The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-14
1T Is NOT TOO LATE
In Five Years the Joint Build
ing Will be Inadequate.
NOT IN KEEPING WITH THE CIT,
ANY Building Costing Less Than Million
Dollars Will be Perpetual
Disgrace.
To the Editor OF THE HERALD:


A city is judged by its public buildings
The enterprise, thrift and prosperity OF
the inhabitants of city are reflected In its
public buildings.
Salt Lake City at the present time has
on fair estimate of its registered voters
population of not less than 10000 reo-
pie.
What kind of building is it proposed to
erect.
The plans adopted by the city and coun-
ty limit the cost at 1856, 900.
This is just SIS, 900 for the city's proper
| ton.
The plans conform to the expense and
the design represents no better building
than is to be found in hundred counties in
the United States, the county seats of
which have no more than a population of
10000 people.
These buildings are in cities that have at
tanned their growth while Salt Lake city is
in its swaddling clothes.
Why should this city adopt plans for a
building no better than those of cities one
fifth its size!
There is certainly a madness that is pre-
cipitating this city with undue haste into
building an edifice that in tve years will
be as much behind the times as the present
buildings are now.
presume the undue haste in adopting
the plans was for the purpose of sealing the
contract before the decision of the court
would be given changing the composition
Of the city council
1t is never too late zoo mend.
The wise provision of public squares
made il possible for this city 20 enjoy one
of the finest building sites that money could
buy.
The conservative legislators of the past
are to be credited with preserving a site
that is worth nearly Sl,000.000.
Why should the present city council and
county commissioners adopt plans for a
bnilding that would for a century to come
be q discredit to the city.
The plea is that the city is too poor.
If too poor, why build now.
Why not do as the man of business does
build frame house until he is rich
enough to build a stone mansion.
The frame house which the city should
build is a business block, something like
the Commercial block on the old site.
This can be done for S2OO, 900.
Such a building would make splendid
temporary quarters TOR the city and county
for the next five years.
During these i've years the city will
need every cent it can raise TO build
sewers, streets and improve and extend its
waterworks.
At the end of five years the temporary
building can be sold for S6O0.000, the city
will have good start for building, and the
city and county would be justified in ex-
pending 81 100000 on a building.
ANY building costing less than 81 ,000, 900
will be a public disgrace. Ii does not lie
in the ingenuity OF man to make 81 900, 900
building at 80 cents on the dollar.
1t is reckless extravaganza 10 sell any
more bonds at the sacrifice the city is COM
PEELED 20 accept at the present time-eX-
cept what is actually necessary TO prose
cute the public work.
The recent bonds sold only brought SO
cents on the dollar. Counting the accrued
interest it may be said they brought $50.
Can this city go ahead selling its bonds
at q sacrifice to erect building that. in
stead of being the pride of the citizens,
Will be disgrace to city pretending pro-
gress!
The plans adopted would be no credit for
the city with $4,000. Where will il be
when the city has $50 600 population,
1t has been frequently said by passing
comment that the plans would make very
nice insane aaGlum.
There is nothing about them that sug-
gests house of legislation.
lnasmuch as the city and county have
closed with the architects, they should
treat them fairly.
NO uOuOt the dESuItcctS WOulu Oe VIII
ling to cancel their claim IL the city and
county would employ them to prepare the
plans for a 100000 structure on the old
site.
II certainly would be better for persons
owning property in the vicinity of the
Eighth ward square to wait few years to
secure a building that will be an architec-
tural success than 10 hasten a building
that will be considered commonplace by
the time it is completed. Anyway, the
people of the entire city are interested in
securing building that will be perpetual
delight, and while it lasts er1body the
highest achievements of architectural
skill. II. G.