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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY 43
" There shall be commissioners appointed agreeably to an act entitled
'An act for the establishment of seats of justice, to review the seat of
justice of Erie county and remove the same, if in their opinion the
public interest requires it; but it shall not be lawful for said commissioners
to locate the seat of justice at any place other than its present
location unless the proprietors of the lands, or individuals, shall furnish
the county of Erie with a good and valid title, in fee simple to
such lands, as may be necessary for the erection of all public buildings;
and shall also erect good and suitable public buildings, equal to those in
• Elyria, Lorain county, without expense or levy of tax in said county
of Erie.' "
This act seems to have somewhat opened the eyes of the tardy proprietors
but not until the citizens had come to the rescue, and by their
bond pledged themselves to provide for the necessities of the county.
At a meeting of the eountv commissioners held June 3, 1840, the following
journal entry appears: '' Whereas, the commissioners appointed
by the Legislature of this state to review and remove the seat of justice
of Erie county, if, in their opinion, the public interests required it,
have on full examination decided and found that the public interests
did and does not require such removal, and
"Whereas, in order to prevent the removal of the seat of justice by
said commissioners, F. D. Parish, A. H. Barber, Charles Barney. Samuel
Moss, Moses Farewell, John Wheeden, W. H. Hollister, William B.
Smith, L. S. Beecher, John Beatty, John G. Camp, E. Cook, S. B. Caldwell
and David Campbell executed and delivered to the commissioners
of the said county of Erie their joint and several bond in the sum of
$15,000, dated May 11, 1840, conditioned for the furnishing to and for
the said county, within two years from April 1,1840, good and sufficient'
public buildings, such as a courthouse, public offices and jail, without
expense or the levy of a tax in said county, and,
"Whereas, the most of the proprietors of the stone building now
occupied by the county as and for a courthouse and offices, situate on
the east block of the land appropriated and set apart by the original
proprietors of Sandusky city for county and other public buildings,
have this day delivered to the commissioners of said county a deed of
conveyance of said building, to be holden and used by said county for a
courthouse and offices forever, containing a covenant of warranty of the
title of the same against all claims whatsoever.
"NOAV, therefore, we, the commissioners of the county of Erie aforesaid,
do noAV accept and receive for the county, for a courthouse and
offices, the said building in fulfillment and satisfaction of the condition
of the above mentioned bond of F. D. Parish and others, so far as the
same has reference to and stipulates for the furnishing of a courthouse
and public offices, and land on Avhich to erect the same, on condition that
the obligors of said bond shall erect a portico across the north side of
the third story, and covered with a deep floor, and surrounded with a
hand-rail and bannisters, and a portion to be enclosed at each end, and
stairs to be erected to extend from the first to the second story; and sub-