The evening world., 1916-03-24
ESTIMATE BOARD
HEARS PLEAS FOR
NEW COURT HOUSE
Old Building Is Declared hy
Justice Newburger Unfit for
Human Habitation.
PREDICT CATASTROPHE.
Property City Paid $1,000
600 for Is Worth Only S5,-
OOO,oOo Now, Says Expert.

The Boar ut Estimate to-day lis
tened for an hour and n half to ar
guments for and against tho appro-
priation of s7,5CO.Oo0 for tho erection
of a new court house after which,
instead Of taking action in favor ot
tho project. as was expected. II rc-
ferrcd II TO committee OF tho whole
OF It's members for future report,
Morgan J. O'Brien, Chairman OF tho
Court House Board, read q very
lengthy list Of civic. commercial and
art organizations in all parts Of the
city favorlng the court house plan,
among which were tho Fine Arts
Federation Of New York. American
Scenic and Historic Preservation So
ciety. New York Boar dof Trade and
Transportation. Chamber NJ Com
mercc, New York Clearing House.
Now York Cotton Exchange and
numerous real estate associations.
I'VE have been coming before
Boards of Estimate asking for a new
court house for thirteen years" said
Mr.. O'Brlen. You must either make
up your mind to build tho court
house or abandon the plan altogether
and soil tho property you have pur-
chased for the site. This delay
means a tremendous decrease In
property valuations near tho court
house Blte, ont TO speak Of tho vast
sums OF money lost TO tho city In
the matter OF interest and the main
tenance OF "A Court House Board"
Supreme Court Justice Nowburger.
speaking In favor OF tho immediate
building OF a court house, said;
For tho last nifty years. New York
City has been without proper accom-
modations for uries. witnesses and
litigants In It's upper courts. Our
ury rooms are unft places for hu.
man beings. Where II IL n decided
menace 20 health 30 permit juries tc
remain in these rooms an hour. al
times they are compelled TO submit
| TO eight and nine hours confinement
The Board OF Justices OF our court,
has approved the amended oour'
house plan.
"The Board OF Estimate is probably
aware the building In which the Su-
prcmc Court OF this county sits has
twice been condemned by tho Health
Board as unfit for human occupancy
once in 1908 and again IN 1918
There win be catastrophe som,
day In that building that Will shock the
city. unless II Ia renovated or torn
down." was one prediction.
Every ono knows conditions in the
two court buildings arc bad" said
Mayor Mitchell. "The question Is
whether or not the city can afford tho
sum of money necessary and whether
or not the necessity for a court house
is great enough at this time to spent
| that sum"
Mayor Mitchell said the $1,000, ,OUt
Appropriation must include giItures
light and heating and electric wiring
Does that include the trim?'
asked an anxious taxpayer
We've been trimmed already" re-
piled Aldermanic President Dowiing
Il. j. Brady. representing the Cen
trail Federation OF Labor. said iabo
was In favor OF suitable cour
house. but believed more publ,
schools were a much greater neces
sity.
William II. Cheeseborough. ropro
senting the New York Board oi
Trade and Transportation. told tn
members OF the Estimate Board tina
the city OF New York was bound n
a matter OF self protection TO buil
the court house. He declared that
the property comprised in the ait,
which cost at least $4,000, 900. wer
TO be sold now, II would not brinl
more than 33,000.o0o. The member
OF the Board glsped in surprise
Comptroller Prendergast said he ser
iously doubted the accuracy Of tht
statement.
| -