A tacit hint of what is to be expected if the County Commissioners continue to ignore the instructions of Pasquotank Grand Juries, which have repeatedly recommended among other things, that something be done toward the improvement of the County Courthouse, is contained in a letter left by Judge Henry A. Grady this week.
Under the law Judge Grady has the power of ordering the indictment of the Commissioners in a criminal action, for failure to consider the report of the Grand Jury and his letter carries a polite hint that something must be done in this connection before he arrives to hold court here again
. Incidentally, he pays high tribute to the Grand Jury. Here is his letter:
“I call your attention to the very excellent report of the Grand Jury made at the present term. It shows great care and a conscientious effort to perform those duties which the law placed upon them as the Grand Inquest of the county.
“It is more pleasant always for the various departments of Government ot fuction in concert; but I regretfully call your attention to the fact that as many as four Grand Juries have made recommendations similar to those in the instant report, and apparently all of these recommendations have passed without the slightest notice.
“I sincerely trust that by the time I coe to this county in June, there may appear at least an effort on our part to substantially comply with the Grand Juries’ views, which views are most heartily shared by me.
Very respectfully,
Henry A. Grady, Judge Presiding
In going over with the grand jury the needs of Pasquotank due consideration was given the courthouse situation. It was Judge Grady’s idea that Pasquotank’s courthouse is a very substantial ad durable building good for many years of service, but wholly inadequate in size and arrangement. In considering this situation. Judge Grady remarked that the by building an ell on the building, and raising the structure to three stories with a jail on top, Pasquotank would have a creditable courthouse at an outlay of something like $200,000. It was pointed out that the jail alone would cost about $50,000. The new addition would make room for the Departments of Education, Welfare, and Agricultural work, for which quarters are now rented elsewhere. The desirability of cooperating with the city, and erecting a joint building was discounted by Judge Grady, who stated that it had been his observation that contentions and dissatisfaction usually arouse whenever a building was owned jointly, and that he recalled no building of this nature in the state. Judge Grady discussed the inadvisability of spending more than $200,000 on the building, stating that a new structure would cost about a half million dollars, whereas the expenditure of only $200,000 would keep the county’s bonded indebtedness within 10 per cent of the property valuation.
The Grand Jury Report
In substance the grand jury reported conditions generally good at the jail but stated the bedding and quilts were very unsanitary, and should be replaced, and the jail yard, the records of the Clerk of the Court, the Register of Deeds, The County Superintendent of Public Instruction, the County Welfare Officer, Home and Farm Demonstrations Agents, and auditors of office. Additional equipment was recommended in a number of instances.
Courthouse toilet facilities were called unsightly and unsanitary, and immediate attention was advised for these.
With respect to the building the report stated:
“The business of the county has outgrown the courthouse which was entirely adequate in 1882 when it was built, but is now too small and entirely unsuited to a progressive county like Pasquotank. There is no room for various county officers, making it necessary to rent quarters for Recorder’s Court, Superintendent of Schools and County Welfare Officer. No room is available for the Grand Jury’s use and so many improvements are needed that we recommend the employment of a competent architect to draw suitable plans for the remodeling and enlargement of the old courthouse so that the matter may be intelligently considered.
The Children’s Home was commended, while certain unsanitary conditions at the County Home were scored in the report. The report was signed by Cam W. Melick, foreman, and William C. Sample, clerk.
From the front page of The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Friday, March 19, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn83025812/1926-03-19/ed-1/
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