The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-10-26
OUTGROWN
PRESENT COURTHOUSE
Relieved That County Should Seek New Court
house Site and Town Buy Old Court
house For a Town Hall

tU>. .,'N'''N N'>'N ''''S wv
~ua its courthouse and is
.,..,, To- bc forced sooner or
,.r- To- remodel its present
,m,hou>c on Main Street or
s,' I new location and build
~,w and modern courthouse
,.,-;cht. The present court
,,~,,. built in 1882. has long
Sr,c ceased to adequately
,,.,e the growing business
,r, enlarged activities OF the
COUNTY.
Tn. natter of Il new courthouse
ss, r,,u discussed in meetings of
-. Beard of County commissioners
In. those cautious gentlemen with
an ,v, ever ON the tax sheets have
hs,,a-,al to make much noise about
f. L will cost money To build Il
r,r courthouse in keeping with the
rrlrh. dignity AMI courthouse
r>iar>S of PaSquotank. and the
r.mwj>>iuucrS are the last folks in
m, wrril to spend money.
Tn, Offices of the Clerk of the
rr,,r- and Register of Deeds III the
.si courthouse need To be enlarged
Tr.-,. j. un room in the building
.a- the County superintendent of
Public Instruction. no room Tor the
rrII.r Welfare Officer. no room for
IN. Farm Demonstration Agent. and
n, rnnm fnr the Home DcmonStra-
ZION AGENT. All of these county tie
rar,mrur> are now housed outside
III, building. There isn't even a
.,ggI iurv rnrm. When court con-
r.arS the County Auditor has to
rov, ort 10 make room for the
jTry.
Tn" courthouse Pa>puotank needs
wnuld not only provide necessary
quarters for all existing offices. hut
would anticirarr the early demand
.nr quarters for Il whole time health
o:fircr. Tn" new courthouse. - hc
urdrrn in every particular would
rr,.ilr sleeping quarters for jurors
svI 4 rest room for ladies. There
m. no crnvcuirnCc> for women i'll
.tr n2d courthouse ana jury that
! h.ld over night has To he housed
~hrr.,rr luG-iu= can bc found for
Them
lrf. The way ccurthoUSes are now
t~..-. rh,. nld Jail would have tO hc
,--rr,sd and urw jail built on top
- .h. r"ur,h"u>'. Il part Of the
r,~-'hou>r Itself.
T.r.,,. who have been thinking Ot
'a, u,,,'> uf Il now courthouse do
sf think IA" present building could
+. satisfactorily enlarged and made
o-.s without seriously embarrassing
D, court work of the county for Il
-..e or more. Ii iS believed that the
20 practical plan would be fOr
',.nr;u,r t~ look about and acquire
i'v >urarr somewhere els" III
l. town anil build Il new court
ta~.' outright. IL is pointed ont
.ar the property on Main Street
nrd h.. sold AT Il much higher
.,,rr" than the cost of other proper
= elsewhere i'm the town. 1t Is SuS'
-.,'"i That The city. which is in need
o' q town hall. might buy the old
~1r'hnu>" property advantageous
r. thereby retaining the courthouse
'rmrn a> the one park or breath
~- place. within the heart of the
m-u.
+ wuu,i seem that here Is Il
Ia''"r for the Chamber of Com
l"rr'. i;.rariau$, KiwanianS and
ra"r civic bodies To- be thinkin.
a."U' amt .rfting together on. The
mm'v should not waste time Ill
acquiring Il new courthouse site
i % l"w site iS To he acquired. as
r.'r pr"lnriv will never be cheaper
'0nH IL j. nuw. And right now
'n'r. are sites available that may
h"' .' available in years to com"
"m"n- 'hu availanl" sites Is TIT
Manner property lying between
"'gf.u and pUindcXtCr streets ana
To" "'"rnmu property lying be-
'NnH south Road and Martin
>'f"''>. Tn" furmcr prOp"rt..' would
' DO iIu" with tn" proposed cred'
,"It "; 81 community center. being III
"h' with rh" new city High school,
win 'h, courthouse lD"atrd un Il
't''"f" h'iNrrU Martha ana rom
"'''r Streets. il would Ia nry'CSS;, r.
Z" a"nJr" only the block of proper
'' h''~r"u Martin and Pool Street
To- 81" 'h" city Il park between
'"" I'..h school AMI tn" new court
''..'. ra3izin. The dream of those
"n" wmjll make Elizabeth City Il
''E beautiful by plan.
kNIr I.nn,I nI.xIN.L, rrDID