Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-05
Location of the Court House

Now that the location Of the court
house is squarely up for final disposi-
ton, The Enquirer sincerely believes
that no serious mistake will be made.
With the decision Of the commission
to abandon the present site, II that de-
cision. Is to be regarded as final, we
heartily approve, for wherever the new
building Is to be located 1t should not
be located on the old site. With this
question disposed of, however, the next
important matter-indeed, the all i'm
portant matter, Is a new site. 5...'...
AS is perfectly natural in case like
this, contending interests are very we'll
calculated to confuse the issue, and we
can very we'll understand how the COM
missioners may be at more or less loss
as to what Is best to do; but so far as
we are concerned, we have about
studied the matter out to our own sat
isfaction, and have no hesitation in Of
fering our conclusions for what they
may be worth. .. .. .r,.a
primarily a county affair. and town
affair only secondarily. So far as our
interest goes, we feel that we are in a
position to look at the matter broadly
from the standpoint Of both county and
town and that we think we are doing.
If the present site were not worth
more to the county in dollars and cents
than for court house purposes, then we
would say, go back on the present site.
Also, If the present site held out any
advantage to the county as a whole
from the standpoint of convenience, we
would say go back to the present site.
But as we see it the present site has
nothing to recommend it in either Of
these particulars-not for court house
purposes. ., ......
With the question Of the capital of
the county settled as. 1t Is in favor of
Yorkville, then so far as the location
of the capitol Is concerned 1t is Of small
consequence so that 1t is in this town.
BY that we mean that in whatever
quarter of the town the court house is
located, it viii be as close to the county
as q whole as if 1t were located In some
other quarter. And If this is true, as
true it is, then the main consideration
of further Importance. is the cheapness
Of the prospective site.
From the standpoint Of the town Is to
be considered only the present effect on
property values and the possible infiu-
ence on future development, etc. AS to
these the county has very little inter-
est, except in so far as the proposed To-
cation may tend to develop more taxa
BILE property.
If the new court house should be To-
Gated some distance from the present
site in an undeveloped quarter where
land is cheap, the tendency would be to
stiffen the price Of lots in the vicinity
and ultimately there would be more de-
velopment. This would make for the
interest of the town as a whole and ul-
timately for the interest of the county
as whole.
In a matter of thing like this where
we are supposed to be building fol-
twenty five, fifty or even a hundred
years. we are justified in looking not
altogether at the present; but ten or
fifteen years ahead. 1t is not difficult
to see that If the present site Of the
court house will bring fifteen or twenty
thousand dollars at public sale. the
property thus sold Is sure Of early de-
velopment, to the benefit Of both town
and county, and II the new building is
located in such situation as affords
room for development, there will nec-
essarily be more development there also
to the benefit of both town and county
For the reasons outlined, therefore
we respectfully submit that while there
should be due regard to the topograph-
ical suitableness Of such lot as might
be selected, it Is as we'll to keep in mind
the actual cost Of the lot, and within
very broad limits, we say the cheaper
the lot that shall be selected the great
er the advantage to both the town and
| county.