Building the Court House - June 1912

WINTERS

Posted By: Pat Ryan White (email)
Date: 6/20/2011 at 07:57:39

The foundation for the new court house, now that part of it has been exposed, is indicating its massiveness, and thanks for the stubbornness of the temporary inspector, John C. Winters, it was put down to solid clay bottom, even if it has taken a lot of extra work. If that foundation falls it is useless to look for anything solid resting on clay. No one has been appointed to succeed Mr. Winters, who is serving a temporary appointment. Under the rules of the agreement with the architect, it appears that he selects the inspector, subject to the approval of the board, and it is doubtful if he will stand for the continuance of Mr. Winters, who is proving altogether too inquisitive and particular to suit all interests. Mr. Winters seems to have an old fashioned idea that the specifications should be followed, and when he notes a tendency to move along the lines of least resistance, he gets up his Irish and reads specifications until they are adhered to or the wheels stop. Mr. Winters feels that the specifications were made as a sort of guide for the contractor and that the best results from the taxpayers' standpoint will be obtained by following the road and not trying any short cuts, in which he is heartily endorsed by the board and those of the people who have watched the work, but it is understood that Mr. Winters is very annoying to the architect and the contractor, between whom there is at least a very friendly and sympathetic feeling. It may be said that the work is going on rapidly and satisfactorily and there is an unusual amount of "pep" in the organization.
The quarrymen are getting out some very handsome stone for the building and there is every reason to believe that the structure will be all that has been anticipated.

[Mt. Pleasant News, June 11, 1912. "The Bystander Notes".]