file - County History.
COURT HOUSES - LEE COUNTY
1887
Commissioner's
Record I
Page 8
The upper floor of Towles & Hendry's store was rented for a Court Room at $225.00 per annum, to begin Sept. 1, 1887, and the building in the rear of F. M. Hendry's office was rented for the Clerk's office at $120.00 per annum to begin Jan. 1, 1888. Com. Towles & Hendry were authorized to have necessary work done on Court Room and Clerk's office.
1888
Commissioner's
Record - Pages
42, 48, 49, 51,
and 56
Commissioners decided to buy Caloosa Hotel for $4,000 for permanent Court House, but a petition from 102 citizens urged them to reconsider this bid and call an election for the purpose of voting bonds for erection of a new Court House and Jail. A resolution was passed and ordered published in the Ft. Myers Press to issue $25,000 in bonds, the election to be held March 12, 1889. At this election there were 100 votes for and 47 against the bond issue.
Commissioner's
Record - Book I
Pages 68, 71, 72,
78, 83, 85, & 90
July 15, 1889, a building committee was appointed. This committee reported jail unfit and unsafe. Prisoners were removed to Key West.
Lot for jail and Court House was purchased from C. W. Hendry for $2250.00, and a contract from $6300.00 was awarded the Pauly Jail Mfg. Co. for building jail and in- stalling [equipment], this building to be placed "50 ft. [sic] from 2nd. Street and equally distant from other two streets.
Oct. 8, 1889, the lease on present Court Room was renewed for another year from [Jan 1], 1890, and "Mr. Simmon's [sic] office rented for the Clerk's office at a monthly rental of $10, lease to extend for 1 year from Jan. 1, 1890-
Commissioner's
Min. Book I
Pages 103, 114,
and 116
Bid of Green & Thompson was accepted for new Court House and a draft of $1623.50 was ordered on John White Bank of Key West as payment on this contract. March 12, 1890 - Jail was accepted.
Dec. 2, 1890 - Court House lease was renewed for another year.
Commissioner's
Record-page 160
Bonds issued for building Court House previously ordered destroyed were burned in front of Court House, so that Com. could levy a special assessment for this purpose is required by law. Tax of 5 mills leved.
(2)
Court Houses-Lee County
Commissioner's
Record-page 253
Nov. 6, 1893
Nov. 6, 1893 - A compromise settlement was arranged between Com. & Contractors, Green & Thompson, Gonzales & Wilson, and Simmons & Evans for breach of contract for their previously awarded contract.
Sept. 1894
Page 284
Sept. 1894 - Contract was awarded to T. M. Park for sum of $3,640. [sic] for building and To [sic] J. W. Wilhelm for masonry of vault for $500.
Oct. 1, 1894 - Vault completed and accepted.
March 4, 1895 - Court House accepted.
ERECTION OF COURT HOUSE
Com. Rec. Vol. III
Dec. 1, 1914
pp 376-500
Plans of T. J. Kennard, architect approved, Dec. 1, 1914.
April 6, 1914, Resolution [sic] passed to levy tax of 2 mills for 2 years for building of Court House.
May 4, 1914 - Restraining order issued by Circuit Judge F. A. Whitney to prohibit Com. from letting contract appealed.
Contract was let to F. B. Heifner for $74,900.00, but [procedure] was irregular, not having been properly advertised.
Sept. 26, 1914 - Contract for $88,674.00 awarded G. A. Miller.
Oct. 7, Contract [sic] refuted by Miller and $1775.00 forfeited by him for breach of contract. This amount was treated as [liquidator] damages and deposited in Gen. Rev. fund. Bids again advertised.
Oct. 24th, Contract [sic] reawarded to F. P. Heifner for $100,000.
Dec. 7th, County paid $1771.45 in attorney's fees for services in Court House litigation.
Sept. 6th, Contracts [sic] let for Court House furnishings, totalled $15,383.84.
Feb. 17th, Commissioners held first meeting in new Court House, which was not accepted until March 27, 1916. Building was dedicated with fitting ceremony on May 27, 1916.
(3)
Court Houses-Lee County
RECORD DATA
Commissioner's
Record Vol. I
Page 184
Deed, mortgages, and all real estate records were transcribed from Monroe County records by James W. Bain, Clerk Of [sic] the newly created County of Lee. Mr. Bain transcribed 3372 pp's at a total cost of $1654.64, completing his work on May 21, 1892.
April 1916
Commissioner's
Record Vol. 111
Grand Jury convened in Spring term of 1916 found it impossible to determine financial condition of County, due to poorly kept records. A complete audit was authorized.
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