The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-04
The Courts and tho Common Council.

The Courts and tho Common Council.
The opinion has long prevailed that this Is the worst
governed city in the world and yet all know our
cost that the result cannot be attributed to the want
extravaganza in the expenses Of ts government
uctance to impose heavy taxation That should thus
suffer Is the strange and deplorable when
slider that citizens active intelligent and
geiic, and remarkable for their in
what depends individual enterprise, they for
patiently submitting TO the total absence Of any similar
enterprise in rulers We illustrations of this
wherever look About year ego the building IN the
Park, in which many Of courts held far
injured by fire 10 be wholly unit for occupation and
yet its blackened and ruined walls s stand TO disagure
the public grounds desoate monument Of corporation
folly lszness and neglect. The interior Of the dlapi
dated building II haunt for rats and vagabonds, and
the walls covered with handbis and other defor
mites.
And yet we have had . reform Comm Council In
poweriDcessant talk at its meetIngs-lavsh expendi
lures Of public money-Iong debates and waste
Of public time and treasure In the meantime whore
fires Lave destroyed private buildings private energy has
reared others in their stesdas may be seen various
places in The city.
II is really ntolerablc that all who are interested or
take part in the administration Of justice should be
posed 10 such evils resu from municipal tarai
ness and folly Judges jurors, counsel reporters par
hfh euito Witucsbcb, nave 10 from ~ 70
extent Of which the quiet citizens who visit the
courts have idea whatever. IL would astonish
Of them TO take peep at the uncouth and misplaced
building in which tho Superior Court transacts
business, with it's six Judges, and its General Special
and Tra, Terms The erection Of that building where IL
stands az tie Of the Park bounded by Chambers
and Centre streets, necessary and be
excused After the FIRE Of last winter, committee of
the Common Council proceeded TO ct up rooms for the
courts in this roosery, at what outlay Of the public
money we know not and understand that they have
INDUCED In much sell laudston thu comfort
and even elegance Of the apartments thus pro-
,Ided There is dsputng about taste, ard
If either Of Che learned or wise gentlemen on
gagged In that performances win show US how their
labors deserve anything but censure or merrnent va
would be obliged to him for the ingenious and striking
demonstration. Until Wednesday last the Superior
Court was engaged In trials with four uries The calen
dsr Of causes called before Chief Justice Oakley rs
square room, with very low ceiling utterly incapa-
bic ofventation, and destitute OF convenepce Every
morning IT was 6ed 10 suffocaton and In its midst
stood "a red hot demon OF stove making II resemble
Pandemonium as much as practicable. The motley
throng crammed into that chamber assimated the tick
et once OF railroad company the Fourth Of July
and the clusters OF lawyers around the Chief Justice
while he was hearing applications TO postpone cases. was
in no way more dign6cd than The Developments In
respectable pig pen ovcrstocked with inhabitants at
the exciting moment when the sw is poured into the
trough, and the grunting competitors for II plansng
feet and into the savory liquid, squeeze, and
push, and squeel In horrid rivalry for It's
enjoyment. The reporters were nearly roa't-
ed in the vile place, and the Jurors
felt that in the grstuitous duty Of settling 0tner