The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-18

The court house problem seems as far
from solution as ever. Despite meetings
held last week. AT which the Mayor and
his official family agreed with leaders
In the real estate field on certain changes
in plans and economies TO be adopted
and the real estate men gave their prom
ises to help have the court house erected
at once, there Is no assurance yet either
that the building will be put up or that
rs site will be abandoned. Law suits
have been launched to prevent the city
spending money In a wanton manner ac-
cording TO those who bring the action.
and hundreds Of letters have been sent
and received on the matter since THE
T. published last Sunday the previous
weeks history OF the o house tangle
Principal interest In the matter last
week centred IN the conference by the
Mayor. the Comptroller, Presidents Nc
Aneny and Pounds n the Real Estate
Advisory Councils committee consisting
Of william l.. de Bost. Frederick II.
Ecker. Alfred f. Marling. Clarence II.
Kelsey, Cyrus G.. Miller and Charles A.
Peabody.
The matter was discussed from every
angle. The proposal 10 abandon the
project was turned down on the constd-
Grafton that sl2. 500 900 has been put in
by the CITY already through the price
paid FOR the site, interest charges and
the loss OF taxes. Sale of the property
could be made at not less than n sacri-
fce OF 40 per cent and a great loss 20
surrounding realty interests which have
made improvements IN accordance with
the improvement 10 be made by the city.
II would be a question. real estate ex-
perts said, II so large a plottase could
he marketed IN many years.
DAME, r.. Moran, an engineer on
foundations. n T.. =. Goodrich, chief
engineer OF the Borough OF Manhattan.
told the conferees that comparing
conditions AT the site selected with con-
ditions elsewhere south OF Fourteenth
street they had no hesitation In saying
that for economical and satisfactory
foundations no more advanta geous site
II equal extent could be found. Mr..
Moran stated that no rock exists above
an elevation of $50 feet below street
level. but that everything the rock there
IL sam and coarse gravel. In his
opinion sand furnishes an admirable
material for foundations, for some OF
the largest and TALES buildings In New
York are founded upon extensive beds
of sand, For example, the northern part
Of the Municipal Building rests entirely
upon sand, Thu actual cost of the
foundation Mr., Moran estimates to be
equivalent to 20s cents per cubic foot
Of building above grade, rs compared
with SO cents. the cost per cubic foot
OF structure for the Municipal Building.
one OF those In the conference sug-
ges'ed the using OF part OF City Hall
Park for an extension OF the present
court house and the sale of n portion
OF the new site to pay for the building.
Tho idea was voted down from reasons
OF sentiment, because II would he only
n makeshift and because OF the already
congested conditions about, the park.
The end OF the conference came with
the decision by the city authorities and
real estate interests that the hest policy
for the city 10 pursue IL to build TIE court
house AZ once. The city ~ofticers pledged
themselves TO every possible economy in
construction, 1t even is possible that the
whole court house plan may be changed
so that the new building will come
within a cost of not more than So
100000. which is the limit Of cost on
which both city n real estate men
agreed, 1t also was practically decided
to abandon the civic centre idea and tho