The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-10
CITY HALL AFFAIRS.
THE CENTRAL POLICE STATION.

The owners OF tho DAVIDSON butI1lnRS, inc
location 81 the Central Police Station. Record
er's Court ETC. having concluded tD aign the
lease Of tho buildings to the city, the matter
was referred to the City Attorney. who ex-
presses his opinion that es-Mayor Pilsbury
having signed the contract before the expira-
ton Of his term Of office. tho contract will be
complete by the mere signing Of tho notarlal
net by the lessons.
This fact docs not. however, Interfere with
tho possibility Or even probability " tie nc
QUESTION Of
TURNER'S HALL
by tho city upon rs advantageous terms as
previously, and by the outlay Of very little
money in excess Of the expenditures of the
city. for the purpose OF securing splendid
edics which cost originally. only b few
years ago. about 100000.
The proposition. as il is now being consd-
cred by tho City Hall officials. is about this
trict Court costs the city an annual rental Of
$1,000, or ST.. 900 In five years.
Turner's Hall was offered to tho city ut
rental Of $4,000 year during five years. after
which the property was 70 revert ia the city
without additional compensation. On the
contrary the proprietors 1T the hall agreed to
cxpcnd $4,000 in repairs upon tho building
and lifting It for police station, police
courts. etc.
Should they DO willing to adhere to their
original proposition, then the city could pur-
chase the hall for $4,000 less $4,000 since the
repairs and fitting mp first proposed would
mot hp needed tor the DiltDDEpG DT the First
District Court
In case the changes were made, it would
appear that the city had increased It's rent
expenses $1,000 for the five years.
This would be triilng, considering that at
the end Of that time the city corporation would
become tho proprietor Of the hall But the
cost becomes even more thrilling when 1t Is
beyond question that n small por-
tion u the lower story can be rented irnme-
'liately for $1,000 year, or $4,000 for the stated
period Of five years. leaving tho cost OF the
splendid structure at $l000i'
II will be necessary. however. to do some
repairing to the building and fit UP suitable
rooms for the First District Court
According to tho estimates Of SURVEYOR
Brown this will cost between $4,000 and $4,000
ut the utmost. Tho fitting up. according to
Mr.. Browns plan, would consist in convert
Ing the former ballroom OF Turner's Hall In
to n courtroom fifty four feet by sixty feet
and twenty-si feet high: judges Office.
clerks Office and spacious jury-roou,s all on
the same floor, with accommodations superior
to those offered by tho building ON Orleans
street. now occupied by the First District
Court In word, by expanding. mt the out
It does now, the city would acquire a building
which can be applied to tho uses Of not only
Tho District Court, but also Of all the public
Offices now contained In tho Davidson build
ings, including tho First Precinct Lock up.
at the end of these five years the city
would economics. in rents now paid, $4,000 per
nnnum. To reCapitulate:
Paid for Turner's Hall In five veare ...-. s21 900
Repairing aud fitting NJ. ....-.-..-..,-. 1000
Total .......-......... -...... ..... s25 900
Deduct paid now for First District
Court building In five years 900
RsDt Of part of lower floor OF Turn
aTs Hall same period 5000
- 81 900
Total cost Of TurDers' Hall .....,..... $4,000
Now it depends upon the owners of tho
building to say whether their offer Is still
open to tho city.
RESERVATIONS.
Yesterday all the operators OF tho police
and fire alarm telegraph with tho exception
of Mr.. Flynn and several other employees Of
tho department, sent In their designations to
Administrator Meallie. The cause for this
action Is reported to be the dissatisfaction
occasioned by tho appointment Of u new line
man in the place Of another removed. The
will probably be accepted, for
there are numberless applications for situa-
lions rs operators in tho pigeon-hoies nj the
City Hall.
ADMINISTRATOR HOUSTON MOVES AGAIN.
Yesterday Administrators Houston caused
10 be made at1dnvits against half dozen or
more of our most prominent merchants,
charging them with violating tho city ordi-
nances relative to the obstruction Of side
walks Mr.. Houston says that he had already
given tho parties fair notice of his intention
to carry out the law to the extent Of his abili
.ica and his present action Is due solely 10 n
disregard of his warnings. The Administra-
lor complains In the most earnest terms Of
he abuses Of this nature which he has noticed
n various quarters, aud assures us that ne
will stop them rs long as he remains the Adj
Of improvements of tho city.
THE GAS QUESTION.
Administrators Behan. Glynn and Meallie
we're IN conference yesterday with the Presi
lent Of the New Orleans Gas Company con
,erning tho poss Utility Of an equitable settle
nent Of the debt Of the city TO the Gas Com
pany.