The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-30
TO FRAME Up WORK
eity Hall and Courthouse Commits
sion Will Soon Make Plans for
Immediate Future. !.
A Question as to How Much Work
to Cover in the Next Ap.
preparation.

Within the next few days, possibly to-
morrow, the board of courthouse and city
hall commissioners will meet for the pur-
pose Of getting Its bearings and preparing
a plan for the future. That the board will
ask the legislature to make provision for
additional funds for continuing the work
on. the uncompleted city side OF the build
Ing is Of course understood, but just how
much the board will ask for or In what
form the means are wanted has not been
determined. 1f,.zz ss=s
At the last meeting. Of the board r. B.
Long, the architect, was directed to pre-
pare an estimate Of the cost for COM
plotting. the city hall. His figures have
been prepared and have been submitted to
several members Of the board.
The report is divided into two parts,
the Fourth street entrance and the fourth
floor with ellaneous work. To com :
plete the Fourth street entrance accord
ing to the original plans will cost 1924, 400.
This will include the board expenses, the
architects fees and an elevator on Fifth
street. To fit up the fourth floor and fin
ish a lot Of miscellaneous work will cost
$4,000 or total for the two items OF
1921 200.
How to Get the Funds.
Naturally the members Of the board are
greatly divided as to just what should be
done. Some fear that a request for 1921,
900 will frighten the Hennepin delegation
and result in nothing. They believe that
the Fourth street entrance should have the
first consideration and that the fourth
floor can wait. Others believe in asking
for as much ais possible and taking what
ever is allowed. Presumably the figures
of the architect will be submitted to the
members of the Hennepin delegation and
the responsibility of what amount is nee
essary be left to it's discretion.
There are many who will favor the
plan Of completing the Fourth street en-
trance, but this plan is strongly opposed.
The judges and officers of the municipal
court insist that they are entitled to much
more consideration than being. showed off
into a dark corner of the courthouse base
ment. They want a proper appreciation
of the dignity Of the municipal court, as
least as much consideration in the matter
Of quarters as the city assessor, the city
attorney, the city clerk and other Off
Gals. They want a courtroom and offices
on the fourth floor.
Then Health Commissioner p. NJ. Hall
declares that his department has been
most shabbily treated. Equal in the mum
Der of employees and to any other city de-
partment and fully as important, it has
been quite ignored and placed in a small
suite of rooms which are not much larger
and not bit better arranged than the
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hail. ..f A.. =. t.n.-.
Here are two requests which can not
very we'll be ignored, and the majority OF
the commissioners recognize their i'm
portance to the extent of urging that
adequate provision be made for housing
the departments affected in new quarters
e. M. johnson Favors Completion.
J. President e. NJ. johnson of the board
does not think the architect has gone fal
enough. He believes the present time Is
most opportune for, completing the Whole
building. He streruously urges that the
lookup should be removed from its pres
ent disreputable quarters to the fifth floor
Of the city hall. i'g
Furthermore, he, wants; something done
with the big circular, enclosure in the
court Of the new building. 4 Whether it be
arranged FOR a public lavatory as first
suggested is not very Important if only
something is done. Personally Judge
Johnson would like to see a big, free
reading room established there and main
tanned as a. branch of the public library
The reading room at the library !:
crowded nearly all the time, though it i!
some distance from the center Of the city
A free reading room down town would
undoubtedly have even greater patronage
and would probably in no wise affect the
attendance at the central library. So. :
| Still it is largely for the Hennepin dele.
cation to decide, as it must provide the
funds. -,
The Architects Figures. =" ~. ,