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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1956-05-24, Page 20PAG N nGur Si(3:t4C;, $ " , ViciE 'clktRif 165,4 THE GODERIc but Mr. Mellish, with more vision than many Wee gave him credit for, upped it to 4,000 pounds. " This seemed like a lot of money, but the Mellish firm was also building the Maitland iver bridge. Tietey showed that by having both contracts they could give better value for both bridge and Court House than if the contracts were let separately. The offer was ac- cepted, this time without reference back to the townships. Under the terms of the contract, the Court House was to be finished by December, 1854, but, as still sometimes happens in these situ- ations, there were the usual delays and the work was far from com- pleted by the end cd the year. The Council was understanding, but canny. In December, with the building not finished they stated: "We would feel disposed to favor the eontractors as fee as in our power lies, but if these eounties are put to unnecessary expense and unnecessary inconvenience by reason of failure of fulfilment of the contract, we consider it only reasonable that the contractors make good all losses so occasion- , ed." • Qn May 23, 1955, the then Huron County Warden, from the old Court House, into the corner stone way, a symbolic part of the old building was century of service that the old Court House gave esesr Earl Campbell, tapped a 100 -year-old stone, taken of the New Huron County Court House. In this retained in the new building as a monument to the t o Huron County. When Completed, Old Huron -County Court ouse One of Province's Finest (Continued from Page 4) Mr. Ross' lots at tli" corner of North street and St. Vincent street be bought for 120 pounds. This was the same price Mr. Wallace had asked, but Mr. Ross threw in 12 cords of stone which were on the property and got the sale. This was the end of Mr. Wallace. No more did he lead in the battles over -the Court House. In January he was defeated at .the polls and lawyer John Strachan became the Goderich Town. As canenow be- seen Tilthe hisloge of the buil4jnof the Cietiikt muse, .eese 1.1`ee details of the operation simple. Whenever a problem seemed set- tle -d, something else came up to complicate the whole affair. So it was in the matter of a suitable site. Mr. Ross' offer was accept- ed, but no' sooner had the 1854 County Council met than the mem- bers had tl-ii-own everything open again. On the 26th of January, Alexander McNabb, Reeve of Saugeen, moved "That the Court House Committee be permitted to substitute another site in lieu of the lot purchased from Mr. Ross if deemed advisable." There was something in the wind and it was a suggestion from the Town Council of Goderich that the bet place for the new build- ing would be in the centre of ,,he Market Square. of -the Building Committee, John Holmes, of Goderich Township, down to Brantford to consult with the contractor, Mr. Mellish of the firm of Mellish, Morrell and Rus: sell.Mr. Mellish informed him that to alter the plans would cost an extra 250 pounds and the Build- ing Committee thought that was too, much. IIowever, after con- siderable negotiation, the Town of Goderich agreed to malie up the difference and' to give the County a clear deed to the land of the Market Square and the approaches thereto. This w4s obviously the right decision and the site was finally settled and there the Court House stood until it was destroyed by fire a hundred years later. The Deed - From Town -t new 1956 Court House stands on There was much to recommend the sam ts spot. +son to be -grated Onlyone snag remained to b6 191 its labors. 'The road had been the Ross lots had been bought. his plans they were far mare the- democratic process had ments -against it. For one thing, settled. 'When memsn arew -,Teiel-e'e:M=Z' For another the -plans which were elaborate and costly than the drawn up for the Court House were Council had envisaged. Mr. Wal - designed for a corner lot, not a lace had originally proposed an square AccordMglye the Council expenditure of 3,000 pounds. The Agreement Reached It was a good thing the Council was "disposed to favor the contrac- tors" bemuse it was almost two years later before the building was completed and it was time to give conisderattion to the apportioning of offices and providing furniture. In September, 1856, these matters were taken in hand. At the same time, a final accounting was made with the firm of Mellish, Morrell and Russell. They had found that the delay caused extra expenditure to the firm, and the Council, fall- ing back on the shrewd agreement they had made two years back, agreed to settle for the original amount plus the 250 pounds from the town of Goderich. The con- tractors balanced out the-ir extra costs against the County's charges for extra inconvenience occasioned by the delay" and "an amicabl,e settlement was reached." From this point on there were orly .odds and ends to be tidied up. Belatedly Mr. Mellish tried to collect extra money for drawing up the Court House plans but was turned down by Coupcil. He sued and lost the suit. 0 The Sheriff wanted two rooms instead of one and tried to get stewardship of the new building, The Council resisted and told him to get along with one MGM and that he could have the keys for the Courte„Room, Judge's Room, Juries' and Barristers' Rooms, but that he was not boss of the whole These were only minor problems. Two years late, but with a ,beauti- ful building which time proved was ,well and truly able to meet the needs of an ever-expanding Huron the Council had good rea- SIGNAL -STA 741-111.MODAY, MAY 24th § 1956 Our, Congratulations to HURON COUNTY on its imposing ew Court House Complete. Electrical Installation in the New Court House was done by triumphed. The rights and inter- ests of the citizens had been re- spected, and Huron had one of the finest Court Houses to be found in sent one of the original members Council had reduced this to tw�, ,the ProVince at that -time. Goderich Public Utilities Commission joins with Ontario Hydro Electric Power Commission (now celebrating its 50ih Anniversary) IN A SALUTE. TO HURON COUNTY AND ITS NEW MODERN COURT HOUSE symbolizing the entrance of Huron County Council .into its second century of public service in the modern thanner. 50 YEARS OF PROGRESS acDonald Elec - IS • OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO HURON COUNTY ON ITS IMPOSING NEW COURT HOUSE 44"P'''' SCI-fAEM INSTALLATION! - - - really different! VERTICAL (metal slat) blinds DRAW OPEN LIKE DRAPERIES Tho plats tilt, and In addition, them blinds can'bo drawn back ... cornplotely ar part way, as you chooso. , • One glance tells you that these 'new Kirsch Vertical Venetians are different! And think of the advantages: They solve the cleaning problem (dirt and dust can't lie on the vertical metal surfaceo)! ... No tapes to clean or replace .. . Slats can be rotated to any desired angle, for light and air, or closed, for privacy ... They work co easily ... 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