Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-11-12
HALL OF RECORDS
IS PLANNED BY
FREEHOLDERS
Would Erect Eight-story Build
ing at Court House
Triangle.
NEEDED TO RELIEVE
COURT HOUSE CONGESTION
Recommendations Of Special
Committee Referred to Build
ing Committee for Action.

The erection of hall of records
10 relieve the congested condition in
certain departments at the Court
House, a proposition which has been
under consideration for some time,
was the recommendation OF a report
filed Yesterday by the special commit
tee of the Board of Freeholders ap-
pointed in May, 1918, to investigate
the matter. The report was referrc
to the building committee of the
board and as the general sentiment
4 fayors the project, plans for the frruc-
rure may soon be launched.
The committee in it's report recon-
mends the erection of a building eight
stories high on the Rankin tract,
which is bounded by Springfield and
Thirteenth avenues and High street
and which Is owned by the county,
which would be used not only for the
Sling of records, but also for quar-
ters for certain departments of the
county government
In addition to providing more room
for different departments 1t would
also bring practically under one roof,
for it is planned to join the new
building with the present Court
House by an ornamental bridge and
tunnel, the departments of the
county government, which are scat
tered in different buildings in the
city and for which the county is now
paying a large rental.
One other site besides the Rankin
tract was considered for the build
ing, but the property cost would
make the erection of a building on
the site prohibitive
The members of the committee who
carried on the investigation were:
Director Walter Al. Evans, Freeholder
Amos w. Harrison and Frederick c..
s5teck
The complete committee report fol-
lows:
THE committee finds that the pres
ent conditions in the Court House are
becoming so congested that additional
accommodations should be secured
for the proper transaction of the in
ereasing volume OF business of the
county. "a
'.At the present time the County
Board OF Taxation. the Essex County
Park Commission and the county sur
perintendent OF schools are in build
ings other than county. bull ldlpgs.. for
which large rentals are being paid
by this board. The services OF an
additional Common Pleas judge are
often required and there Is at this
tAAAt3 1fQ tNttt - otfkA4 IL
such court may be assigned The last
Legislature authorized the Governor
10 appoint an additional Circuit Court
Judge to relieve the crowded condi-
fion of the trial calendars of the Cir
cult Courts of this and other coun-
ties. and proper facilities should be
provided for this new court when
appointed.
aBesides this, the County Board of
M ot,f Wei q "a "A
Measures, probation office, prosecutor
and detectives' Offices, county clerk
and nearly all the other departments
of the county government deE3and
and require additional space for the
transaction of public business in a
proper manner. Special attention has
been directed by out courts and the
press of the county to necessary ac-
cOlnmodationS for Grand jury wit
aesses and the members of the petit
juries. The need for increased facili-
ties is urgent and in the opinion of
your committee some action should
he taken in the matter in the near
future
sYour committee further reports
that in its Judgment the plan sug-
gested for the purchase Of additional
lands on the westerly side of High
street between Thirteenth avenue and
Nelson place be not seriously consid-
cred at this time because of the ex-
pense involved. FROM the appraisals
made by your committees experts
and the prices asked by the owners
of the lands in question, 1t Is appar-
ent that 1t would require an expendi-
ture OF at least 100000 for the ac-
QUESTION of sufficient land on the site
suggested.
Your committee further reports
that the building of an additional
structure to be known as the Hall, of
Records or County Office Building,
with sufficient accommodations for
ali the files and records of the county
register, county surrogate, county
engineer and road board, County
Board of Elections. County Board of
Taxation, county superintendent of
schools, Department Of Weights and
Measures and additional room for
the prosecutors staff and other ex-
ecutive offices, would relieve for many
years to come the existing conges-
ton IN the Court House and would en-
able the Board of Freeholders to pro-
vide suitable rooms and equipment
for all the other, branches of the
county government in the present
building. including two additional
courtrooms, witness rooms, executive
offices, etc.
Upon investigation your commits
tee finds that such a structure could
be erected on the triangular plot
heretofore purchased by the county,
which triangle is bounded by Thir-
teenth avenue, High street and
Springfield avenue, and is known as
the Rankin tract. This new structure
can be connected with the present
Court House by an ornamental bridge
over Thirteenth avenue and tun-
mel connecting the proposed building
with the present heating and lighting
systems OF the Court House.
The modern municipal and county
office buildings have been largely de-
signed along lines similar to the New
York City municipal building and are
considerably in excess of four stories
in heighth which is the heighth of
the present Court House. Your COM
nittee would therefore suggest that
tfre exterior construction of the new
building be planned to correspond, as
far as possible, with the Court House
exterior to the heighth of the present
Court House and that other material
and design be used above that
heighth.
IN the judgment of your commit
tee the proposed building should be
constructed with eight floors for the
present demands and designed so that
two or three additional floors can be
added in the future il needed.
I'm conclusion, your committee
urges that the matter of the pro-
posed new building on the Rankin
tract be taken up by the committee
on pNblic buildings at an early date"
TAXI Hire--others Charge 700 Mile.