The Cape County courthouse as it appeared in 1908

After reading Bob Miller's interesting article about the stripped-down old courthouse in Jackson published last month, I became curious as to the original appearance and arrangement of offices in the historic building.

Jackson residents began agitating for a new courthouse in 1905, one that would replace an 1873 structure built by Joseph Lansmon.

A vote was called for Saturday, Aug. 25, 1905, to approve $75,000 in bonds. The day before the election, The Daily Republican — forerunner of the Southeast Missourian — printed a front-page appeal for "yes" votes: "Every voter in Cape Girardeau should consider it a special pleasure to go to the polls tomorrow and vote for the building of a new courth0use where the business of the county can be properly and safely taken care of. Cape Girardeau's magnificent advancement is a matter of pride to every man in the county and to show that we appreciate the spirit of progress, and as the new courthouse can be paid for without working a hardship on the taxpayers, we must show the people of the county that we want them to share in the general upbuilding.

"Cape Girardeau must poll a solid vote for the new courthouse tomorrow. Let no man fail in his duty."

Prominent men of Cape Girardeau took to the streets that evening — at Main and Themis, Broadway and Sprigg and Good Hope and Sprigg — to speak out publicly in support of the new structure. They included Judge B.F. Davis, Wilson Cramer, W.H. Miller, Henry Haman, D.A. Glenn, T.D. Hines, William Paar, L.J. Albert Sr., Charles Daues, the Rev. W.H. Spurlock and J.S. Cobb.

Their efforts were rewarded with a win, 2,785 to 961.

In December 1905, bonds for the building were sold to Little & Hays of St. Louis, and that same month the County Court approved the building plans of architect P.H. Weathers of Louisville, Kentucky. The County Court and a building committee — W.H. Miller, Wilson Cramer and Herman Rabich — met in executive session in Jackson early in May 1906 and awarded the contract to a Louisville construction firm, M.T. Lewman & Co.

A description of the plans was published in The Daily Republican on Wednesday, May 2, 1906.

The Cape Girardeau County Courthouse in Jackson, as it appeared in 1925. (Southeast Missourian archive)

CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY'S NEW COURTHOUSE AT JACKSON

The so-called outer extreme dimensions of the new courthouse are 81 feet by 108 feet, 6 inches and 90 feet high from the yard level. The building will face south, as the present one does.

The building will contain a basement and two floors. The basement is properly a floor and contains several important offices besides what is usually found there. The superintendent of public schools will have his office to the right of the stairs leading down from the first floor. A large ladies' waiting room, a public waiting room, a ballot-box and polling booth store room, the boiler room and three enclosed vaults take up most of the space. There is no direct entrance to the basement from the court yard in the front, but at the north end there is one which permits direct entrance. A small private stairway for the sheriff leads from the basement up to the second floor near the north entrance to the basement. The floor of the basement is not more than 6 inches below the yard level.

Fourteen steps lead to the first floor from the court yard at the front of the building. There is a small portico with two large columns. The entrance leads into the main hall, beyond which, in the center of the building, is the rotunda, 18 by 18 feet. On either side of the front hall are staircases leading down to the basement and up to the second floor. The main hall leads north into the county court room, which is 20 by 20 feet. To the left of it is the county clerk's room and private office and vault. The clerk's room is 19 by 22 feet. To the east of the county court room and in the north end of the building is the circuit clerk and recorder's office, 19 by 29 feet, with vault attached. To the right of the main hall and in the front part of the building is the county clerk's office, 12 by 18 feet, with vault. Just east of the collector's office is the probate judge's office, 15 by 22 feet, with vault.

To the left of the main hall and across from the collector's office is the treasurer's office, 12 by 18 feet. Next to and west of the treasurer's office is the sheriff's, which is 16 by 24 feet. The assessor's office is next to and west of the sheriff's office and is 10 by 22 feet. So that there are three offices in the southwest quarter of the first floor.

There is also a hall running east and west across the middle of the first floor. The circuit clerk, probate, sheriff, assessor and county clerk offices open into it. Only three offices, the collector, treasurer and circuit clerk offices open on the main hall running south and north.

The second floor is laid out about the like he first. The main hall and the rotunda are the same. The circuit court room lays to the right and takes up the entire east half of the floor, with the exception of the clerk's, judge's, consultation, and toilet rooms, which are to the north of the big court room, which measures 38 by 54 feet.

The narrow hall opens out of the northwest corner of the court room and runs west. On the north side of this hall is the law library, which opens into the prosecuting attorney's room to the west, which has no other entrance than through the library.

At the west end of the narrow hall and in the northwest corner of the floor is a petit jury room, 19 by 21 feet. Between this and the prosecuting attorney's room is a witness room, 5 by 19 feet. Just south of the corner petit jury room is another petit jury room of the same dimensions.

At the front end of the floor and immediately to the left of the main hall are the public administrator's office, witness room and grand jury room, 18 by 18 feet.

