The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-03-04
UNITED STATES PUBLIC BUILDING.

UNITED STATES PUBLIC BUILDING.
At q meeting of the citizens Of this
parish and OF members Of the Monroe
Bar q memorial was adopted petition
Ing Congress for the erection of pub
lie building In this city. The main
points are well stated In the following,
which we heartily approve:
FIst-The Western judicial District
of Louisiana was recently created by
act of Congress, and a term of the Dis
trict and Circuit Courts by the same
act was appointed to he held mt Mon
roe, twice In each year. The Court
house for the accommodation of the
State courts at Monroe was destroyed
during the late civil war by United
States gunboat expedition under COM
mand of Commodore Foster. The bull
porary and insecure frame structure,
the parish upon which such bur-
dens In this State falls) having,
through losses incurred during the civil
war, been rendered too poor to rebuild
the Courthouse up to this time. But
even II there existed here suitable
building for the State courts, yet the
terms Of these are held at the same
time as those of the United States
courts, SO that In no. event could the
same building serve for both courts.
The term of the District Court ut this
place is the most important In the dis
trict, this being the place at which
thirteen parishes are, by rule of the
court, required to make their returns
and bring their suits, while for the
remaining terms Of the district only
six parishes are returnable at each.
The United States Courts at this place
are at present dependent upon chance
to secure a building in which to hold
the sessions. The clerk of court has no
ONCE, and no secure place in which to
deposit the records of the courts. The
marshai's Office Is wherever that official
happens to be. The dignity of the
United States Courts and the security
of litiRants requires that some perma-
nent place he established in which the
courts may meet and the records be
kept.
6econd-The Postoffice at Monroe is
perhaps the second or third In impor-
lance in this State. This is the dis
tributing point for the mails of almost.
all North Louisiana and Southern
Arkansas. Seven daily mails and four
semi-weekly aud tri-weekly, supplying
the mail facilities for large scope of
country, and q numerous population,
centre at this point. No suitable bull
ding exists in this city for postofiice
purposes. Any that could be obtained
for that use are fiimsy, insecure and
liable at any time to be consumed by
fire, all of them being in close proxim-
ity to other buildings. The Postotiice
at this point has no permanent resting
place and Ia being constantly moved
from house to house. At present it h
kept In a wooden building, in another
part of which Ia a retail grocer's shop,
and Ia separated on the one side from a
restaurant and on the other from pri-
vate dwelling by only a few feet space,
both of the latter buildings being OF
wood the burning of which would
inevitable cause the destruction of the
Poetoface and Its contents.
Third 1.-The Office OF the Internal
Revenue department located here, is
for the same want Of facilities exposed
to Imminent danger OF having its valu
able records destroyed by FIRE.
Fourth-The Monroe Land Office
one Of the oldest and most important
In this State, was removed to New
Orleans few years since. Justice re-
quires that this Office be re. established
at Monroe, as it surely will be; there
being in this district more United
States lands subject to purchase and
homestead entry than in any other
portion of State. Applicants must now
60 to New Orleans or resort to a,
expensive aud tedious course through
the Clerks of the State Courts. The
re-esfablishment OF this Office vii
necessitste some secure place in which
to keep the records, pats and othe,
documents, which owing to frequent
removals from house to house, were
always heretofore in great confusion.
Your petitioners might add many
more reasons why a Federal building
should be erected at Monroe, but deem
those already advanced of sufficien
weight to show the economy Of such 4
step to the Federal Government.
HOAR OBJECTS TO CONkLING.