Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-27
LAWYERS OF 8rArE PROPOSE
OFFICE BUILDING FOR gu.
PREmE COURT.
FIRE PROOF srRucruRE
TO HousE STATE, LIBRARY
Erection Of Suitable Building on Cap.
itoI Grounds Would Relieve Con-
ssstion in state houss-ear Assoeia.
ton Considers Queston-Library in
Danger From Fires.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
| Des Moines, June 27.--When the time
comes for erection Of q new building
for the state Of Iowa to properly house
doing the public business. the lawyers
Of the state and the courts will Insist
that it shall be q temple Of justice.
With such a building on the states
property at the capitol there would be
no need Of a strictly Office building. at
least for many years. There Is no in
J tent to urge at this time the erection
| of either, or any building, but to mako
sure that when action is taken It will
/ be right
! The Iowa State Bar Association had
presented to it at the Burlington
meeting one simple phase Of the mat
ter. in a report from Arthur ]. Small.
who is librarion for the association and
related to the necessity for better
housing for the law library.
! The state has law library that
could not be replaced at any cost, but
which is easily worth q half million
dollars. While it might have been the
boast of the people for many years
they had a splendid place for their
library it Jig now certain that it is far
from being an ideal place. Iowa is in
! danger of suffering a loss as New
York did when the entire library was
burned, and as Wisconsin did when
much Of theirs was burned. And the
books are subject to conditions that are
ruinous
Protection Needed,
| "The members of the association will
recall the fire of 1904 at which time
the entire house of representatives
was destroyed and the destruction Of
the library was narrowly averted,"
said Mr. Small. "It was demonstrated
then, and is conceded now by all, that
the capitol building is not fire proof.
A repetition of that fire is liable to
/ happen at any time, and especially
true in the library. as the entire room
; is finished in inflammable material
| The accidental dropping or stepping
| on a match in the galleries. which are
{; covered with carpets would endanger
i the whole library, for if once fire
starts and gets into the walls. ducts
of air shafts which are all Of wood.
there would be nothing short of great
\
easy each day about this and often
go home at night wondering. as lock
the door, il will find our great library
there in the morning.
i 1T IL known that Wisconsin and
New York suffered the loss Of their
libraries. particularly New York.
| where the destruction was complete,
it's rich collections succumbing to the
flames and water. The latter state is
now spending great sums of money
trying to restore it's library. Many Of
the rare volumes can never be re-
placed and others only partially.
Such a calamity in Iowa, in the
destruction Of it's law and economic
library would be regretable to say the
least. Like. New York, we have rare
i volumes and sets that could not be
replaced at any price and others OBJ
tanned at great expense, to say moth
ing of the inconvenience to the courts
and the legal fraternity of the state,
in the event of such disaster.
| Fire Proof Temple Of Justice.
"The only way to obviate the danger
is the erection of fireproof building
to house the supreme court, the at
torney general. and the law library. the
building to be known as the Temple
i
Judicial Building Several Of the
states have erected such buildings, a
plan which is becoming generally ap-
proved and considered by others.
lowing 20 the crowded condition Of
| the capitol, there will have to be some
sort Of building erected in the near
future to care for the already existing
departments, boards and commissions
Of the state. The last general assembly
had two plans under consideration, one
an office building and the other a judi
cial building. It is a question Of
which shall it beg
by taking from the capitol build
ing the supreme court, the clerk. the
attorney general, and the law library
fully one third Of the space of the
capitol will be vacated which can then
be used for the purely executive boards
ana commissions.
Y would recommend this associa-
ton take action about this matter.
The danger and devastation confronts
. us, and should such q calamity ever
occur, would forever feel that had
been negligent Of the trust imposed
in me II did not call attention Ito
such danger and advise you, the bench
and bar OF the state, that an office
4 building is being strongly considered
which building, II authorized by the
legislature, would preclude the im-
mediate erection Of temple Of justice.
thus 1eopardizing the safety Of our
great law library, which has but few
equals and In which we take great
pride.s
ENDEAvoRERs ELECT OFFICERS.
State. Association Chooses Officers For