Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1851-06-21
THE DAILY SPY.
City of Worcester.

The Committee on Public Buildings, having had
under consideration the matter OF raising the City
Hall, and the erection of an Engine House, and
Watch House, beg leave TO submit the following
REPORT
The Committee recommend for the consideration of
the City Government the raising of the CITY Hall build
ing, exceeding feet land the construction under
it of FIVE rooms, which may he rented and used as NAV
be thought BEST for stalls provision stores for stores
or shops for other purposes. The raising of the build
ng feet will enable the city construct stores or
stalls OF the height of feet under it, The cellar I'M
der the Hall is wet, and almost unfit for use in the
spring of the year, and would be damp and nconyenent
for occupation, and unhealthy, if left il is, even
after drain shall have been constructed from it to the
to be opened under Font street, which it
is in contemplation have done. The cellar was in
commoded if the spring by the presence Of water, the
Committee learn, before the deepening of two
years snce and to remedy this electuay, therefore,
the Committee propose to have the cellar filed up about
three feet, and have drain constructed from the cellar
the under Front street, and when this shall be
done the Committee have doubt the cellar will be
dry 1t will be left eight feet deep
then, if "a Hall building is raised feet as
proposed. &5a then be made susceptible of ventil-
ton, which isS6t the now, whereby the tmbers
and floors of tbuildng will be saved from pre-
mature decay arising from the dampness Of the cellar
and the confined state of the air in it, which has requr
ed the floors to be replaced repaired, the commit
erection of the building.
The Committee also recommend, that if the building
is to be raised, front somewhat ornamental be added
to it. This would add not only to the appearance Of
the building, but would enable the city TO- supply itself
with conveniently located Assessors room-a room
now much wanted for the proper accommodation ofthat
department OF the City Government.
There would also be provided by this alteration in
the Hall, two convenient ane-rooms, now much wanted
to render the CITY Hall what it should be, and what
with these added it would beone Of the desira-
bic if the desirable one, in the city, and there
by made productive Of a much increased rental. 1t
would add greatly 10 the income OF the Hall, for the
that many times and for many purposes, Hall
with ane-rooms be rented when one without them
cannot.
The alteration would require the Watch House to be
removed and this the Committee think shonld be done.
Its present location in the Hall buding somewhat
inconvenent and unhealthy one, the accommodations
furnished by it and contracted, and there are
few if any things about it just what they should
be. Besides, much better location be provided
for by the city; better not only sregards convenience
but improved regards profit. The spot 1t now
occupies would furnish, if the Hall is raised, one OF the
best locations in the city for Shop store, stall,
aud would give large income. Now the city, in the
opinion of the Committee, should Immediately proceed
to purchase Site and provide building convenient
for an Engine House, and for an Armory. The city
are now obliged to hire annual cost OF about $175,
an Engine House for the Engine kept on Pleasant
street. where they have little adequate and proper
accommodations for the draining and drying oil the hose,
the consequence owhich is, great loss to the city,
from injury to the hose; and they paying rent
for two rooms for Armories say 5000 annually.
This ought not, in the opinion Of your Committee,
TO be. The City should have an Engine house Of its
own, with conveniences for draining and drying hose,
and rooms in the building convenient for armory;
and this Engine house should be located somewhere in
the vicinity of the City Hall. 1t was recommended by
the late city government to purchase lot on Carlton ST.
east of the Union Church, owned by Col. Davis, and
that building for an Engine house, &C., should be
erected there. Your Committee concur in that recon-
mendaton, and are of opinion that the lot should be
purchased and such building erected. The Commit
leo have been given 10 understand that the lot may
be had the price it offered TO the city for
last year, adding perhaps, interest and taxes, which
will bring the of not far from 5000. When this
building is erected, provision should be made in il for
Watch House, and the Committee see reason why
such building for an Engine House, which the City
must have and ought to have had long ago. should not
be erected the present season.
The COMMITTEE have aimed to show how the Watch
House is be dsposedof, and where is to be pre-
vided, in case the City Hall should be raised and the
under it converted into Stores, &C., for rent
The Committee then, in connection with this matter
Of the raising of the Hall, would recommend the
mova of the Watch House, and the conversion of the
under it into Stores and Stalls. The Committee
are willing the plan they recommend should be tested by
appeal to the standard to which most plans for I'M
Droyement III these days are brought, to wit: that OF
profit and loss If the plan will not abide thistest, the
Committee hope it may be at abandoned; but if
he Committee should succeed in demonstrating that
his Improvement viii prove, not only burden, and
no loss to the City, but source Of most certain and
permanent income and revenue, not only paying the
interest upon The money which the Committee pro-
pose the City shall borrow, but soon paying off the
principal itse-and paying off, too, not only the prin-
cpa borrowed on account of the City Hall improve
men but paying off the principal and interest of what
it may become necessary borrow for the erection of
the Engine House, paying the whole in the OF
from 10 IL years. that is, paying It off BY the
ed rents not by the gross of the whole Hall and
basement. If the Committee, say, shall succeed in
demonstrating this then they ask that the plan may be
considered and weighed, and that carefully and with
deliberations before it is rejected. That it is plan
that will require money, and considerable amount of
1.-THE CITY Hall Improvement being estimated to cost
some where from $1,000 to $40 ,000-putng it at the
very highest, not $4,000, and the Engine House,
&c. not far from $500, but say 900 in the whole,
that the is somewhat large, and that this must be
borrowed, the Committee do not seek to Disguise but
your Committe think they can show how the means
and money to be got to pay it, and without resort,
present ultimate, to taxation. Surely that hard
" be considered in srictness debt, when the city, at
the time it issues the city scrip other obligation
for money, gets back, in return for it, equivalent
value, in the shape Of bui'd ding buildings, yielding
greatly increased rent that increased rent, not the
whole rent, but the additional rent, being suihclen
yearly pay of the interest, and reimburse portion OF
the principal and sufficient pay of the whole, princ
pal and interest, in moderately brief PERIOD lisone
thing for city or individual to borrow money to pay
expenses or invest in what will never pay principal nor
interest," and il is quite another to borrow to invest in
an Improvement Of permanent value that will pay
off both. We suppose the city should do just what
pruent and cautious capitalist, individual Of abun-
dant and most undoub,ed credit, but not having the
ready money! would do, under like circumstances Such