Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-22
CHANCE FOR A DECKER.
THE COURTHOUSE AND JAIL SUGGESTED
FOR CITY PURPOSES.
A Proposition that Seems to Meet q
Long-felt Want-What is
Thought of 1t.

An intelligent citizen yesterday said to
RECORD UNION reporter: Now that tbs
old building used for city Jail has beer
found TO be unfit for further use, what il
the matter with the city negotiating with
the county for the purchase of the present
urt-house? It ia not large enough tol
the present needs OF the county, bu
would be just the thing for city purposes
What would the county do, in case 6
Grade were made" asked the reporter.
Why, secure the property west OF the
Hall of Records, in the same block, OF
othsr ground elsewhere, fer that matter
and erect suitable Court hoGse"
The suggestion may be worth consider.
ing, Il is true that the county needs g
more conmodious structure than the pres
ent Court house. The rooms used by The
two departments of the Superior Court are
not large enough, and ali the offices are
cramPed for room. The building would
however, just about answer for the CITY
offices, and Che jail coHld, OF course, be
utilized. If the county should erect a new
Courthouse Oh the same block, the Jail
could be extended westerly and made TO
answer both county and city purposes.
There may be serious objections TO the
proposition, but it might be well for the
city and county authorities as well as the
tax PAYERS, to give tie matter some con
sideIation.
At first glance the proposed sale and pur-
chase not only looks practicable but is
especially desirable The county needs a
new building and 50 does the city. The
Ill
cheaper than private individuals would,
and the building is there ready for occu.
pancy. The money received by the city
for the city prison property would help
pay for the Court house and the amount
paid for the latter would greatly aid the
county in rebuilding.
Without attempting to interview large
number o. citizens In regard to the matter.
a RECORD UNION reporter submitted the
proposition 70 few whom he happened to
meet.
Sheriff McMullen became quite enthusi-
asuC over the idea. He said the Court
house does not begin tC answer the re-
qulrements OF the county'S business and
already there is in contemplation the cree
ton Of branch prison or invalid ward.
It would be fine thing to have all the city
ana county official business transacted on
one block, and as to the expense, it would
seem that the city could not get q lot, build
ing, Jail, and all complete, for anything
like what The county could afford 10 lei her
have the present Courthouse and Jail
The expense to the county could easily be
met by small special tax in one or two
years or an assessment roll of some $50.
100000 In few years new Courthouse
would be an absolute necessity, anyhow,
and here appears 10 be chance TO find a
pu chaser.
W. NJ. PeUie liked the idea very much.
1t would be desirable 10 have the City Hall
and Courthouse near together, and the
jails also. If the county could get the
west half of the block at reasonable figures
snd would sell to the city the present
Court-house AT anything like what il would
cost 70 erect q city building and Jail else
where, he thought il would be an excel
lent thing 10 make the trade.
Assessor Frost. /, + SS.-.,,tr F. Mier and
other citizens held similar views They all
believed that the county would soon have
10 build a new Court house, and the city a
City Han, and this looked ike chance for
eacn to be benefited
Superior Judge Van Fleet said there was
DO question bur that the present Court
house was 100 cramped. The Court-rooms
are TOO small, and none OF theoffic!als have
room enough. He could not say that he
would advise the purchase Of other prop
erty and the erection of new building with
out knowing what the expense would be
but, il new Courthouse and City Hail
could be had on the same block, unreasonable
figures he believed 2 would be the proper
thing 10 do. Sacramento county ought 10
have better and more cOmm0Gious public
bu.d,ng
Mayor Gregory, o. being asked what he
thought of the suggestion, replied that he
had for some time past been of Tie opinion
that the city Offices should be consolidated
in one Building, and believed ii would be
still better il the city and county Office;
could be brought closer together. Sooner
or later something would have to be done
and as he would be obliged to act otfc.aI,
III the matter he preferred not TO give hi
unqualified Endorsement at present 10 am
particular proposition. Still, looking a
the matter in a general way, the idei
seemed to be based on practical grounds
and il was d, least something worth con
siGeTing.