The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-01-23
LENGTHY
DISCUSSION
Over the Proposed Municipal
Building. Different Views
on Various Sites.
DEARTH OF SUITABLE SITES.

OEANlu VT 0U11ADLE 011EOs
The second public meeting concern
ling the proposed public building was
Eheld lastT Tuesday evening and attended
by about fifty citizens The first
speaker was Oscar b. Smith, Jr., vino
spoke from an architectural standpoint
against building municipal structure
where it must be right on the street
!. line to give necessary room, but should
be set back to look WE'LL The town
site does not lend itself to the best
Iconstruction.
T. w. Caldwell said the Skidmore
site offered several advantages. TIE
area is greater, the lot is square and
20 temporary quarters would be need
ed during building operations. 1t is a
: question OF expsdiencF. DO we needit
S75. 900 worthg 1t is certain that differ
ent police headquarters are needed, but
litmight be possible to built a structure
: for their use for $4,000. He thought
that with the needs Of sewers and the
possibility Of having to pay for county
roads in the town it is not time to
issue bonds.
q H.A. Freeman called attention to the
fact that the city viii lose 81. 900 or
s15, 900 ifthe present building were torn
down. He was in favor Of leaving the
hre companies where they are and
building new police building.
;. A. L. Revere asked explanations as
: to the plan Of financing and the Mayor
J; told again Of the action Of the Hillefy
law and the possibility Of putting up
y a building and paying for it without
increasing the tax above the present
! rate.
q. @. Keasbey thought the prosposed
!, building should be Of the best archi-
lecture. There il moral thought In
I the erection Of the building in the
: best style as an example to others.
w. f. Day opposed the idea Of tear
ing down the Speedwell avenue build
ings as they are excellent for fire pur-
poses, and asked II the town is not
9 able to have d good house for itself
] NJ. IT. Riley suggested the site Of the
present Park House as eligible and
. lcalled attention to the fact that the
: streets are bads lighting poor, sewers
= a necessity, our merchants urging fac
8 tories to increase purchasers and the
/ possibility of the trolley. Morris street
e must be given up to heavy traffic and
Y the town must in the near future pro-
wide new facilities for reaching the
: ldepots. We have three railroads now
3 and the town is changing.
oil S. S. Day was in favor Of anything
. that will help the growth of public
. spirit, and urged as an object lesson.
q the best building possible on the best
site.
{. III. M. Smith called attention to the
= deaTth of suitable locations. The
20 it is in the market. He felt the neceS-
u Sity of municipal building and
= ashamed of the present conditions.
= In answer to the objection that if
70 that lot is bought there will not be as
m much for the building. @. B. Smith,
Ie IJr., urged that only a portion OF the
i whole structure be erected.
9 Rev. w. M. Hughes said that the
~ town government is question of more
Inl Importance as the town grows. He
Al felt that there was lack of impress
% sion on the growing boys Of the town
6 and suggested a dignihed building to
er represent the civic life.
ID George H. Ross called attention to
r. the unique position of the town with
mo bonded indebtedness and said he
was lOath to see bonds issued The
ss talk is of having some part of the fire
W department. in the house and he called
~ upon the committee not to disgrace
the town. He did not want to see the
Mayor and aldermen sitting over a
horse stable.
m1 AS way around this objection it
" was suggested that the board. of fire
e wardens be given quarters there. lit
= was moved that If building is erected
it be put on the Skidmore site, which
is was later adopted.
III Attention was called to the pr0ba-
lg bility of street being run through
re- the tract to connect with the present
ii street from Pine street.
&: Eney Grupelli said the town is grow
) ing and will need offices and urged the
= improvement OF the Speedwell avenue
l, building for its present use and a
2. building for offices elsewhere. He
urged that the lot be purchased, to
hold it and not build till later.
4 Mr.. Riley declared in answer to the
= query Of what the building would be
4 used for that if the town controlled
Is its water and light there would be a
re demand for offices for those in charge.
- j. K. Runyon said that as far as he
could determine from the talk the
70 fouly present need is for quarters for
is the police.
n Alderman M0wery declared that the
I quarters at present in use are not only
= totally inadequate, but wholly out Of
70 keeping for a crossroads town in
5e southern Georgia
j. Another motion was made and car-
! ried that building should be erected
! within unreasonable time.