The terms of the court are now held in the county court room at
Asheville at an expense to the Government of $50 for each term; the
clerk of the court occupies a room for which an annual rent of $150 is
paid, and the rent paid for the rooms occupied by the post-office is
$180 each year.
The postmaster reports that four employees are regularly engaged in his
office, which is now rated as third class.
I have no doubt that the court could be much more conveniently provided
for in a new building if one should be erected; but it is represented to
me that the regular terms held at Asheville last only two or three weeks
each, though special terms are ordered at times to clear the docket. It
is difficult to see from any facts presented in support of this bill why
the United States court does not find accommodations which fairly answer
its needs in the rooms now occupied by it. The floor space furnished for
the terms of the Federal court is stated to be 75 by 100 feet, which, it
must be admitted, provides a very respectable court room.
It is submitted that the necessity to the Government of a proper place
to hold its courts is the only consideration which should have any
weight in determining upon the propriety of expending the money which
will be necessary to erect the proposed new building.
The limit of its cost is fixed in the bill under consideration at the
sum of $80,000, but the history of such projects justifies the
expectation that this limit will certainly be exceeded.
Pages:
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324