The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-24
MOVE ID BUILD NEW COURTHOUSE
 MEETS APPROVAL
Present Structure Inadequate to Present Needs of County, Is Stated-PubIiC Health
 Is MenaCed

That the present courthouse is en- tirely inadequate to the needs of the county, and a menace to the health of the public and county employees, is the opinion of many prominent citi- zens, and the movement for the build ing of new structure given strong commendation.
 It is pointed out that the present building is unfit for the transaction of the countys business, that it is un- clean and insanitary and lacking in proper accommodations for those whose business requires them to spend much of their time in it.
 Among the many expressions in ref erence to the need of new building are the following:
 JUDGE J. E. AIRD
 There are so many really meritori- ous reasons for the building of a new courthouse for the county that to enumerate them all would fill a book" said Judge U. B. Aird. There are three vital considerations, however, that, in my opinion, make the building of new structure imperative
 "The first is from the health stand point not only of the employees of the courthouse, the lawyers and litigants, but the general public as well. It is a matter of common knowl- edge to the regular frequenters of the courthouse that the stench through out the courthouse is almost insuffer- able. This is not so much due to the lack on the part of the authorities to keep the place clean, but from the fact that the construction of the building lends itself readily to the accumula- ton of foul air. This is, of course, a menace to the health of every, one con nected with the county and those whose business calls them to the court house from time to time, and that in cludes practically every resident of the ; county.
 Then again the accommodations for the jurors are wholly inadequate from the fact that there is an insufficient number of jury rooms in which to de- liberate on the cases submitted to them for decision. Some of the roones are entirely without accomm odations and as a result the jurors snffar much dis comfort when called upon for this inn portant duty. From the health stand point alone, a new building would be justified.
 Secondly, there is the advertising value of public building to the com munity. Birmingham is attracting many tourists from the north and other sections of the country who gem erally look up the points of interest here and new and up-to-date struc- ture for the housing of the county courts and the various county offices would necessarily attract their atten- ton and be of immense value to the community from an advertising stand point. As to the present building one would feel humiliated to show wis., itor through it, there is not a re- deeming feature in connection with it, other than the architectural design of the exterior, which while stately and imposing is like unto many other things of fair exterior, in that 1t fur ther emphasizes the foulness that is within.
 'The third point to be considered is that of efficiency. Practically al; of our large corporations are giving much attention to the housing and general working conditions of their employees. They have learned that this tends to promote a greater degree of efficiency among them. This proposi- tion will apply to the county em- ployes. Under the present condition, there is not court or department of the county that has sufficient accom-