New-York tribune., 1905-02-07
THE COURTHOUSE SITE.

| Most of the propositions relating TO new
| County Courthouse which have successlVely ap-
pealed for public approval in recent years nave
involved or at least permitted, an ellcroachihehI
on some park. Such is the case Win senator
Flsberg's bill which was favoraby reported
few DAYS ago The bill was slightly changed
| for the better while in the committees hands
through amendments which provide that. in
case park site is chosen, an equal and contlSu-
GUS area shall be acquired for park purposes
and which so limit the space when may De
| taken in City Hall Park as practically TO for
bid that choice Nevertheless 1T permits the clty
| to do what ought not TO be DONE ana the eXpec-
tation seems TO be that the commission VIII take
advantage of the permission
Indeed dispatches from Albany which pur-
port 10 reflect the purposes of those responsible
for the EIsberg bill say that it contemplates
the selection of either Union Square or Madison
SQUARE probably the former. Either choice
would be bIunder. The roar of traffic around
Union Square is q fatal objection which does
not equally apply to Madison Square. but both
those open spaces are much better suited TO the
purposes which they now serve than they would
be after their boundaries had been changed in
order TO admit courthouse. and they ought TO
be let alone The bill would permit the acqui-
sticn Of site fronting on park. and there
fore satisfactory. perhaps III respect to light
and air. An important advantage. no doubt.
but why go uptown for il and thereby sacrifice
other requirements at least as essential? \
Hall of Records. containing a mass of docu-
ments which courts and lawyers are continually
compelled to consult. has just been built ut i'm
mense cost close to the City Hall Park, in pur-
suance of the wise conclusion that that was
where 1t belonged For reasons of its own the
Appellate Division chose TO go two miles north,
but the lower courts not bound by that
precedent.
Adjoining the Hall of Records is admirable
site for the new County Courthouse. 1t fronts
on a park to wit, the City Hall Park. and 1t
tends TO Broadway. A year ago it was strongly
favored by the minority of Il commission. and,
so far as we know. the Mulberry Bend site rec
commended by the majority has never found
other friend Sooner or later. we have often
predicted and are fully convinced. the city will
have 10 acquire this Chamhers-st. site for
nicipal purposes. 1t is costly now. but its mar
ket value is sure TO increase. and il is poor
omy TO postpone the inevitable. That is not
our view alone 1t has been urged over and
over again by public officials and far sighted
citizens. No other available situation is tit TO
be compared with this regards natural adapta-
ton 10 the requirements of the courts and the
convenience both of lawyers and lftigants We
venture TO say that if. after long discussion
which has thus far led TO nothing. that site
should be chosen and the. city should proceed TO
take over the property. nearly everybody who is
competent TO express a dsinterested opinion
would agree that a question which ought to have
been decided in the same way years ago had
been wisely decided at last