, 1876-12-31
THE CtTY-HALL,

CHICAGO, Dec 30.-By your report OF the pro
cerding utthe meeting Of committee Of tn
Common Council with o committee Of the Boar(
OF County Commissioners, held Oh Thursday, IL
reference to building the City-Rau and Court
House, 1t appears that the County Board has ar
ranged for the city to construct its half Of sai6
building upon the plan adopted by the county
use such stone as said Board has already select
intendence, materials, and labor as the Commis
sioners have already entered into, while the
authorities Of this great municipality OF the City
cost, will be permitted to pay Out
Board Of Commissioners, take the building
when it is completed, be thankful for sucE
small faVors as they may receive, and be CRATE:
full for such spare rooms as said Board may find
it impossible to use tor Its own purposes.
Such, it is evident, Is the plan formed IN the
minds Of q majority OF the members OF the
County Board In reference to all the building
done upon the Courthouse Square. Said Board
is very potential body, and Is subject to no
control, our courts tell us, except the sweet
wills of It's individual members and the law Of
John Rountree. It is possible that the work
might be done in the most substantial, economi.
cal, and expeditions manner under that arrange
ment, but there is well-grounded
partc6lariy ID the West Division, that
their representatives in tho Common Conncil,
when the tax for Its construction are imposed,
should be held responsible for the expenditure
of the money, which can only be done By the
city doing its own building.
The municipality 10 practically excluded from
the Courthouse Square by the aggressive use
or abuse of the understandable powers Of the
County Board, In pushing the Immediate con-
struction of the expensive building planned, re-
gardless of any interests. except those OF its
own ring OF contractors aud the few greedy
owners Of the property fronting on the square.
The city not being in condition to expcnd the
amount OF money :ts part OF the building will
cost. for the reason that it has not got it to
spend, and can have 40 control over the con-
struction of the buil1ing, the City-Hall must
necessarily be located at some other point, and
in making another selection the West Di-
vision will demand its location on that side Of
the river. -
The C,tr-Hall is not ne cessarzy the daily re-
sort Of professional men Except dead-beats) in
" with the courts and at the buildings IN
which are located the county records Of real
estate.
The City Hall being the municipal headquar-
tcrs is resorted to by the citizen upon such mat
ters Of his ry-day affairs as the City Govern
ment assumes supervision or control Of. Every
householder, or some member of his family, ia
required to visit the City-Hall several times
each year for the payment Of personal-prOpe
taxes, real-estate taxes, and Water-assessment
taxes, and the transaction Of such other busi-
ness as the householder has more or less occa-
sion to do with the city authorities. It shonld,
therefore, be located at or near the centre Of
population, SO as to be convenient to the great
est number who necessarily have business trans
actions with its occupants.
That division contains more than one-han the
population, aud nearly two-thirds Of the house
holders OF the entire city. The business centre
Of that division, which would be convenient OF
access for the other two divisions rs well, Is in
the vicinity OF Halsted and Madison streets. On
the southeast cor1er Of theye streets the land
belongs to the school fund Of the city, and Is.
therefore, at once available for building City
Hall without other expense than an annual pay
meut of merely nominal rentM for its use;
and the citizens Of that division will contribute
largely Il not all the funds for the erection Of
the building.
This arrangement meets the requirements for
economy in building, convenience Of location,
and is solvent Of the Courthouse Square jan
gle, go far as the city Is concerned by withdraw
ing all claims to any part Of that square of
ground.
The West Side should hare some other Of the
public buildings than its penal institution.
called the Eriu.well. It is entitled, as have
shown, to the City-Hall> andnow is stheopportun-
ity to get it. The united action Of the West Side
Aldermen, who comprise 0ne-half OF the Com
mon Council, together with the assistance OF
our West Side Mayor, who, it Is understood,
fayors the movement, will pass the necessary
legislation plteing IL there. Shall We have its
VEST SIDE.