Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-30
THE COURT HOUSE BONDS.

On the 9TH of June the people of this
county will be called upon to vote for the
issue Of $500, 900 of bonds to finish the
new court house building. The original
contract for the building was $4l6000;
but it was found when the second story
was up that the increase that had been
made in the number of superior courts
would render the room inadequate for
the accommodation of all of them, and
it was determined to add another story
to the structure. Aside from the fact
that this additional room was absolutely
required, it is fortunate for the appear
ance of the edifce that this additional
story has been added Without it the
structure would have been squat and out
of proportion; with it it will present
grand and symmetrical architectural
appearance. Indeed, it is now so far
noble structure, one which will be an
ornament to our city and a credit to our
county.
The additional cost entailed by this
necessary change is about 100000. To
furnish and equip the building when
finished, and to make the needed i'm
provements in the grounds, will require
about $4,000, making the total cost
$5OO,000.
When the work was first undertaken
the supervisors thought they could
erect the court house without calling
upon the people to vote for more than
100000 of bonds. 1t was esti-
mated that the present court house prop
erty could be sold for 100000, and as
matter of fact that sum was actually
until other quarters for the offices and
courts could be had, and at the rate
rents were bringing then, to have dis
posed of the old court house would have
| been losing business for the county.
Then there is the 90-foot lot on Temple
street, valued at $4,000; 40 feet on
Buena Vista street, $4,000, and 5S feet
on New High street, $4,000. The dis
posal of all this property it was esti-
mated would bring total of 100000, so
that with the 100000 of bonds the
amount required to build tie court house
would have been secured.
But it would be an act of very bad
business management to put that prop
erty on the market now. AS soon as we
have recovered from the reaction of over
imitation, that property will bring every
cent of it's estimated value. Indeed the
property in the vicinity OF the court
house ought to increase in value when
that structure is finished and occupied.
We are now paying about $4,000 per
annum for rents for offices and court
rooms, and that sum alone would pay
the interest on 100000, SO that really
it is a stroke of economy to finish the
building and get our public business into
it as soon as possible.
1t seems to us that our people will
make no mistake in voting for these
bonds. They will be called in and liqui-
dated as soon as our real estate market
revives, and in the meantime we shall
have public building which will be
the admiration of every stranger that
comes here. ii, on the other hand, the
people should refuse to vote for the issu-
ance of the bonds, what would be the re-
suit? The work cannot be stopped, but
must be urged on to completion. That
means that it shall have to be paid for.
A failure of the bond vote would compel
the supervisors to include in the tax
levy rate sufficient to raise the money
at once. 1t would not be pleasant to
have 80 cents on the 500 added to our
tax rate this year to meet this oblga-
tion.