Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-08-08
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THE NEW COURT HoUsE.-The new Court
House at the southeast corner of the market
building, corner of Cameron and Fairfax streets,
is now receiving the finishing touches from the
yarnishers, and will be occupied for the first
time on Monday next, when Judge Lowe will
open there the August term OF the Corporation
Court. The new building is admirably ar
ranged for the purpose it is designed to fulfil.
1t has two entrances, public one on Fairfax
street and an official one on Cameron street.
Entering by the Fairfax street doorway spacl-
Gus stairway leads to the entrance corridor 10
the sccoud story, which is rallied off from the
stairway by handsome newclS, rail and baus-
tiers of walnut and yellow pine. This corridor
is lighted by four windows, two at each the
east and the west ends. The head Of the star,
way reaches within few feet OF the door OF the
Court ROOM At the eastermost end OF this
corridor is the door Of the Clerks office, which
occupies the two rooms in the south east angle
of the building The front room, designed for
the general purposes Of clerical work IN con-
nection with the Court, is lighted by two WIN
dows, facing east, and Is httcd up with all the
convenieuces for the Clerks business. The
inner room is designed as the archve room for
storing the records of the Court. All It's walls
are brick; no studding entering into 1t, and its
ceiling and hoor is OF iron laid in cement, the
whole being perfectly fire proof. 1t is lighted
by windows facing north aud east, aud Is furnish
ed with accommodations for the safe keeping OF
the records. From the entrance corridor wide
massage way runs south, having, on the east
side, windows overlooking Fairfax street, three
rooms now in use as attorney ofhces, and one
on the west, over looking the market space; two
| fine rooms designed severally for petit jury and
the grand Jury. These are covered with mat
| ting and conveniently furnished. Returning
from this passage, and crossing the corridor, we
enter the Court room, "a lofty and spacious room,
now fitted with everything needed Tor the ac-
comodaton of the Court and its officers. 1t Is
lighted by thirteen windows, six looking into
! the market and seven into Cameron street. The
| ceiling is panueed and furnished with large
Gas reflector capable Of lighting the room, so
that the finest print may be easily read IN any
part. The stills Of the windows are elevated
six feet from the floor, and the wall to that cX-
tent wainscoated with yellow pine varnlsh. at
the centre Of the western eud of the room a
raised tribune is occupied BY the Judges desk
of handsome walnut at right angles with which
ruus the desk of the clerk. The space OF the
room is divided into two parts, the easternmost
space at the entrance door being reserved for
the general public and the residue Of the room
for persons having business with the Court and
its officials This reserved portion OF the room
which is rallied off with handsome ucwels and
| rails of walnut and balIustcrS OF yellow pine,
consists Of the bar immediateIy III front OF the
| Judges desk and OF TWO wings on the east and
west side of the bar. The bar Is furnished with
two handsome desks which extend along the
railing through it's whole extent, and cores
pond with it, and which has many drawers,
each designed for the use OF some member OF
the bar A bar table for argument papers &C.
cupies the upper portion Of the bar The south
wing of the bar contains the sheriff desk, the
prisoners dock and jury seats, and the
northern wing also contains jury seats, and a
space to be allotted to witnesses. jurors, aud
| other persons called to attend the Court.
Doors 10 the west wall Of the court room lead
on the one side to the Judges retiring room
and on the other to the Cameron street stair
way, which is also handsome staircase some
| what smaller, but in general appearance, like
the Fairfax street stairway. Above the Gu
| trance is small room for the iaultor.
| The accommodations arc most convenient,
| and the work we'll designed and handsomely
executed, rejecting much credit upon Mr. JOS:
! Hopkins, the Superintendent, who has lad
this work in his special charge.
| THE STREETS OF TIE CITY.-These columns
have afforded frequent Indications that the
policy of the city was now definitely shaping it.
self as policy looking toward making the city
attractive by improving the streets, and adding
to the city such ornamentation in the way OF
parking, fountains, &c., as is possibly IN the
present condition OF the public cxchequer. The
subject of sewerage, too, begins to be discussed,
but the vast body Of the people are opposed to
| mourning the expense of underground drainage,
believing that the city affords ample facilities
for surface drainage. The city lays we'll Tor
this purpose, as the following table of the height
of the various street intersections above tide.
water abuudantly shows:
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