Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1854-12-07
HERALD o. rAs TIM IS,
THURSDAY Dec 7. 1854.


uThe City Council have ordered the
lower part of the City Hall building to be
leased as Market, for one year from the
first Of January next by this we presume
that the Council do not intend TO fit up this
part Of the building for The Office Of the
City Clerk. The lot upon which the build
ing stands, we have heard, was given TO
Newport, for the purpose Of erecting Gra-
nary and Market buiding,-and it is con-
tended by some that the property would re-
vert to the heirs Of the donor, if tho City
should appropriate the building to any other
purpose than Market. We do not know
how the case stands, ncverhaying sxamin.
ed the deed of conveyance; but if this is
correct, the properly was long ago forfeit
ed, for 70 portion OF the building has been
used as Granary for nearly or quite fifty
years, if it ever was occupied for that pur-
pose. II there isa liability OF such forfeit
ure, the city had much better compromise
with the heirs, if there are any livng,-and
II there are no heirs, the property, under
the. Statute, would belong to the city, at any
rate. The chief object to be gained by ex-
pending money upon this building, was to
secure suitable fire-proof depository for
tn, City Records, which are, and have been
Tor many years, in most dangerous condi-
tion, from the fact that the Clerks Office is
in wooden building, and surrounded by
buildings constructed Of the same material
The Council have expended some twelve
hundred dollars in altering the upper part of
the City Hall, and making comfortable ac-
commodations for the Aldermen aud Com
mon Council, the Treasurer, Marshal, and
Overseer Of the Poor. Now, il the lower
part of the building canno, be taken for The
Record office, the Council have made an
extravagant aud wicked appropriation OF
money in fitting up, at such eXpence, rooms
for their own accommodation, when they
could just as well have met at the Cour,
House,--for with all this expenditure, the
Records are still without suitable deposi-
tory. II would have been economy for
them to haze purchased q lot and erected a
suitable fire-proof building for the Records,
which would also have accommodated The
Council and all The public officers.
II the City Clerks office should be dcS-
trOyed by fire, as it is liable to be at any
time, and The Records all lost, there would
be no end to the lawsuits which would
thus be created, in regard to titles to real
estate it would cause and promote litig-
tion, at an enormous eXpence to the par
tics, to an extent which has never been
known in this State, for the next quarter Of
century. We do not believe that the peo-
pie will sanction the proceedings, and sus-
tain The City Council in this matter for they
have foolishly squandcred the money which
they have expended upon the City Hall,
when there was no necessity for it, and no
benefit is TO be derived lherefrom. 1t is a
matter of much greater importance that the
Records should be deposited in a fire-prooi
building, where they would be as secure as
human means could make them, than that
tho City Council should have elegant rooms
in which 10 hold their meetings we do not
IN ,an by this remark that the Sauthorities
should not be comfortably accommodated
on the contrary, they ought to have suita-
bic and convenient apartments for their ses-
sions,-but these are secondary considera-
tions, and should not be thought of, or pro-
vided for, until the City Records are made
secure,--and no time should be lost in do
ing this. The city government has now
ben in operation year aud half, and yet
no steps have been taken, at least of sue.
cesstul nature, to change the locality OF,
and give greater security to, all these very
important papers. We really hope that
there will be no further delay about this
matter, but that the Council will at once
discharge their duty; having expended so
much money on the upper part of the City
Hall, they had better prepare the lower par,
for the Record office, instead of procuring
any other place for this purpose, notwith
standing the talk about forfeiture of the
land.