The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-06-04
A MEDLEY on rIrouGmrs.

MEDLEY on TBfOUGIITs.
Having cast our lot In Dallas, for life
for veal or woe--after third of
century's residence In the older or
southwestern part Of the state, Ran.
sacked and Jumbled all over by the
war; we felt that II would bc painful TO
remain in the regions where every
days observation would bring up some
painful reminisccncc, and, therefore,
determined TO seek at Dallas wherein
10 spend the remainder of the days al.
lotted to VA on earth. Having done so,
all our thoughts have been directed
10 the welfare, prosperity aud grandeur
Of our chosen town. For three years
we have, to n considerable extent, neg
lected soll-intorest, in order to lend an
humble hand, in laying broadand deep
the foundations ola city hereafter to
shine among the great communities Of
our country.
In sincerity we have felt that our geo.
graphical and local position was such
rs to justify fond hopes Of n glorious
future. A charming climate and IN
eXhaustible soil combine to give cur
rency to such hope, aud truly our
growth has been without parallel In
the southwestern states. Yet some
things have occurred and yet exist
which materially dampeu the ardor of
enthusiastic citizens, and on them we
offer few remarks, a town, to be
popular, respectable and healthy must
have wide and spacious streets and
liberal provision forparks, promeuades
and other places orresort for the null
titude who toll six days in the week.
Almost all new towns of late years
start out in possession Of these nccessi.
ties. But how is 1t In Dollas? Where
are our broad avenues with shaded
sidewalks? Where our wide streets
aud spacious alleys? Where our public
squares, parks and promenadcs? Echo
answers where! Where, in any preten-
tious American town of the last fifty
years, has there been betrayed
such short.slghtod policy in pro
prietors in dedicatiug TO the
puplic ground for such necessary and
beniiicent purposesg In what modern
American town have men originally
laying out or afterwards adding to
growing towns, felt satisfied with lay
ing off streets of thirty, forty and fifty
feet in width? Where, before, have
men owning large tracts in town de-
manded pay from the people or the
public treasury for giving streets
through their own grounds, whereby
they were being enriched? Did any
man or set OF men ever before lay Off
town, or any addition to town, for
their own greater profit, and then ask
the people or municipal authority to
pay them for the streets? Suppose no
town existed, what would their acres
be worth? Yet, not satisfied with
enormous increase in value, some ask
contributions of the very men who
come here aud help to make them
rich. Or, In other words, some men
wish to lay contributions on the people
for making them rich. They virtually |
tax the struggling man who has but
a single lot topay them for marking
out streets through their own lands.
Whereby their own property is trebled
in value, while, without streets, it would
be oflittle or no vahie. Hurt whom
and where IL may, we have seen more
of this unwise spiritin Dallas lofcourse
ON this point than in all the towns of
our acquaintance for thirty and more
years. II has kept many useful mon
from locating here, and caused yarious
valuable citizens to regret having set
tied in our town. III anybody dis
nutes this last assertion, we think we
AN produce fifty honorable names 10
it, embracing some of the
eading business menl. 1t has brought
egfet TO the cheeks of many IN show
ng the town to strangers from abroad.
'erhaps, from our particular business.
We have realized these facts more than
most others but we know them to,b
rue. Men owning five, ten or twenty (
ores hesitateabout givingdecent street !
Dom, through their lands; some even .
pay for mere lanes of /,
NY feet, and some refusing to-
pen streets at all, while the merest
ovice can see they would be enriched a
doing so. What makes this mar |
'wness the more provoking is the !
cbewhich we readily concede. that :
me worthy and excellent citizens ln
eid to it-men who are generous and :
md neighbors in all things else. !.
ouch them on the. dirt question, and q
icy become Shyloeks, and some few Il
ay that old game called "dog in the n
anger game that has strangledin Y
faney divers good town sites in n,
'xas. IS s,ss. sss e.. r.s...l n.
Now, the common sense truth Ia that gr
large towns require wide streets, :, 81
d all towns, large or ANAL, require al