Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-12-13
A GREAT SCHEME
To Consolidate City and County
Headquarters
10 public Building at the Capitol---
WeighH Reasons for the MOse---
Feasible Plan Of Joint
Arrangements.


There has been great deal Of quiet dis
eussion during the week ending to-day OF
subject of general interest to the people OF
Ohio county and the city of Wheeling. This
discussion, though quiet has been earnest
ard thoughtful and has. so far, been almost
exclusively confined to county and munich
pal official circles. To give it wider range
and enlist the attention Of the public gener'
ally is the mission Of this article. AS IS
well known, the present Capitol building,
reared and donated for period OF ten years
BY the city, will be vacated in the coming
spring and the State Capital, by virtue OF
law, viii be removed to Charleston. The
city will come into full possession OF the
new building land none too soon) and the
various municipal Offices, now scattered
over the face of the city, will be massed to-
gether in proper and convenient shape
The Capitol building is large, roomy and
commodious, and the various city uses for
space will leave the major portion OF it I'M
occupied, aud this fact has, to certain ex-
tent given rise to the discussion, mentioned
at the outset, of o new pan, w, to
CONSOLIDATE CITY AND COUNTY oPFIcEs
in one building, to be known as the Public
Building. The matter has been discussed
quite freely and, when the public has given
II the same free digestion, it will be ripe
for action. The are four several reasons
prompting the move, two Of which come
from the city standpoint, one from the
county, and the fourth from an independent
point of view, affecting both city and
county. The new building is entirely too
large for city uses and halt Of it may be
given up to the county to great city adVan-
tage. The present disposition OF city
offices, with the gas office and those OF the
two Boards scattered about, is highly unde-
sirable and will find Its remedy In the
change, besides saving the rent OF
three large rooms. A careful
examination of the new building, will show
that after fully accommodating every branch
and department ofthe city government with
the requisite offices, furnishing lookup and
police court room aud providing an office
Tor the assessors one half OF the building Is
left for the use of the county, which 1t will
nicely accommodate. The proposition, then,
is for the city to sell the county half inter
est in the building. The reasons for the
desire on the part of the county are many
and good, but it will require an act OF the
Legislature authorizing the removal Of the
Court House before the scheme conld be
consummsted.
REASONS FOR REMOVAL.
Experience has amply demonstrated tina,
the venerable structure dubbed Solomons
Temple, but otherwise the court house OF
Ohio county, is in every way insufficient for
the needs of the people. There is not de.
partment of the county governmental ma
chinery that is not hsmpered and crauped
by the limits Of the building unless it be-
the commissioners. The recent change by
which the Circuit Court was divided into
parts, both in session at the same time, de-
manded an increase Of space, that the
building could not yield. The result
was two small court rooms, neither OF
which is sufficiently large. The clerks
Offices are entirely too small, especially that
of the county court. The vault room IS
ridiculously contracted and not day, but
, brings with it the complaints OF attorneys
who are obliged to search the records. The
/ county badly needs new vault for Its val
liable records and of course the present
building can furnish no improvement. The
/ vault OF the circuit court is also entirely too
small. The whole is an ancient relic. badly
arranged, poorly ventilated, narrow, cramp-
( ed and insufficient. There is still another
/ and potent reason for change, but in 1t
there is food for another article.
An EQUITABLE ARRANGEMENT
/ for the transfer of half Of the building can
easily be made. The value could be ascer-
tsined and after the county has paid its por-
ton, a Joint arrangement might be per-
| fected for the care and management OF the
building. The price paid into the treasury.
with the saving Of rent and the receipts OF
the sale of the present city building, would
make a snug little sum and help nicely to
tide over affairs until the capitol and 1871
loans are wiped out. Ii is unnecessary,
here, 10 enumerate the advantages to the
city government, Iof the removal; that Is a
matter of the near future and goes without
telling. Under the proposed arrangement
several changes in the building would be
necessary, but as the Legislature will GER
tainly make an appropriation forrepsirs and
probably another for the use and occupancy
ofthe building for ten years, there will be
| no lack of funds to cover sll such expenses.
FIGURING on SPACE.
The writer has seen three or tour plans
for The division of the space in the Capitol
between the city and county, any one o.
which is perfectly feasible. The building is
very large and after containing the com
bined space OF the court house and city
building will have nearly that much left
The matter, however, of arrangement is one
that must be influenced largely by circum
stances, and the plans that are best ar
ranged now are subject TO utter demolition
BY future developments There will OF course
be disputes fer eligible quarters land vii
be If the city alone gets the building) but
these are minor details, easily arranged
when the season arrives. The greatest prin
cipal feature will be the division between
the CITY and county, which, when satisfac
tory, will make the rest easy. One OF thu
most satisfactory plans is as follows:
CITY SPACE.
The most suitable quarters for the polio,
department, everything considered, woult
be the old library room in the sut-5asemen,
Il has an entrance on Sixteenth street. snC
would make room also for the police cour
rom and lock up. The room is well light
ed and would be vast improvement on th'
present accommodations The Auditor
General Office, overhead, would accommo
date the clerk and receiver, giving theu
plenty of room and eommodious yaul; TO
records. The west half Of the north wing
now occupied by the executive chambers
will accommodate the Board of Publ,
Works and the Water and Gas Boards Al
entrance from Chsphne street, al the foun
tain, could be made, if necessary. Their,