The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-07-13
THE IDLER.


I Mr. Idler: Did you vote for retain
ing the old court house? If so, don't
you regret that you did? Didn't the
people in Newberry county who voted
against tearing it down expect that
| if it should be retained it would be
used for public purposes2 Really,
has the county any right to be renting
public building to private indivi-
duals as offices? I suppose the county
mas the legal right so to do, but isn't
it somewhat beyond the function Of
the county to be in such business in
competition, as it were, with her citi-
zens, and, in addition, taking away
from the citizens Of the county the
use of public property which belongs
to all the citizens, in exchange for a
mere pittance which the county re-
ceives as rent? Seriously, / don't
care whether you voted for the reten-
ton Of the building or not, but don 7
you thing it ought either to be torn
down or put to some public use, and
kept in repair beftting a building
which occupies the most central loca-
tion in Newberry? Inquirer.
"Inquirer' has asked some peril
nent questions. In the election last
summer the old court house was re-
tanned by a small majority, and the
Idler believes that the great majority
Of those who voted against tearing it
down did 50 in the belief that it would
be devoted to some public use. Ma
jor James F. J. Caldwell suggested a
plan in the Newberry newspapers for
devoting the old building to use as a
| public library, but the matter was
never taken up, and nothing has been
done. The old building stands there
today, with the upper floor in such
condition that it is almost unfit for
use, and with the lower story rented
out as private Offices. And, / might
add, with the little portico on the
north side of the building almost rot
ted down. With the cooperation of
a public library association, the build
ing could very easily be devoted to
the use of a public library, the library
being placed upstairs, and the down.
stairs could be used as rest rooms for
the ladies from the county coming to
Newbery. Or the library coul4 be
placed downstairs and the upper
floor used for conventions and public
gatherings of various kinds. There
are se> .ral feasible plans, any Of
which would be better than the pres
ent conditions.
The Idler would much rather see
the old building torn down than for it
to be kept as it is being kept now.
Better tear it down and make a min
iature park, if We are not going to use
it for some public purpose.
| I don't see what people want with
offices in the old building, anyway,
with a wagon yard to the right Of
them, a wagon yard to the left Of
them, a wagon yard in front Of them,
and a wagon yard all around them. |
tried to get to- the old building Satur-
day, and I was forced to take a path
circuitous and almost as deeply as they
tell US is the path which ads to eter-
nal destruction. Some Of the mules
wanted to bite when I was at their
front end, and others wanted to kick
when I was at the other end OF them,
and, had I not been very brave, L
think I would have turned around and
gone back home. I didn' t have much
business in the old court house, any,
way.
Speaking of wagon yards makes me
think of the next municipal election
in Newberry. It is not very long of
now, and already the Idler has heard
several gentlemen mentioned for may
or and aldermen. What the ldler
wants to know, and what the ldler
/ thinks a great many citizens of New
berry want to know, is where these
gentlemen stand on public improve
lnents. Are they in favor of spending
| a little money on the streets
and sidewalks, Or are they in favor
Of retaining the Cd grass brigade?
A. LL =; fovor of wacon ward