Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-01
WHY Not Am Pul Together2

EDITOR LEDGER-One OF the great
est misfortunes Of our city is the pure
and unadulterated selfshness Of many
of our citizens. A few years since |
remember to have heard Of a taxpayer
complaining very much of his assess
ments, and when asked why he did
not have them corrected, replied that
he could not accomplish anything by
himself, and if he enlisted his neigh
bors and fellOw-citizens with him, that
they would get their property reduced
in proportion; hence | draw the infer
ence that, rather than benefit all alike,
he preferred to suffer an imposition.
There are few such now, | hope, but
there are some yet, | fear, that
il they cannot have just such
as they want, at the cost of some
one else, will not, if they can help it,
let others have it at their own ex-
pense. We cannot build a railroad
without every man living in the coun-
ty Gas a condition to his subscribing
requires that it must be built in front
of his door, nor pave a street but all
want it on their street, right ROW, and
if somebody else gets their street paved
first some one is ready to jump up and
throw dirt, make all sorts of faces,
charge Partially, etc.
Now to avoid this very evil or to
give no cause for any to complain, the
J citizens of Adams street determined
to come before the Taxing District
government and make them such a
substantial and liberal offer in the
paving of Adams street that
no one, we thought, could
have any objection to it, but l believe
now if the property-holder were to
agree to pave every foot of it them
selves there would be some who would
object, if for nothing else than the
stone in the quarry might give out be-
fore they got their particular street
paved. Now it seems to me that if we
would do away with all this fault find
ing, envy, jealousy, etc, and combine
together, for in unity we have strength,
as is evinced in the Adams street
movement, for we must heve a begin
ning-and give a long strong pull
altogether, that we could pull Mem
phis out Of the mud. AT all events
it seems to me worth trying, and that
it would be better for Mr.. Moore(who.
/ believe, has the interest of the city
at heart to encourage enterprise like
this, come to forward and give us
one hundred dollars or more for
the pavement. We know that after
we shall have completed a nice smooth
pavement that Mr.. Moore will drive
over it with his visiting friends and
refer with pride to the manner in
which it was paved and not criticise
and throw cold water on it, for | as
sure him it was hard work to get some
to the sticking point when it came to
signing their names to the contract.
w all admit that we must pave our
streets, and that very soon, or some of
them will get impossible. Adams is
one in this condition, and if her resi-
dents and property-holders suggest
and adopt a plan by which they can
get their street paved first, it seems to
uhS Oncy u6hGIN6 CItulb IdJuGT lnalf
censure and if other streets will do
as they have done it will be a
small matter to have the principal
streets paved in a very short time.
Should MI. Moore undertake to get
up the subscription for Main street he
can succeed if he will work as he sug-
gests, although we believe there are
more people in the city of Memphis
who like to enjoy a good municipal
government land the privilege of
abusing it), have their houses pro
tected from fire, their property from
theft, good paved streets lat some one
else's expense), than any other city Of
its size in the United States.
ADAMS STREET.