According to the plans of the architect, the lights in the windows are to be 28 by 46 inches.

Construction began in June 1906 and the building was completed in the summer of 1908, but it was not all smooth sailing. On April 19, 1907, the contractor was sued by Edw. F. Regenhardt for $450 in Common Pleas Court. Regenhardt claimed he was owed that amount for stone he supplied for the courthouse. Despite repeated attempts, Regenhardt said, Lewman & Co. would not pay its bill.

The article about the lawsuit hinted at more trouble to come: "From reports in general circulation the taxpayers are to receive a severe shock before long. Reports have it that it will require many thousands of dollars to complete the courthouse that was to be built for $75,000.

"For months work has dragged along and the superintendent for the county is said to have had constant trouble in getting the contractors to comply with the specifications. It's also said that the contractors have overdrawn their allowances from the County Court, and for this reason they can act very independent. However, these are only rumors, but they serve to pave the way for the announcement that is most sure to come that many thousands in excess of the $75,000 provided for will be necessary to complete the bungle that is to serve the county as a new courthouse."

That prediction proved accurate. When the County Court finally accepted the courthouse in July 1908, "the total cost to the county for the building (was) $79,585.90."

Published Friday, July 3, 1908, in The Daily Republican:

COURTHOUSE IS ACCEPTED BY COURT AFTER MUCH DICKERING

TOTAL COST OF EDIFICE TO PEOPLE FOR NEW BUILDING IS $79,858.90
— FURNITURE TO BE PLACED IN OFFICES IMMEDIATELY

Lawyers for contractors and County Court fought over claims.

After disagreement, understanding, compromise, and denial in the consideration of many claims for extra payment made by the contractors building the new courthouse at the county seat, an amicable agreement was reached Wednesday afternoon, whereby the county came into possession of the building.

The total cost to the county for the building is $79,585.90. That is an amount considerably in excess of that which was first understood to be expended on the public house. Many extra items had to be added, many changes had to be made, and in all, several thousand dollars had to be expended in addition to the amount first contracted for.

Monday was the day set by the court for the settlement with Lewman & Co. It was soon seen when matters progressed a little that difficulty would be had in the settlement. The original contract was brought out and additional understandings which had been forgotten were unearthed, to play disturbing parts in the argument. The court was represented by attorney W.W. Cramer, while Judge Taylor of St. Louis served for the contractors.

Many additional charges

The original contract called for an expenditure of $66,7272. Later additional charges were made for changes ordered by the court and the total was brought up to $69,311. It will be recalled that the "addenda sheet" to the contract, in which many items were tabulated, ordered by the court, was matter of contention for some time, but was compromised by the payment of $2,000 by the court to the contractor.

Monday the contractor presented a bill to the county which detailed a cost to the county , for the entire work, of $87,036.76. Then the battle began between the court and the contractors. Each item for extra charges was gone over and argued. The more important of these items were:

* For change from Bedford stone to Cape marble, the contractors were awarded $2,584 more than the original contract called for, for the stone.
* For change from concrete pilasters to Bedford, $741 extra was agreed upon.
* For strengthening weak walls in the upper stories, $1,250 additional was given.
* Addenda sheet compromise at $2,000.
* Small changes at additional expense of $163.16 were allowed.
* For extra excavating to strike solid bottom for foundations, $1,842.33 was asked and agreement was reached for $1,016.80.
* For extra concrete foundation work as a result, $2,732.73 was asked and $2,502.50 was allowed.
* For the back filling, $633 was asked and $88.80 allowed.
* For 19 barrels of cement ordered by the court, $66.50 was asked and $47.50 was allowed.
* Extra white marble for decorations was ordered and for it $914.49 asked, $353.15 being allowed.
* In other places where the contractor held that Bedford stone was called for in contract, but white marble was used, $3,299.25 was asked and $1,187.73 was allowed.

The extra charges totaled within a few dollars of $12,000. The lawyers argued the matter as if they were fighting over the life of a prisoner charged with murder. The proceedings were interesting to the few who gathered about to hear them.

The final figure was decided upon late Wednesday and the court settled with the contractors.

The contractor had already been paid $65,503.49. Wednesday he was paid the rest, $12,004.96. He agreed to post in a Jackson bank $800 to guarantee that the heating plant would work satisfactorily and that the roof will prove good.

There is some little finishing work that remains to be done, which will take a few days' work by two or three men.

The court ordered the furniture contractor to install the furnishings as soon as possible, and it is expected that the work will begin next week. In a short time thereafter the county officers will move into their new apartments.

The first County Court meeting was convened in the new courthouse Aug. 3, 1908, with judges W.B. Schaefer, Jacob Eggimann and Charles Gerharter, Sheriff Ben Gockel and County Clerk Fred Goyert present.

The courthouse was dedicated Friday, Sept. 25, 1908, during the first Jackson Homecomers celebration.