:

"No one of the foregoing proposals being yet accepted, it was proposed by the county judge to Lewis Dyer and S. W. Woodruff that they take the contract of the building at $17,500, to be paid in such payments as were named in the specifications, which terms were: one-fourth as nearly in advance as was required in procuring material and labor; one-fourth on or before the 1st day of April, 1857; one-fourth on or before the 1st day of April, 1858; and onefourth against the 1st day of April, 1859.

"Said proposal being accepted by the said Dyer and Woodruff, on the 15th day of September, 1856, they produced a bond payable to the said county in the penal sum of $35,000, which bond was signed by several persons as security, and said bond was approved by said county judge and placed on file. An article of agreement was entered into by and between F. M. Frush, county judge, of the one part, and Lewis Dyer and S. W. Woodruff of the other part, conditioned that the said Dyer and Woodruff furnish the material and fully complete the house according to the specifications made by D. H. Young, architect, which specifications were made a part of the contract, which contract is more fully set forth by reference to said specifications. The building is to be enclosed and the lower story in a suitable condition to be used for offices on the 1st day of November, 1857, and the whole building is to be completed on or before the 1st day of July, 1858."

The courthouse erected by Dyer & Woodruff stood in the center of the public square. A hall about ten feet in width ran the entire length of the building on the first floor and on each side of

this hall were various county offices, each of which was provided with a fireproof vault for the preservation of the public records. Upon the second floor was the court room, well lighted and well ventilated, with a seating capacity for about four hundred people. It was completed within the time specified, but some changes were made in the plans which increased the total cost to about twenty thousand dollars.

THE PRESENT COURTHOUSE

At the time the courthouse was completed in 1858 it was regarded as one of the best appointed in the state. It served the county for nearly forty years, but on March 26, 1895, the board of county supervisors—then composed of L. van der Linden, A. A. Davis and Harry Horsman-met in special session "for the purpose of inspecting the courthouse, it being reported in a dangerous condition," etc.

The board appointed C. C. Cross, an architect, to examine the building. He reported it in an unsafe condition and unfit to be repaired. Not fully satisfied with Mr. Cross' report, the board then engaged O. O. Smith, another architect, to make an examination and submit a more detailed report. Mr. Smith found that the walls were spreading, the room in the south end of the building used as the sheriff's office being especially in a dangerous condition. Upon receiving this report, the board condemned the building, secured temporary quarters for the several county officers, issued orders that no one should be allowed inside the public square on account of the dangerous condition of the courthouse, and directed that notices to this effect be posted at each gate.

In vacating the old building the treasurer's office was located in a room immediately north of the Marion County National Bank; the auditor, clerk, recorder and sheriff were quartered in temporary offices over the stores of S. L. Collins and Johnston & Son, on the south side of the public square, where the business was transacted during the erection of a new courthouse.

At the regular session of the board of supervisors on April 6, 1895, Mr. Davis offered the following preamble and resolution, which were seconded by Mr. Horsman and unanimously adopted by the board:

"Whereas, The present courthouse in Marion County, Iowa, is wholly inadequate for the transaction of public business for the present population of the county; and