The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-08-03
A Grens Re. nonsibni,x.

To the Editor of the HERALD:
To properly handle 20 900 inhabitants,
preserve order, protect property and life,
besutiiy and improve the city is an inn
portsnt trust, and one that ought 10 be
most scrupulously discharged. Human life
aud property are very sacred rights and
their protection cannot be measured by con-
sideratioDs Of dollars and cents, and the ,asn
or men who attempt so to measure OF !. ,so
them are u0tt tor the trust-iG ca DO
in fact of rising Intellectually to tho
dignity and demands Of an important
occasion. In view OF such reflections, whrt
manner of men have We NJ the head OF af
fairs III Dallas? Upon whom are we depend
ing for safety from the despefado or ims
munily from fire and the peslilenc.? IL is
not the purpose, certainly not the desire of
the writer to indulge 10 harsh criticisms upon
any man or set OF men
connected with tie municipal
government of this city or Responsible
forts we'll being, but the transactions of the
past two or three weeks within the
corporate limits, together with the con-
dilon Of the town generally call for
energetic protests from every well wisher of
Dallas, or for that matter, OF every sincere
lover OF good order IN this entire section
TO the mayor and aldermen of this city lot
me put few plain questions-let me say,
gent emen what IRE the facts which you as
guardians Of the municipality have to cons
front when your cons ituency call upon you
to rise and explain p What are the Distress
log and disreputsbe occurrences which you
will be asked TO give an accout Off" Briefly
these: A large and growing city, rapidly
becoming the attractive center and des-
lination of outside capital and immigra-
ton, with assesssbe property of the
value OF five or six millions of dollars with
every natural advantage, and all these
things given over well.nigh by your peculiar
management of affairs into the hands of
thugs, tbumpers, burglars, darkness, disor-
der, fires and noisome vspors with disease
and death in their every breath. This Is
strong language, but warranted by the facts
in every particular. It's no fault of the
city council that ruin has not oyertaken US.
Everything las been left undone that WAS
calculated TO ward it Off If fire had
occurred on any breezy" night lately,
it would have devastated the town,
because "a penny wise and
pound foolish" policy cut off the water. 1t
A. epidemic germ had gotten into the city,
iIs sanitary condition has been such that
the death rate would have been appalling.
Thirteen burglaries have occurred in the last
two weeks, and in every portion OF the town
Tor night after night men have been SHIELD
up" and robbed and .lugged with perfect
impunity. In such bad repute has the city
fallen that the state press are beginning 10
publish daily to the world our condition and
shortcomings. Think you, gentlemen of the
council, that this will not hurt your coDstit-
uency- that tits record is com,
plimentsry to your administration or
In justice 10 the citizensi All
honor is due to those aldermen and members
If the city government, who have attempted
Ii prevent these evils, and to you, Mr.. Editor,
for your praiseworthy and disinterested
I forts in behalf Of tne CO immunity, but to
strict account will be held those who have
been derelict in the duties of the hour. 1t
is Nighttime that a niggardly economy, which
would weigh human life aud comfort and the
future OF the city with few paltry dollars,
was stopped. What is necessary for the
well being of this society police,
water, lights, good streets and whst,Dot, we
must have no matter what it costs. This ia
no Idle gush or expression OF malice, brt the
common determination of the people, as
some men will fad out before long.
THREE CITIZENS.
DALLAS, August 81, 1881.