, 1885-05-14
An OFFICIAL SPEAKS.
Something in Regard to the Pro-
posed Change of
The City Park for the Court House
Building.
Advantages and Benefits to be De-
rived From it.

A representative of THE LEADER yes
terday had a pleasant conversation with a
prominent city Official in re gard to the
prospective change Of the city park to the
county, for the court house.
'No definite arrangements have yet been
made, said the official, but a general un-
Outstanding will be arrived at on Tuesday
evening at the regular meeting of the city
council. | nm satisfied that the city and
the county will reach a satisfactory under
standing, and that the trade will be con-
sumated before very long"
1.-THE city park is exactly what the
county wants, as it is well situated and
the site all that could possibly be desired.
Again, the court house is entirely too
small to meet the wants of the officials,
and is not well arranged for county Offices
and court purposes,
THE city hall does not contain room
sufficient for a small country town, let
alone a thriving and growing city. The
offices are too small, in fact there is but
one Office for a city official and that is oc-
cupied by a half dozen different officers
connected with the city. This Office is
hardly large enough for one office, while
it is occupied by a number.
The jail in connection with the city
hall is not one-quarter large enough. Men
are thrown in together promiscuously,
without regard to the offense for which
they are committed, and the building is
not large enough in any respect, or
adapted in any manner for city purposes
at the present time, with the amount of
business to be transacted.
by the trade the city would secure a
building in every particular adapted for
city purposes The mayor could have an
Office, the city clerk could also be pro-
vided with suitable quarters, the city mar
shall could have private headquarters, and
everything thoroughly and systematically
arranged for the convenience of the pub
lie, as well as for those persons serving
the city in an official capacity. The jail
and cells could be utilized by the city,
and would be just what is wanted
for a calaboose or lookup, without any
repairs or changes"
THE county would then be provided
with ar elegant court house, which is
badly needed, and it would be located in
a central locality, commanding 4 beautiful
view of the city. The site would be de-
sirable and just exactly where the seat of
the county government should be located.
1t would thus afford convenience to tile
court and county officials, to l~itigants and
persons having business at the county
seat. to counsellors and attorneys, and to
the public in general. l am OF opinion,
whether rightly or not, that the change
will be eonsummated, and that both the
county and the city will be gamers by the
transaction.
"As far as | can learn a number of the
councilmen are in flavor of the scheme,
and | also understand that the county
commissioners are anxious to close some
kind Of a contract, if they can do so with
out prejudice to the county. They will
probably arrive at some conclusion in the
course Of a few weeks, and it will be def
nitely settled then as to whether or not
the present court house is to be trans
ferred into a city hall, and the county to
have a new structure in its stead.