The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-14
CALL FOR new COURT HOUSE
JUSTICES JOIN IN DENOUNCING
PRESENT CONDITIONS.

swered, IL Is SaId-NO Good Reason
why IL should Remain downtown.
Several of the Supreme Court Justices
Joined yesterday in approval OF the action
OF Justice Mccall on Wednesday in de-
nouncing the inadequate and unsanitsry
court rooms in the County Court u
Justice G~reenbaum, who moved his ex-
tended term OF the Criminal Part OF the
Supreme Court down to the County Court
House because of his disgust with the
quarters assigned 70 him in the Crimina
Courts Building, made public yesterday
a letter which he wrote On November 10,
1905. thirteen months ago, to the Court
House Commission. and to which, he said'
he has never received a reply.
The Court House Commission was APP
pointed by Mayor Low five years ago. IL
consisted originally Of Charles A. PEABODY
chairman; Edward Sheldon, secretary;
Charles s. F~airchild, William n. Cohen and
William L.. Bull. Peabody resigned TO
become president OF the Mutual Life Insur-
snce Company, and Mayor Mcclellan named
Edward NJ. Grout to take his place.
The commission has practically disap-
reared from sight the Justices say, for II
neither does anything nor answers letters.
Justice Blanchard gave il as his opinion
that the commission should be legislated
out Of office. There have been frequent
reported explanations as TO why nothing
was being done by the commission in the
matter OF selecting a site for a new court
house, which was it's main reason for exist
ence. The commission was said TO nave
spht over the proposition to acquire the
site of the Stewart Building. Some OF the
members thought that a plot OF land owned
nv the estate Of Andrew H. Green around
Mulberry Bend would be more suitable.
Az hat time a bill had been passed con-
6nina the choice Of a site to the territory
below Franklin street. Then another bill
was passed authorizing the choice OF any
site below T~wenty-third street, IL was
rumored that a property owner with con,
siderable influence and a large plot OF Ianu
20 sell was instrumental in having the Din
passed.
nv the commission toward selecting a site,
NJ far as any OF the Judges are aware.
Justice Greenbaum in his unanswered
Ietter told the commission that the CHIEF
thin s to be considered in selecting a new
site should be light, air and quiet. he
added:
Yhe noise. hustle and disorder that daily
confront us at presen { are Incompatible WITH
the orderly administration OF justice. A
building devoted TO hearings affecting the
rights and liberties OF the citizens should oe
as much removed from the hurry burly incl
dent 20 the commercial life of a great city
as Il is possible. II should be placed in a
locality which will afford opportunities for
Quiet and repose and where the litigants may
feel that they are in an atmosphere conducive
10 a calm and deliberate consideration oil
their cases.
The site to be chosen should be one that
will afford opportunities for the erection OF q
dignifed and impressive structure nat VIII
impress those who enter its portals with th'
sacred character Of the labors there con-
Quoted. Many a reckless witness may hall
in such surrounding before he dare commit
himself to perjury.
But il has been suggested that a site in the
vicinity Of Washington Square or Unior
Square is too far distant from the LOCALITY
where most lawyers offices are.
OF course, everything being equal, a ste II
close proximity to Wall Street would be de
sirable. In my judgment. however. thu
Importance OF having the court house verN
near the lawyers offices is greatly exag'
Rerated. In these days. when rapid transit
has been effected at least to the extent ina
one can readily reach the vicinity OF CnioI
Square in a comparatively short space Of
time. IL seems to me to be extreme to lay
u0Out tITtts upOu ~ Nthih NHo
il too far distant from lawyers offices.
As understand it, the additional subwa!
facilities that are now under considerable
will in a few years years render washington
Square even more accessible than at present
With very few exceptions | have found' aIte
conversing with many lawyers, that the
we're convinced that the difference In tim
from their offices to. Mulberry Bend and I
any OF the other proposed loo atoms was CON
paratively insignificant.
Justice O'Gorman also gave out a state
ment Yesterday, in which he said:
I heartily indorse all that Justice MEGA
has said about the condition OF the County
Court House and its inadequate facilities
for the work of the courts, as a disgrace an
a scandal. Its defective sanitary arrange
ments iniure the health not-only OF the Judge
and lawyers but of the hundreds OF thousand
of Jurors, witnesses and litigants whos'
business brings them here during the cours'
of the year. There is no third rate city Il
Europe that cannot boast OF q more insplrin
and more suitable court building ana ther
are few second class cities in this countr
that have not larger and more commodiou
structures for their courts.
In Mayor Lows administration a commls
sion of five. | think was appointed under al
act Of the Legislature to select a site and max
the necessary arrangements for the erection
of n new court house. but they appear u
have no appreciation OF the necessity for i'm
mediate action.
IL was believed by Mayor Low that tn
work could be more expeditiously directed o
commission of three or five citizens than d
the local officials.
This is purely a work OF public local in
provement taken out OF the hands of tn
public officials of the county, where IL be
lonGed, and transferred to a small body Q
men who are not directly responsible to IN
voters Of the county. -Four or five years hav
passed and a site has not even been selected
At this rate we may look for the completio
of the building thirty or forty years hence.
Jhstice Davis expressed himself as full
In accord with the sentiments OF Justice
Mccall, Greenbaum, Blan chard and O'Go
man.
srHEE nnU IN R GAIEH1