The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-10-19
NO MONEY TO
Be SPENT FOR
BUILDING SITE
NEW SUPREME COURT sTRUc-
TURE WILL BE LOCATED ON
ONE OF THE SQUARES WHICH
WERE ORIGINALLY INTENDED
FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Special 70 Tho Journal

Special 80 The Journal
Tallahassee, Oct. lS.-There has been
much interest manifested of late in
the matter of locating the new Florida
supreme court building. The bill ap-
propriating 500, 200, passed at the last
session of the legislature, provided that
the proposed building should be located
within 1900 feet of the capitol, and
the commission to be appointed by the
governor clothed with authority to in
stituts condemnation proceedings, IL
they should decide to place It upon a
block owned by private individuals. It
was found that any suitable location
near the capitol square would cost the
state twelve to twenty thousand dol
lars.
AS some of the commission were of
the opinion that IT would be nice
thing to put the building on one of the
four squares, which are about $50 by
400 feet and almost adjacent TO the
capitol square, the governor appointed
sub commission composed Of Judge
r. F. Taylor, Comptroller A. c. Groom
and Hon. q. W. Lewis, Sr., TO look into
the matter Of location and report at
the next meeting. Attorney General
Park Trammell was asked to prepare
and submit an opinion as to the
states title TO these squares at the
meeting Of the commission in October.
The attorney general had an arduous
task to perform for the original map
OF the city OF Tallahassee could not
be found. II Is said that ii was made
by a man named Nunes. II is very
likely that during reconstruction days
that many Of the important records Of
the state were either destroyed or
placed where they were damaged and
rotted in the basement. The Oldest
map, in appearance, found. was that
found in some very old papers which
once belonged to the late Hon. Council
Bryan, who was the venerable clerk Of
the circuit court OF Leon county for
many years. This map now belongs
10 Judge B. A. Meginnes, but II gave
nothing that would lead to any clue as
70 its author. The next oldest map
is the II. 8. Duval map which is Of
hcial, and II ia the one used by the
real estate firms and lawyers in Tai
lahassee. The original map. II II could
have been found, would have shown
whether or not the squares adjacent to
the capitol were ever dedicated or
desig nated for public parks AS this
could not be determined by any map
It became the task Of the attorney
general to satisfy himself by looking
through all journals, state and terri
torial laws, acts OF congress and re-
ports, back to the acquisition OF Flor
Ida In 1919. Chas. o. Andrews. who
was recently appointed by the attorney
general, took a weeks search and says
ne round interesting data In the vaults
relative to selecting the grounds, lay
ing out and building Of the present
capitol that would fill a large sized
book and he has been asked by citi-
zens of Tallahassee to write a history
of the Capital City to be kept in the
city and state libraries. His familiarity
with the journals OF the legislatures
and general law-mal1ing for several
years past has stood him In we'll in
making the search.
Not Public Parks.
The whole search revealed the fact
that the squares had never been dedi-
Gated for public parks. but were orig
inally intended for other state build
ings that might be needed from time
20 time.
The commission chose Jackson
square, which is Just southeast OF the
capitol square, for the site, and II is
conceded by all to be an ideal spot.
II 10 high and surrounded on all sides
by principal streets.
The commission has also saved to
the state something like $4,000. The
bin appropriating the 100000 Is d.
rectory and II means that It was the
intention OF the legislature that II all
should be used in erecting, furnishing
and identifying one OF the most beau
tiful edifices in the state. The gen.
erous city Of Tallahassee offered To
deed to the state any right, title or in