Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-02-15

tuat tne same may revert 10 the fanny.
J.R.
Los Angeles. Feb. IA. 1884.
The Court House Site : Another
6creed from John e. jackson.
EDTToR HERALD:--I crave your indul-
gence for the further tresspassing in
your valuable space. The cause advo-
cate il my excuse. am sure you are
willing to hear full discussion of the
subject. Now for anonymous scribblers,
l have nothing further to say than that
when man gets abusive and loses bis
temper it il sure sign he is ON the los
ing side. In answer to the letter from
Judge r. NJ Widney. on the above sub
ject, he has fallen into some slight error.
l claim that many sites can be bad
which have not the Objectionable fea-
tures Of the Stevens lot, and further
more would not disturb property values
~ now established, and this seems to be
his great objection to the change Of site.
The building Of the Oakland Court House
did not change the business center
particle, neither did the building of the
City Hall in San Francisco. You will
ell remember when the location for the
County Hospital was made in this city
the efforts that were made 10 have It IN
various localities, each claiming that the
erection Of such county building would
have the effect Of enhancing the values
of the adjoining properties. The facts
show that the building Of the said hos
pital had no effect on values. made
the statement that there was great risk
from fire on the "Stevens" lot. Judge
Widney assumes this fire to be one
within the building. It is nothing Of
the kind, It Is the risk from adjoining
property. l will ask why do you pay the
insurance company an additional rate II
there happens 70 be another building
within . certain distance. We have
been very fortunate in having but few
large fires within the city Of Los Ange-
lss. It does not follow that because We
never had large Ere we never shall.
Judge Widnsy contends that jail in
the basement Is not Objectionable. l am
somewhat surprissd 1t this for the rca-
son that the Judge is somewhat Of .
farmer like Horace Greedy. Now Judge,
could you grow turnips without the
light Of the snaf ! think mot. Neither
can you maintain man in perfectly
healthy condition without the same
sunshine. You can have isolation. heat
and ventilation. but you cannot have
health. ask for no better authority
on the subject than DR.. Widnev. your
brother. and l am SURE be will endorse
what I say in the matter Of sanitary ar
rsngement-and l am contending for .
jail perfect in that matter. Judge, you
are, think, mistaken in the matter of
the two banks Of earth. It is just the
place that would be most vulnerable.
The confederstes outside could work
underground without fear Of detection.
An my objections have been from An en-
ginesring point Of view, without refer
enos to any other location. have, since
! first wrote on the subject, been in
formed that . very desirable location
can be had for the Court House, and
exercise the privilege which every citi-
zen has in declaring my choice namely,
the High School property.
A moro fitting plsce could not be
found; Of easy access, close to the center,
Of business, plenty Of room where poor
farmer from the country, having business
ct the Court House. could tie his team
without having to incur the expense Of
going to stable. tHs could find no
place to hitch around the ''Stevens lot.'')
! understand that the probable cost Of
the High School lot would be about
e60.0 900. II would Be good invest
msnt for the county. 1t would be
trsnsaction free from all faint Of jobbery,
and Il would BE- transaction in which
the people sail to the people.
The people will vote for bonds to erect
. building on such site. But bonds for
the ''Stsvens lot" will surely be defeat
Cd; and il l. only necessary to travel
little through the county to ascertain
this fact.
Now. q to the propristy Of selling the
High School property: Having had
some expsrisnos - member Of the
Board Of Education, / can say that the
time for central High School building
has passed away. We are now too large
. place for such . system, and We should
have three such buildiugs evenly distrib-
utsd through the city.
With $4,000 three such buildings
could Be completed. and am sure the
people would BE- benefited by the change.
l should advocate the city authorities
combining with the Board Of Supervisors
and erect jointly building for the tran
ssotion Of the city and county business.
Nearly every citizen who has business
with the city has some with the county,
especially % IN the matter Of taxss and
consulting The records. and il would be
. great eonvsnience u the ofiices were in
the same building. And il IL is impossi-
bic TO hsve joint building. then say
there y plenty Of room on the High
School lot 70 build two such buildines -
may be required. In this event Il might
be found deairable 10 purchase the old
church property. The prsssat old
church oould Be- used for public library
until . filter place could BE- obtained.
There i no psrticular difaeulty about
moving the High School building from
IL present location TO another lot. II
any one doubts Il agree to furnish .
man who will give all necessary bonds
| tor the performance Of the work Of nov
| Ing.
One Important thing must be resnsm-