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Iz i5 at one time boasted of a counties it is now the only county in the state that has no courthouse. Records show the last courthouse vanished in flames and smoke 38 years ago and despite repeated ef.â€" forts to finance a new building the issue has always been defeated in county elections. Hamilton Co. Hasn‘t Had One Since 1893; Residents ~Not Interested ILLINOIS COUNTY HAS NO COURTHOUSE Thursday, July 16, 1981 > Not Favored f Only a few years ago, the quesâ€" Althop_zh gamiltop county, TIllinois, Hamilton county‘s first courthouse, a log cabin, was replaced by a twoâ€" story brick structure in 1842. The building was the scene of many hisâ€" torical events ‘and its corridors were trod by the feet of many of the naâ€" tion‘s â€"greatestâ€"statesmenâ€"_â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€"â€" As the years forged onward, howâ€" ever, the structure was relegated to wrack and ruin and was finally abandoned and condemned. For sevâ€" eral years the progressive citizens of the county sought a new courthouse without success. On July 4, 1893, fire destroyed the historic land mark. Many believed the fire of incendiary origin for when tion was again agitated but with little success. Crop failures and ever inâ€" creasing taxes have brought bond isâ€" sues into increasing disfavor with the majority of the citizens. â€" â€" mnPostares on in ade io nb es ciie i e Sb tz oâ€"any â€"a manctvene mb ces in â€"inpraie io h nc ie in ame thidied ty i enc manc o T HE PRE 3 3 Soon after the burning of the old courthouse, the citizensâ€"of the county were forced to take up an old issue of railroad bonds amounting to 191,â€" 000. â€" Consequently when the quesâ€" tion of a new courthouse was brought to a vote a short time later, the votâ€" ers were bond shy and the proposiâ€" firemen attempted to fight the blaze citizens blocked© their efforts and threatened to cut the hose lines. Imitates Nero ~Imitating Nero, one of the townsâ€" men, a cornetist of the McLeansboro band, marched around the public square while the building was blazâ€" ing solemnly playing a funeral march, while some citizens frowned upon the struction of another courthouse in McLeansboro for 40 years. g6i6 §§{ s 5§ 50 a s § § 3@ E & > ruling handed down recently, held that legal names must be signed to applications for autgmobile licenses. Forâ€"example â€"heâ€"explained â€"that the name should be "Helen Jones, and not Mrs. Chris Jones."â€" The opinion was given Secretary of State William J. Stratton, who asked if married womâ€" en should sign "Mrs." or give the first name of the husband. g;'i was defeated by a large majorâ€" The last time a vote was taken on thehmoitmdefutodbyonlylu Must Give Full Name For Auto Licenses 19