The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-12-24
COURT HOUSE CHANGES
The Building Is So Clean
It Is Hardly Re-
cognizable.

Not in years before has the antiquated
Court House presented as neat and clean
ly an appearance as it does today. The
filthy, foul-smelling corridor has been
thoroughly cleansed, and without an
ounce of paint being used it now pre-
sents the appearance of having been
freshly painted
This has been accomplished by the
liberal use of soda and water on the dirt
that covered wainscoating, wall and CELL
ing and gave them the appearance of
never having been painted. So many
years have elapsed since the place was
thoroughly cleaned that the dirt that COW
cred everything had become hardened and
protected the paint underneath to such an
extent that when it was removed the wood
work and walls were found to be in as
good condition as if freshly painted.
All the cleaning has been done by short
term Jail prisoners under the direction of
Court House Custodian John ]. Hogan.
To City Collector Robert Davis and the
Committee on Public Grounds, Court
House and Jail. Freeholders James j.
Kelly, Louis L. Finke and Jacob E. w.
Kuper, this gratifying transformation is
due. The delapidated and disgusting con-
diton of the county's temple of justice
had long been complained of by the law
yers, employees of the different county
offices and others having occasion to fire.
quently visit the building, but little re-
dress was forthcoming except in the oc-
casional painting of parts of one or the
other of the county offices. With the adj
vent of the new Board of Freeholders, on
December last all was changed.
Collector Davis, with Chairman Kelly,
visited the building and directed the Gus
todian to obtain whatever help was neces-
sary from the Jail and put the building
in as near perfect shape as possible.
County mechanics-masons, carpenters
and plumbers-were brought from Snake
Hill, and repairing work. formerly given
out by requisition to outside parties, was
done by county employees.
The reduced appropriation for the fiscal
year, $4,000, made it necessary to proceed
as economically as possible, and wherever
the work could be done by those in the
Freeholders' payroll it was DONE This
has enabled the committee to expend some
money on the needed painting of the Reg
ister's office and the Circuit and Common
Pleas Court rooms, the two jury rooms of
the Supreme Court, the one jury room of
Of the corridor leading to the Registers
office and rear court room.
Nearly all this work has been completed
by Contractor Luke ]. Clark The walls
and ceiling of the Registers Office have
been painted a light green and the wood
work vanished. The Circuit Court room
walls and ceiling have been painted
light drab and decorated. Back of Judge
surmounted by the State seal has been
rooms look as they have never looked be-
fore.
During the present week the balance of
the painting will be completed and the
old Court House will be revelation 10
those who have not visited it for some
time. All this has been done for an
amount SO small that it would make old
time contractors look aghast. Money has
only been expended where absolutely
necessary.
Nor is the work to end here. The Com
mittee on Court House and Jail intend
that the building shall continue to be
kept in a cleanily condition The Slip
shod method of cleaning the offices and
court rooms in vogue in the past is at
an end. Custodian Hogan will be expect
ed to keep everything in its present
shape and will be held to strict account
ability.
AS City Collector Robert Davis and the
Freeholders promised Immediately after
election, county employees are now com
PEELED to do their whole duty; the day Of
the sinecurist appears to be past and the
wisdom of the people in adopting the
McDermott law reducing the number of
members in the Board of Freeholders and
making these reforms possible, is mani
tested.