Evening journal., 1913-07-15
SAYS COUNTY
OWES FOR OLD
COURT HOUSE
Ninth Ward Residents Object
to Razing Of the
Building
WILL ASK CITIZENS
TO VOfE ON QUESTION

Members of the Ninth Ward Civic As
sociation last night decided to canvass
the entire ward to learn If possible. how
the people OF the ward feel about the
present Court House being torn down
after the joint city and county building
is erected.
A committee composed of w G. Byron,
Joseph II. Maston and J. r. Donovan was
appointed TO make the canvass.
The question came up at the last
meeting of the association. and a warm
debate followed many of the members
of the association being opposed 20 hav-
ing the old building demolished At that
time the arguments became so warm
and so many good points were brought
out by both sides that it was decided to
refer the matter TO the legislative com
mittee Of the association for a report at
last nights meeting.
The report of the committee was
made by W. T. Morris, who said he had
examined the joint building law and
found that il provides for the erection
of the new building on a suitable site
and upon its completion the present
Court House is to be torn down. lie said
that the law did not provide where the
proposed new building should be placed
Mr.. Morris said he did not wish e
have it understood that he was for the
question one way or the other. but that
he had been asked TO make the report
and that he would simply make il eleal
20 those present so that the association
could take whatever action was neces
sary.
81 suppose, gentlemen" he said
that some Of you think that because
the law specifies that the old building
shall be torn down that the matter il
ended This is not the case. To erec
the building will take at least two
years. Meanwhile we will have new
legislature The old building canno
be torn down until the new is com
pleted and the legislature nigh
change the law"
Mr.. Morris said there had beer
some talk of buying the Wincheste
property as a site for the proposed
joint building, and that many peopl
we're in favor of doing this.
Mr.. Maston said Mr.. Morris seeme'
reluctant 20 go on record either 70
or against the question. Mr.. Mas
ton, however, said he was opposed I
the tearing down of the building an
hoped it would be delayed. That
not all; / know many others who al
against IL, Mr.. Maston said
y, The Rev. r. l.. Jackson, pastor {
Hanover Church, said that as the pee
pie pay the bills they have a right t
say whether the court house is to b
torn down or left standing.
THE trouble is" said Mr.. Jackson
that the people have not expresse
themselves sufficiently on the ques
ton and that there is a doubt as I
whether they want the building LEI
standing or not"
]. r. Donavan asked what the oil
building cost. He said he understoo
the figures were in excess of 500
. 900. He was informed by forme
Senator Artemus Smith, that tn
building cost a little over $4,000 an
that only the interests on the bond
had been paid.
Mr.. Donovan said he did not thin
II was a business proposition to tea
down a building that had not bee
paid for, just to make a parkin
place.
! w. G. Bryan, in making the motto
to make a canvass of the ward an
report the feeling of the residents [
, the association for it's own use S
that il might know that action tn
/, people desired, said that he had COZ
. suited many people regarding III
proposition and that nearly all ,
=. them wanted the building to stan
Mr.. Bryans motion for a canvS
!. was then unanimously carried
I James T. Stroud, president of II
association appointed, W. G. Brya
Joseph MastOn and J. r. Donova
l as a committee to make the canvas
a The next meeting of the associate
d will be held in September when the
s report will be received.
The committee on statistics r
= ported that of the $4,000 recent
spent by the city for repairs {
d streets in the ward that $4,000 hs
: been spent on Market street an
r but $4,000 had been spent in the n
z per part of the ward. It was e.
r. planned that these figures were on
l. approximate. They are correct, hoy
ever, within a few dollars. AS n
- ward is the largest in the city II
e amount Of money spent there was n
l. very large, especially as most of
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