The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-07-23
VOTES FOR THE BONDS.

The mayor and city council have
done their share in getting the matter
fairly before the people so that they
can express themselves and it now re.
mains for the latter to a whether
Billings shall have a public building
in keeping with the city's needs and
requirements and one that shall be a
credit to the town. The present CITY
hall long ago outlived it's usefulness
and is totally inadequate to the de-
mands made upon it and to meet the
purposes for which it was erected. It
is too small and i~nconvenient and
possessed of none of the requisites of
a building of that nature. Further
more it is located upon leased ground
and in a locality where to a large de-
gree it is inaccessible and constantly
exposed to the dangers and annoy
ances peculiar to the location which
it occupies. Even were the opposite
the case, the structure itself is such
as should condemn it in the minds of
all who take pride and interest in
the city and desire to see it advance
and keep pace with the onward move
ment of the other enterprising and
prosperous municipalities of the state.
Several times The Gazette has writ
ten on this subject and shown the
essentials in which the old city hall
is lacking and set forth the needs of
the city in the way of a public build
ing calculated to meet all present
and future demands that may be made
upon it. The city council chamber is
too small and the utter absence Of
space that could be utilized as offices
for the mayor, clerk, treasurer and
police magistrate as a court room is
one of the serious drawbacks and dis
attached to the present
Lack of accommodations
for these officers necessitates the
maintenance of offices located at
widely separated portions Of the city
and the payment of rent by the
city, whereas they should all be under
one roof permanently situated, so
that a change of officials would not
also mean a change of offices, as has
been the case ever since the present
structure has been erected. Then, too,
the people owe something to the fire.
men, and their convenience and com.
should be consulted, especially as
they donate their services to the citi-
and receive no greater reward
than comes from the knowledge of
The performance of a self-imposed
luty. 1t is not sufficient to merely
give them a place where the appa-
which they S can be stored.
They should have large and com
nodious al well as pleasant and cheer
ul quarters where they could assem-
lie to while away their leisure mo-
nents, If SO inclined. A place where
hey could meet in q social way and
pend the long winter evenings in
mutual pleasure and advantage. Many
f them are so situated that they have
to spend their leisure time,
kept at the hotels and boarding
ouses where they live and are COM
elled to either remain in their rooms
r seek companionship and enjoyment
4 saloons or other public places.
With a proper room furnished and fit
up for their use in the city hall
lany Of them would make 1t their
eadquarters, and while adding to
1eir comfort and pleasure the city {
'ould at the same time add materially I
its own safety and security In that
would insure the almost constant
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