The San Francisco call., 1896-04-19

ords OF the court, six in all. at the very
lowest calculation like number of rooms
Will be required for the Circuit Court in
the new building at Mission and Eighth
streets.
Mr. Aiken submitted the floor plans
for the accommodation of the United
States courts in the new Postofice build
ing to me for any changes that 1 might
deem advisable" said Judge Morrow of
the United States District Court yester-
day, land after examining them and
making some necessary alterations 1 re-
turned them to the architects Office at
Washington on February q last. Now it
is highly important that the United
States courts shall have plenty of room for
their convenience and accommodation.
Mr.. O'Rourke's plans were only outlines
and could not be considered as definite.
He went out of office and Mr.. Aiken sue
ceeded him. His plans were somewhat
more in detail, and when submitted to me
1 went over them carefully and returned
them without delay. 1 have letter from
Mr.. Aiken acknowledging their receipt
and thanking me for the suggestions
which l offered.
ut is not altogether within the dis
cretion of the Judge as to how these
apartments shall be arranged" }" continued
Judge Morrow, "since the law makes the
court the custodian of the Spanish
archives, which require a separate room,
and the patents issued by the Government
another These records are kept for the
accommodation of the public. The clerk
OF court requires at least two rooms and
the Judge two. These were not provided
for in the plans submitted. If I remember
right the District Attorney only had two
rooms Che has four now and the Marshal
one. The clerk of the Court of Appeals
only had one room. Now, when the plans
were submitted the idea at once suggested
Itself that l should rather increase than
cut down the space limit.
"On March 3, 1887" continued Judge
Morrow, as he became interested in the
subject, Congress appropriated $3.50 900
for the purchase of a site in San Francisco
for new postotfice and United States
court building. The sum was not consid-
cred sufficient to purchase a site for a
building that would serve the purposes of
the Government for all time Therefore,
on March 81, 1889, the amount was in
creased to $500. 600. Even then the Com
missioners said that the sum was insuffi-
cient to purchase the required site, and on
April 4, 1890, the appropriation was in
creased to $l,25O,0O0 for the purposes
named. The original act distinctly speci-
ties that the proposed building shall be
large enough to sufficiently accommodate
the different Offices in connection with the
postal department and the United States
courts
Judge Morrow was in Congress when
the appropriations for the new Federal
building were from time to time enlarged,
and he labored assiduously TO secure the
enactment of the law providing for the
structure. Therefore he takes more than
a passing interest IN the contemplated
enterprise, and is anxious to see the work
on the foundation begun.
Since Judges McKenna and Morrow and
Postmaster McCoppin have absolutely
contradicted the statement sent out from
Washington that they have withheld the
plans, and therefore delayed the com.
mencement of work on the new Postoffice
building, it will be necessary for the au-
thorities at Washington to devise other
and more substantial excuses for their
tardinesS and neglect.