Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-27

that to do so would be contrary to the uniform
practice Of the government, as e9amplified In
the cases OF DeadwOOd and Leadv1lle. They hold
that the government, after reserving the springs,
the real wealth Of the reservation, charges,
through It's representatives city prices for lots,
upon them made by the settlers themselves. A
petition, asking that the heavy assessment be
remitted and that the rents formerly collected
forwarded to washington. Tie Commissioners
say in reply that, being appointed to appraise,
they have appraised. They have no power, even
II they had the inclination, to give away these
long been collected, not by the government to
whom they belong, but by those who ask them
as a gift They deny that with the time given
the payment Of the assessment will be hard
ship, as the land is appraised at only one-third
OF what they consider its actual value. The
true
CONDITION OF TIE PUBLIC MIND AS TO THE CON-
MIssIoNERs' WORK
seems to be as follows: first, the disposition is
universal to abide by the ad1udicat1ons Of the
commission as to titles; second, a majority Of
those living on the main street think their as
sessments reasonable when the value of the
property is considered; third, there is general
agreement that the charges on suburban prop
two questions whether the land is not now and
will not be Of greater value than its appraise-
ment, and whether the people are able to pay
Is m e are IS s a6s eTey one ne
the assessment as estimated by one Of the COM
missioners. be taken from Hot Springs within a
year the Improvement and growth Of the place
will be stopped and many Of its citizens bank
rupted The country is unproductive the peo-
pie are poor, the city has been ravaged by IRE,
and for two summers the stream Of visitors
which supports it has been turned aside by yell
low fever. The government has an interest in
the prosperity Of the city. The value of its
property, the springs, depends upon the extent
to which visitors are attracted here, as the de-
waters increase
ber OF batherS. 1t may become matter OF
policy either to reduce the assessment to an
or else to ieDgthen the time for the payment,
and to use part OF all of the money thus obtained
in the Improvement of the place.
THE FUTURE OF HOT SPRINGS
Matters at Hot Springs are not at standstill,
even In the present unsettled condition OF
affairs. The sound Of hammer and saw is heard
in the land. In pursuance of their instructions
to lay out streets, the commissioners have COM
gives way to the theoretical it will be to the
advantage Of its appearance and its sanitary
condition. The houses on the line Of the creek
have been removed or destroyed, and the main
street will be comparatively wide one. Like
its visitors the city Is ''all torn to pieces" now,
and is undergoing building-up anew such as
they experience under the action Of its waters.
But Hot Springs will never be restored to per-
feet health until questions of title have been set
at rest forever, and it is owned by its citizens.
When that happy day comes brilliant future
may be pictured for the place. A prosper
Gus, busting city is almost certain to lind
its location here, furnished with everything
that ingenuity can devise to attract and enter
tain visitors; with its drives and parks its great
hotels, and its numerous and extensive bathing
establishments utilizing every gill of the 500 900
gallons OF hot water that flow daily from more
than 20 springs. Arkansas has some good land,
l am told, and claims mineral wealth. Indeed
Hot Springs itself has been f1urr1ed by news
paper announcements Of the sale of silver mines
in the vicinity, and by the discovery Of gold in
dications said to be Of astonishing richness less
than fifteen miles away. But until something
more definite is established concerning the gold
escape the conviction that Arkansas was created
mainly to furnish location for Hot Springs;
and that the hot springs were made to issue
here, providentially, in order that some induce
ment sufficiently powerful to draw people into
Arkansas might not be wanting.