Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1879-04-17
THREE TO TWO.


is composed of five members, to-wit: the
Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State,
Controller, Treasurer and Superintendent OF
Public instruction. These gentlemen, to an
extent yet undetermined, have control OF the
State house and premises, and have an appro-
priation of 81 900 to spend in repairing and
renovating the building and in making such
alterations therein as they may deem neces-
sary. This latter provision for their authority
is derived from clause in the biennial appro-
priation BILL The effort made to smuggle
through this piece of legislation, which finally
came to an irregular and illegltimate head as
above indicated, We will pass over, Tor the
present, without further reference The
Board of Commissioners met Tuesday
They then determined by vote OF three to
two to make certain changes iii the rooms OF
the Capitol. 1t is these changes, interesting
and important to the people of Nevada, that
we propose to discuss in this article briefly.
The Clerk of the Supreme Court needs an
Office, and has needed one for long time
His need of an Office for the safe keeping and
systematic arrangement of his important court
papers is extreme also, the law that he shall
be provided with an Office is per emptory. His
claim was presented to the Board and an Office
demanded for him. His requsition
cOmpanied by certificate from the Supreme
Court covering the ground, and by request
that an office should be furnished their clerk
as convenient to the courtroom as possible.
Fer hiS bo foil
ton was made some time ago and has since
been cherished, tenaciously held to and worked
up to the pre- judice and exclusion of any
other: That the Secretary vacate his office
up stairs and move into the office now occupied
by the Superintendent of Public Instruction
as Curator of the State Museum; that the
Office thus vacated by the Secretary be made
into two apartments, one for the Clerk of the
Supreme Court and the other for the Attorney
General; and that the two little Offices vacated
by the latter officer be made into one by the
removal of the partition for the reception of
the States collection of specimens. This is
what the writer deems to be the source of a
very serious matter.
The proposition to make the above changes
was argued pro and con very thoroughly by
its advocates and opponents. Sifted
down and cleansed of every consideration
unessentlal in the premises, the argument
is simply this :: The Clerk must nave ROOM
Where On the UPPER fnor in the neighbor-
hood of the Courtroom ! If so, then the
proposed alterations must be made. But |
suppose the Clerk is provided with room at
the foot of the stairs on the first floor Two |
members of the Board, voting in the major
ity, have each suitable room thus situated, |
which the Clerk, Mr. Bicknell admitted |
would afford him ample room for his records. |
These two rooms. are occupied as sleeping |
apartments. 1t is held by the advocates of
the change that it would be inconvenient for
the Clerk and the Court if the former should
have his Office on the first floor at the foot of |
the stairs. Inconvenience and nothing more !
Suppose the Clerk to have onehalf of the
office now occupied by the Secretary, in which
to keep his records How much further then
would he and the members of the Court have
to walk back and forth than if their travels
extended down and up the stairs About
minute longer would cover the delay in each
round trip, and would involve nothing more
hurtful than somewhat freer use of the mus
cles of the leg Those who are familiar with
the " lay of the land" in the State House can
readily estimate the degree of inconvenience
that would be thus imposed ON the Court, the
Clerk and attendant attorneys, even if the
necessary trips down aud up should be con-
sidered at their maximum number. Here Is
u question of degree, greater or smaller, of
convenience or inconvenience.
On the other hand let us see what aspect
the question presents. 1t involves the re-
moval of the most elaborate and comprehen-
sive collection of mineral specimens, consid-
sring the view with which they were gathered,
in the United States. 1t is complete ex-
hibit of the mineral deposits in the State.
Scarcely mineral or shade Of mineral in Ne
vada that is not represented By an appropri-
ate specimen in this collection. It is the &C
of nearly fourteen years of indus
trious research into the mineral resources of ,
our State The Museum is tastefully and
arranged, and is the most hand :
some and appropriate ornament by which the 4
State House of a mineral bearing State could t
be adorned. 1t has cost the people of Nera- !
la UPWARDS of S15 600 The Saecirnens are