Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-19
MAYOR CRITTCTSES
COUNCILS FOR GRANT
TO NEW CITY COURT
Allotment of 100000 for
Buildings for Juvenile and
D o m site Relations
Branded as Extravagant.

Mayor Blankenburg sharply criti.
cised Councils in an interview TODAY
for their "extravagance' in allotine
100000 of the proposed loan to build
a courthouse for the Juvenile and Do.
mestic Relations Divisions of the Mu.
nicipal Court and for passing over his
veto an ordinance condemnng propertv
at 21st and Race strets as a site for
the building. He urged that IL such
| building is erected it be located on the
property adjoining the present House
of Detention, so as to keep these
branches together
The Mayor was in fine spirits and ap-
parently in good health. He said:
81 think the Municipal Court is en-
tirely too young to go into such ex-
travagance We want to find out what
the Court is like and see what it can
do, and then make some general com.
prehensive plan for providing It with
courthouse.
ut seems to me absurd in fact a
little cheeky, especially after the ex-
travagant extremes they went to in
appointment of tipstaves In that mat
ter they houted public opinion I don't
know that the Municipal Court is on
titled to any better quarters than the
Common Pleas. Quarter Sessions and
other courts, You know what poorly
ventilated congested and dark condi-
tions some of those courts are in
THE House of Detention was built in
1906 and 1907 There seemed at that time
ample room In fact, more than was
needed l was County Commissioner at
that time, and had charge of erection of
this building
PRESENT QUARTERS AMPLE.
philip II. Johnson was the architect
and his plans were accepted with slight
modification. When ii was dedicated
Mayor Reyburn made an address and
persons were present from Chicago Bos-
ton. New York and other places, and they
said there was nothing like it in this
country.
'All of sudden it is inadequate If It
Is inadequate we should build alongside
of it for the Juvenile and Domestic Rela-
tions divisions. believe in keeping these
quarters together The House of Deten-
tion. at 2133 to PAL Arch street, occupies
lot 30 by 102 feet Adjoining is an 49,
foot street, called Beechwood. The next
five properties are assessed at sS1.10o In
the following order: 2l21. $4,000: 1928 1920:
2tZ5, 5000; 2l27. 5000; 2129, s750o A building
could be erected there at cost of slO0,-
COO The acquisition of these properties
would give us double the space we now
have.
WOULD KEEP BRANCHES
TOGETHER
"I entirely agree with President Nc
Curdy. of Common Council, that if any
additional buildings are erected. that Is
where they should be located. That
would keep these branches together withs
out great expense. The House of De-"
tention was built for $500 out of an
appropriation of s2O0,0O0 We tried to
turn S35 900 back into the city treasury.
The equipment we provided at the House
of Detention was without blemish.
NEED LESS EXTRAVAGANCE. o.
Now, what is the use of imposing an
extravaganza of this kind upon the city7
This must have been a sudden inspira-
ton All of sudden we find the present
quarters are inadequate. Some inspira-
tions lie sleeping a long time. Let us
have a comprehensive plan about this
whole project The Juvenile and Domestic
Relations divisions want 100000 court
house for themselves, but We want TO
know what they will do.
THE Municipal Court has not made
a good start in public opinion. 1t must
make good first. 1t asks for this amount
OF money now, but nobody knows where
It will end,
How many years have we been watt
ing in West Philadelphia and in Torres
dale to get some improvements for the
city's poor sick and insane? Now these
people come along and want to gobble
everything IN sight. 1t is not fair or
reasonable"
CLERK A POOR READER.
The ordinance calling for the condem-
nation of the property at 2lst and Race
streets was passed by Common Council
over his veto, said the Mayor because the
Clerk of the Council read his veto mes
sage so indistnctly that one OF the
Mayors friends could not understand lhe
reading -,
Thursday" he said. and only one Was
pa ssed in Common Council over my Eeio'
That was done under a misappreheu-loh
and because the gentleman VINO feahs NY
messag ges before the Councils mumo.es
through them so no one can understand
them. , %
THE veto would have been sustained ~
II had not been for this msappreheh'loh
on the part of one OF my friends MO
voted otherwise. He complained thdt ne
was unable to understand the reaHlhs,
That has been the complaint ever slHIe
| have been in office 1t is one OF lhs
weapons used to throw dust in the eyes
of the public
The Mayor became sarcastic in discuss
ing Councils attitude regarding tTaiS!"
II am glad that It did not require pup
lie opinion to compel them to inc,uus
$500 OGO in the loan for subway work, ns
said. II am glad to learn that II vas
always in their minds that they "e'S
Just Joking With the public all the TIME
ELECTRIC co. SALESFORCE