El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-10-30
FAV0RS JOINT CITY,
COUNTY BUILDING
A. P. Coles FavOrs It if the
County Issues Bonds; OPP
poses City Bonds.

A. P. Coles makes the following sug-
gestion as to the proposed joint city and
county building and means by which it
can be realized;
AS there has been considerable talk
Of building an up to date. modern
court house and municipal building in
Ell Paso, I wish to suggest that there
are two ways by which such a building
could be erected without any cost to
the city tax payers and very light ex-
penSe TO the county tax payers.
How to do ii for Nothing.
Inc 1lrst proposition would be for
the county to sell the $50 feet front on
San Antonio street by 100 feet deep
(thls should bring at least $500. GOOD
and the city to sell the city hall property
which would bring something over
500, 600, This 100000 with the $40
goo that the county has on hand for
court house purposes, would make
SS4O,OOO, which would build a modern
fireproof building on the south $50
teeJ front on on overland street. running
pack l4O feet to a 20 foot alley which
could be put through the block behind
the 100 feet to be sold
This would make a municipaI build
ing 260 feet by 140 feet. The building
could be so constructed as to add anV
number OF stories on to it as they were
needed, simply by raising the roof.
rms would give US a magnificent.
.iAOuCtu courthouse building. to be used
Jolntly by the city, that would answer
thelr purpose, including a convention
hall $50 by 40 feet, until the citV
grew to about 100000 inhabitants.
by the county
The Overland street front would be
practically as good for the courthouse
as the san Antonio street front Ar
engagements should be made, however.
to open Kansas street full width from
San Antonio street to Overland street
so as to give three fronts. south. west
and east, for the new building. In this
way the taxpayers would not be out a
dollar.
Plan of County Bonds.
The second, and probably the best
plan for getting an uptodate building
would be for the county to follow ont
yQqSe HarperS suggestion and vote
S5OO.OOO or $4,000 in 40 or so year
bonds, and erect a f1re-proof building
covering the whole block 26O feet
square. and use the outside 40 feet
back from the sidewalk around the
Dulldlng, except entrances, for market
mouse purposes This would leave a
court IN the center $50 feet square, a
part Of which could be used for stair
ways and elevator space, leaving a
space large enough on the ground
hoor for very large convention hall
The rents that the county would re-
ceive from the booths in the market
would pay the interest on the bonds.
and probably leave something to go in
me SHINING LunQ. out II II old not
bring in enough to cover the sinking
fund. then the county would only have
10 provide for the sinking fund which
would not be more than $40 900 a year,
which would only raise our county
tax rate fraction of a cent This
would give the county and city a joint
municipal building with large con-
ventton hall. and supply the much
needed market house
Opposed 20 City Bonds.
I am very much opposed to increas-
ing our city bonded Indebtedness. and
it should not be done unless required
for the purpose of protecting the health
of the city by providing plenty of good
drinking water and sewerage, or for
building school buildings
do not believe in allowing ourselves
to become pessimistic and allow the
growth and progress of FL PasO to lag
on account OF the Mexican troubles. Fl
Paso must and will continue TO grow,
regardless of the Mexican troubles.
FavOra Doing IT Now.
The sale of this 100000 or $500 900
bonds by the county, would not be a
bad thing for the city and county OF