El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-23
BI6 INCREASE
III REALTY
VALUE
Courthouse Site Bought For
$4,000 Is Now Worth
$4,000.
PROPOSED ANNEX
RECALLS HISTORY

No better example Of the rise in FL
Paso realty values could be found than
the comparisons recalled by the action
Of the county commissioners this week
In ordering a bond election for rhs is
suance OF $4,000 worth Of bonds for
the construction Of a new wing to the
court house
only the old timer" remembers when
the ground upon which the court house
stands and on which the new wing VIII
ne Dullr was purchased and even thoro
OF TINS class might give a start OF sur
Prise at the recollection that it was
purchased less than 80 years ago Tor
the sum Of $4,000
The value OF the block OF ground
today in accordance with transfers n
the same locality would reach more
Lnan 100000. The COuntV's Drouertw
occupies solid block on san AnfoniO
Overland, Kansas and Campbell streets.
Allowing $1,000 per- front foot with
room FOR an alley. the double tract a :
II would be divided suitable for bufld-.
ing purposes, would, at this price COM
1l1lo s5zy,OOO which is regarded as Al
conservative estimate for the lOca litv.
Purchased In 1854.
Furchased by FL PasO county in 1854.
the grantors were John 3. Rector, r.
f. campbell, VIM. s. Hills B. H Davis
and Chapel O. Stanton. It's acCufsffion.
was Tor the purpose OF being a court
mouse site and the original building
was completed two years later The
Cost OF the original building which
was then one Of the finest court houses
IN Texas, was about $4,000 Bonds to
l1e amount Of $135. 900 were issued IN
1884 Tor the purpose OF constructing
court house and jail The cost ~
the jail was slightly over $40 600 Tns
tract Tor both buildings was let TO
me tlrn OF BrlrtOn and Long. Plans
LOT the court mouse were drawn By AL
Ired Giles who acted as suDerfnfend-
ent during construction. and those for
the jail were furnished nv II TfeC-,
Litigation Over Building.
Before the completion OF the bufIdfnz-
llllsallon and criminal charge, Grow
ing out OF matters connected with tHs
CoLS lfucllon had ensued, causing great
sAcllenent In the city and through the
county The new building was first
occupied during the fail or 1886 Mar
s-leA rogers was then county fudge
ana the commissioners were. -13rarfTct
10. / J. Julian: precinct 10 3 4 Ar
CTonZaless precinct No. g. J. Amend NJ.
precinct No. 4, G. Garcia; sheriff. y. ~
White -
First Annex Built.
The first annex. the wing AZ fb.
---g1-st corner OF the original build
l4 IS, or which the structure ordered Nv
| t--57- lolers IS to be a duplicate.
e- o4--t I'D LSJ6, work being started
= urlng the month Of May. II Is Ls~9F
Leel IN dimension and houses tbs COM
~ Gers s ana district clerks offices and
me +-sl district court. Bonds for its
sIectlon were issued to the amount ~
2z9,U0g- The cost. however. was con
siderable IN excess of this am0rr-+
-eachlng to about $4,000 in total
More Space Needed
GROWING demand for more snaca Fos
the counry-s regular business. as well
= me necessity OF providing quarters
or the new court Of appeals. resulted
N the decision OF the COMMISSIONS
20 oul1d. the new wing Accord ding ~
present plans the entire third floor-
VII De occupied by the court OF an
'eaIs and the offices OF the Judges and
'Lefk me second floor win proba bTv-
e used for the office OF the district
'lerk, which has been badly cramped
or room FOR some time. Until further
-eceSslty arises the first floor viii m
~ probability, be rented TO the citv
or ONCE usages.
II mas been the expression OF the
.olIlInl ssloners that the new addition
mould be as nearly firsproof as pos
las been set for November z II the
.OIe Is favorable. plans for construc-l
lon VIII be taken I'D without deIav
Ample Space Provided
As the original court house building
coupled almost the exact center OF the
lock, ample space IS available for fur
ler additions, such as the needs o6
ne county may require for many years
o come. Alterations TO a number OF
ne ortlces now located on the first
-0Or may result on completion OF the
eW wing That the bond issue viii
AIRY IS regarded as practically set-
Leo, ana before the close Of 1911 work
uke1y to be in progress upon the
-lesl improvement to the county