Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-19
NEW COURT HOUSE PLANS
REMODFFhNC OF THE PRESENT
BUILDING DISCUSSED.

| Meeting OF the County Commits stoners
and Citizens - PaSns Submitted for
Masking a New Court House Out of the
Present Structure-The Conan ssion-
eFs to Invite Plans for a New Building.
A joint meeting of members OF the
Board or County Commissioners and citi-
Zens was held in the City Court room
yesterday afternoon 10 discuss the ad-
| visibility OF remodeIing theCouuty Court
house. There were present. Commission
ers Walker, Estill and Dorsett, and Judge
Harden, of the CITY Court; Mayor Lester,
Mir. FL. NJ. Conner, Col Fl. S. Haines, Gen.
eral Manager OF the Plant railway sys-
tenn; Capt. George A. Mercer, J. r.
Saussy, Esq. Col. William Garrard, MIR.
H. z. Smart, Mr.. Eiehberg, of Fay & Eich-
berg, architects; Mr.. De w tit q. Bruyn, j.
J. hewitt and Mr.. Lind also architects
Several others who had been invited were
unable TO attend.
CALL FOR THE MEETING.
Commissioner Estlll called the meeting
to order and read the following resolution
adopted by the board and explaining the
call for themeeting:
Resolge6. That committee of three mem
bers OF this board be appointed to consider he
question OF remodellng the present court
house. ana that said committee be author
lied TO offer the sum of 500 for he best plan
offered for that purpose, provided it. is de-
clded TO Use said plan.
Resot6td further. That said committee be
authorized, II they deem it proper to invite
one or more citizens to advise with them III
the matter.
THE PLANS SUBMITTED.
Judge Harden exhibited and explained
drawings OF plan for remodeling the
present building. The chief features in
the plan were an annex to be built at the
east end OF the court mouse, the elevation
OF the building one story and widening it
several feet in the middle. The increased
room would allow the vault and offices on
the first floor to be enlarged TO the re-
qLirements of the business. On the sec
ond floor rooms would be provided for the
Judges, the juries and the solicitor Gen
eral. The third floor was divided into a
library, apartments for the janitor and
offices to be rented.
The cost of remodeling the old building,
according TO his plan, Judge Harden esti-
mated at $4,000, or at least that was the
amount which builders told him 1t could
be done for. Mr.. Eichberg thought that
the work could be carried out according
10 the plan for $4,000. Judge Harden
suggested that bonds be issued by the
county, the last redeemable in 80 years,
$1,000 to be redeemed each year. The
increased tax would not be over &c.
on the hundred dollars, he said.
A GENERAL DISCUSSION.
The meeting was altogether informal,
and the plan was talked over among those
present.
Col. Garrard inquired il 1t would pay
better to remodel the present. building
than to build new one. Chatham is not
poor county, he remarked, and should
not sacrifice what would be the best thing
in the loug run to a measure Of simple
eXpediency.
The cost OF new court house on the
same site was estimated at from 800, 900
TO 100000. 1t was remarked that the
present building has been condemned as
totally inadequate by grand jurles time
and again. Those present recognized the
necessity for a change of some kind,
either Dy remodelng the old or building
new.
COMMISSIONERS TO INVITE PLANS.
After IN hours informal talk Col. Gar.
rard offered the following resolution
which was adopted:
Resolced, That the Board of County Com
mlssioners are requested to invite plans, re-
speetively for improving the present court
house, aud for new court house TO be erecte
on the present site, suitable to the needs of
the public, 80 that II can be determined what
is best to be done. whether TO build a new
court house or remodel the old one.