El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-10-30
.HE proposition of erecting a jOi

county and municipal building
Il will be submitted to the taxpay-
ers of the city and county in the form
of a referendum vote. This was de-
cided by approximately IS taxpayers
who attended the meeting held Wednes-
day night in the saith district court
room, in the courthouse.
Are you in favor of erecting a joint
municipal and county administration
building What amount should be
expended for this puropse?' Should
the money be raised by a bond issue or
by the sale of property These will be
the form of questions to be printed on
the cards which will be sent out by the
county officers to the taxpayers.
Judge Sweeney, Strongest Opponent.
ton of the proposed joint build
ing was made by judge J.
Z. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney based
I his argument against the con-
struction of such a building on the
ground that there were more urgent
things needed, such as schools y He
warned those present that the city
could be killed "deader than a door
nalI by mourning a large amount of
Indebtedness, which would necessitate
nigh tax rate, thereby burdening the
citizens and having the effect OF Keep
ing prospective citizens out of FL Paso.
Chief Justice Harper for Building.
While judge Sweeney was against
the proposition. Jap1es R. Harper chief
Justice of the eighth court of civil an
peals. was just as strongly in favor of
It. Judge Harper wanted to build a
10 story joint building. if necessary.
be dWelt for some time on what he
thought the architectural lines Of the
proposed building should be More than
anything else it should be such a struc-
ture that New Workers would turn to
look and admire it. Judge Harper con-
tended that there was a great need for
a joint building.
Both comfy Trrdua
mayor G r. Kelly state that they
were servants OF the people, and what
the people wanted, they vented
Claiborne Adams Was Chairman
Claiborne Adams explained that the
meeting had been called for purpose of
ascertaining. the sentiment of the tax
payers on the proposition of erecting
the joint building
On motion of chief justice J. R. Har-
per, OF the eighth court of civil appeals,
MI. Adams was elected chairman. H
NJ Johnson was appointed secretary.
Kelly Puts 1t Up to People.
Mayor g E Kelly was then called
on TO address the meeting. He said: 81
am perfect working servant. have
very We little TO say on this matter. If
Fl Paso-my boss-wants a municipal
Dulldlng, then I want it If the people
or this city and county want a munici-
pal building [ am sure that judge Eylar
VIII get it for them I am a servant
OF the people and if the people want it,
then I do
EyIar Says Building Is Needed.
County judge A S. J. Eylar stated
sentiments. As a citizen, he said, he
believed that new building was
needed. He spoke of the city renting
a building for the waterworks offices.
If a building was decided on, he
thought it ought to be 4 joint one City
and county officials, the judge believed,
should be housed in one building.
I think we need this institution"
nudge on h0
the little city hall is oVercroWded"
Says Auditorium Is Needed.
He then said he thought an audi
torlum ought to be included in the
building for the purpose of holding
conventions. As an instance Of this he
cited the coming of the National Irri-
cation congress in 1915. In leaving the
proposition to the citizens in the form
Of a referendum vote he thought such
questions as the ultimate cost of the
building. and the ways of raising the
money should be submitted.
Due to People. Says Harper.
Judge Harper said he had served Is
years in this old shack" ct am in
favor of the proposition" he declared.
Let US not talk of anything less than
a half million dollar proposition. It
is due to the people to erect a build
ing that visitors will turn 10 look and
admire"
Servants of the people, Judge Har-
per declared, were living in all sorts
of quarters. He wanted to see
building that New Workers would ad.
mire.
Build it Is stories now If neces-
sary," judge Harper said, ''or build it
so that the roof can be taken off and
higher stories added"
Permanent Structure Wanted.
He did not believe a building should
be erected and corrugated iron addi-
tons added. The city and county jail,
to be. He spoke of the county having
three district courts. Ee thought
there should be two county courts.
Take the rents they are paying for
works offices" he said and they
would be almost sufficient to provide
a sinking fund for the amount needed
Taxpayers wouldn't Feel 1t.
The county, judge Harper said,
could not build school house. The
in which the school was
desired, he said, would have to do that.
If judge Eylar and mayor Kelly de-
termined upon the joint municipal
building, he said, it could be built,
and in way that the taxpayers would
hardly feel
Judge Harper believed thht il
market house was installed in the I
building, foodstuffs offered for sale |
would be open to inspection of Off /!
Convention Hall Needed.
He said the city needed a conven- /
lion hall. He declared that there I
should be such a hall. large enough /
I'VE are now on the eve of the /
greatest prosperity that the city or /
county have ever known" the judge /
with the completion of the EIe-
1hant Butte dam it will mean the 4
breaking of wave of prosperity such .
Is we have never known
He spoke Of the convenlences Of a
oint building. saying that the man
who ran the heating plant could do 1t
or two buildings.
The man who ran the elevator would /
De performing two services, in such a
He thought that all these
combined should be con-
;idered
In conclusion Judge Harper again
ldyocated erecting a, structure that the
;itizens could point to with pride
Judge Sweeney Opposes Building.
Judge J. L. Sweeney declared that if I
joint building should be erected it /
hould not be a cheap one Judge /
Harper drew a beautiful mental picture /
# the future" judge Sweeney said.
We all hope that FL Paso will be
prosperous.
4 do not think that we ought to
rect this building at this time. There
re more urgent things needed. In the
expenditure of public money we should
-eep one thing in view: the man who
avs the city taxes also pays the
Ounty taxes.
School Buildings, Greater Need.
ct understand that several hundred
hiIdren are attending school only half
h