On the 8th of March, 1854, a petition was presented to the commissioners praying that the court house be so changed as to have two main fronts, one on each street, which prayer was granted; and at a meeting held March 23, they decided to change all former plans as to position, front, etc., and to alter the same so far as to make the size sixty-eight by sixty-eight, with two fronts, one on each street, in harmony with said petition. The building was to contain six fireproof rooms attached to the various offices, in which the records were to be preserved. In January, 1856, the building was ready for occupancy and on the first day of that month the auditor and recorder moved into their new offices, the balance of the officials soon following their example. The fence around the lot, together with the outbuildings, were the next necessary improvements, but much opposition had been developed toward the expenditures already undergone, and some of the commissioners had resigned in consequence. Prominent in this class was Harvey Fellows, one of the board of commissioners, at the time, while the other two, Edward Fitzgerald and David Haskell were in favor of an iron fence. The recorder, William Love, was something of a wag, and getting up the following fictitious bid sent it through the postoffice addressed to the board of commissioners:
"March 1, 1856.
"I propose to build the fence around the Court House at the following rates, furnish good white-oak rails at $3 a hundred, and put them up ten rails high with stakes and riders, two pair of bars at $1, and paint them for fifty cents extra.
"Reference: (Signed) "H. P. Kite."
John Betts, Mike Berry.
It is needless to say that this amusing proposition demoralized the opposition and the contract was awarded to John F. Dodds & Co., of Dayton, Ohio, to build an iron fence around the court house and erect necessary outbuildings, at a cost of $4,903, which was carried into effect and the entire work was done in a satisfactory manner. The court house, fence and outbuildings were completed at a total cost of $31,878. In March, 1857, the shade trees on each front were planted under the Supervision of A. A. Hume, and added much to the appearance of the site.
The building, as it stood until about 1890, presented a very creditable outward appearance, which the interior did not justify. It was three stories in height and was surmounted by a cupola, the second story being reached by a flight of stone steps from both Main and High streets. The auditor's office was in the first story facing Main and High; the treasurer's office was in the northeast corner of the building on the first story, and faced Main; the recorder's office was in the southwest corner of the building, also on the first story, and faced High; the clerk's office was immediately above the recorder's, in the second story; the probate judge's ofiice was in the same story, directly over the treasurer's, while the sheriff had an office cut off from the large center hall, but it was only temporary, to give him more room in his living apartments a portion of which originally formed his office. At the summit of the steps, leading to the second story, were two large stone pillars gracing each flight, and supporting the roof above the alcove formed at the head of each. In the third story was the court room and jury rooms, while on the first story, in the northwest corner of the building, was the jail and jailor's residence. None of the offices in this building were what they should have been in that progressive age. They were small, unhealthy and wholly inadequate to the amount of business transacted in them.