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January 7, 1893
Grand Jury Returns
A New Court House
The grand jury returned to the court this morning and were discharged. In their recommendation they advise the erection of a new court house with sufficiently large offices to accommodate the officials. (Wilkes-Barre Times - Newspaper Article)
January 11, 1893
Wanted - A New Court House
A contemporary devoted a full column on Sunday to a plea for an elevator in the court house. It incidentally referred to the over crowded condition of some of the apartments occupied by important county officials, but it almost tearfully asked for the prompt construction of an elevator. It casually hinted at the meagreness of the general internal arrangements which could readily be reformed by a tearing down of the entire structure and putting up a new one, but it returned enthusiastically to its original demand for an elevator.
The Times also favors an elevator but would like to see it constructed after model plans in a modern and commodious office. It believes the time has come for the erection of a new Court House, something that would meet the present actual necessities and the expanding demands of the early future. An edifice commensurate with the grandeur and opulence of a great and rich a county as Luzerne. A building of stately significance and imposing architecture. This is what is needed and really needed. There are papers and records in the Court House today of more value than a dozen costly structures, and yet whose total destruction would be assured should a fire gain headway among the timbers of the interior. There are documents whose loss would be supplemented with sorry disaster to many important interests. The present Court House is nothing but a fire box, only waiting the opportunity of accident to reduce it to ashes with nearly everything it contains.
And yet those who should lead in the matter of agitating public interest in favor of building a new edifice, though they are the ones likely to suffer most should fire destroy the present inferior and altogether insufficient structure, are too economical to head such a movement. If it is too bad that something cannot be done to arouse them to a full recognition of the danger of delay and the necessity for vigorous prosecution of the scheme to put up a new Court House. No time is to be lost. Any night may wipe out the county building with its vast and valuable records and accounts. Let us lock the stable door before the horse is stolen. It will be time enough to agitate the elevator question when the greater one is settled. Lew us have a new Court House. (Wilkes-Barre Times - Newspaper Article)
May 16, 1893
New Trees at the Court House
The county Commissioners have purchased several elm trees which are being set out today. They are to take the place of those recently removed, but are being set farther in so as not interfere with the convenient running of the trolley cars. (Wilkes-Barre Times - Newspaper Article)
December 20, 1893
Remodel the Court House
Everyone who has business at the court house finds fault with the little accommodations of the building. Everyone who is forced to work in it daily lkicks bedause he doesn't have room enough., There is not an office or apartment in the edifice big enough for the mighty tide of business that flows into it. There are not jury rooms enough and this important omission is a serious one. The prominent county officers are obliged to sit in places scarcely large enough for them to turn around in when their clerks are all employed. No county of the wealth, importance and size of Luzerne was ever so distressfully lacking in accommodations provided for its legal transactions.
Grand jurors have from time to time recommended certain changes, but these have not been commensurate with the demands. What is needed is another story, What really should come is a new court house entirely. But as this is a question which must be delayed for a little while yet, the Times makes a plea for an added story. That would give great relief to the congested interior. It would supply the jury rooms that are needed, besides making room for a betterment of quarters on the lower floor. It is time that discussion in this respect should be aroused, and if lawyers would address themselves a little to the task of reforming matters in respect of increasing accommodations in the building, it would be a long step in bring the thing about.
It is a disgrace to Luzerne that her business edifice is what it is, a dizzy, dirty, crowded, unhealthy depot and nothing else. Lackawwanna long ago set a fine example to the mother county in the respect of a Court House. But while it is too much to hope for a new building, it certainly is not out of place to suggest the addition of another story with modern improvements throughout.
Remodel the Court House.
(Wilkes-Barre Times - Newspaper Article)
