The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-12
NOW FOR THE FEDERAL COURT.
The Times Suggestion Meets
With Favor.
Interviews With Prominent I,awvsrs WI,
Arc Interested in the Movemont-Some
Good Reasons Why the Court Should
be Held Here-It Can be Secured wi.,,
Proper Effort.

Tho idea suggested in The. TIMES edi-
torlal yesterday morning relative to the
establishment OF United States dis
trict court in this city has been favora-
bly, read and commented upon bJ every
one who is interested in the project.
Tho United States court in Virginia
is presided over by Judge Bond, of
baltimore, who tries none but civil
cases. in which the Government is in
terested. The circuit is composed of
maryland, West Virginia, Virginia and
North Carolina. In Virginia there are
two districts, the Eastern and Western.
These districts are presided over bv one
district judge each. Judge r. w.
hughes of Norfolk, is the Judge of the
Eastern district, and Judge John Paul,
OF Harrisonburg, Of the Western dis
trict In the latter district there ara
four places at which tho court convepes
twice year as follows:
The Tuesday after the third Monday
In March and September at Lynchburg:
tuesday after the first Monday in Oc-
tober at Harrisonburg, and the Tues
Gay after the third Monday in June and
November at Danville: Tuesday after
at Abingdon.
1t will be soen that there arc four
places where the court is held in tho
Western district, Harrisonburg, Lynch
Durg' Danville and Abingdon. The
hrsJ three places arc almost in n line
with each other, skirting the border of
tho Eastern district, while the other
point Is locatf d in tho extreme western
part Of the State
The principal business done in the
courts nearest Roanoke comes from the
counties of Franklin, Patrick, FLOYD,
Carroll Roanoke and Montgomery, ali
OF which ale In great measure inacces-
slble to either places Following these
considerations, the advantages Of Roa-
noke have heretofore been advocated az
a favorable site for the United States
court, but the matter has never been
pushed or agitated. Not until it was
settled that Roanoke is to have a public
building has this matter received any
consideration worthy of notice. A
LINES representative interviewed n
number of prominent lawyers and
United States officials yesterday as to
the prospects of getting United States
court established here, and found every
one favorably impressed with the move
ment.
Capt. George McH. Gish. a LAWYER
who practices in all tho United States
courts in the State, said: ~ feel conf
dent we are entitled to United States
court in this city and it can easily be
secured. Roanoke is centrally located
in the Western district, and can DO
reached from more points than any
other place whore the court Is held.
am sure that If the matter were urged
there will be no trouble in securing it.
There would be moro business here
than is done at eitLer OF the other
places"
Hon. John w. Woods expressed him
sell as much pleased with the scheme,
and said it would be q great advantage
10 Roanoke and to tho district. If
Soo'Ooo additional were appropriated
lot the purpose, there would be- a much
better building erected here and one
more in keeping with the. needs and re-
quirements of the city. The court loca-
ted here would DO an untold convent
ence, and would have plenty of business
to transact.
Col. John E. Penn said ga large
part OF the business transacted in the
various district courts of tho Western
district comes from the counties of
Franklin. Floyd, Carroll. Henry, Pat
rick and Montgomery. These counties,
on the completion of tho Roanoke and
Southern, will all be accessible to Roa-
noke, and this place will be more con-
venient to them than Danville or
Lynchburg. To say that Roanoke is
central point Is not putting near all the
reasons why 1t should be located here,
before tho peop @. These reasons arc
numerous anA frit, IN,
require too much space, but suffice to
say the court would be ably main
tanned, benefit to the city and district,
convenient to persons and places that
have heretofore been inaccessible and
possessing more advantages in every
way than any other place where tho
court is held. | am heartily in favor
OF tue movement. have not practiced
In the United States courts from tho
fact that they are all located too far
away.
Judge Robertson was much pleased
with the suggestion made by the THE
TIMES, and said he would DO glad to
sec a United States court established
here. He gave as his reasons the same
as given by Colonel Penn and others.
ef' orge r. Rhodes, United States COM
missioner for this district. said: "All
we have TO do is to petition for and keep
the matter agitated, and am confident
we will get it. Judge Paul has OK.
pressed himself as pleased with tho
proposition, and will do all he can TO
secure it. Roanoke needs United
States court. She is directly in the
center of the district and Is reached by
more different routes, is more accessible
and possesses more inducements than
any other place. hope THE TIMES
Will urge the matter and keep i,
we'll before tho public II the Govern.