The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-02-18
THE NEW CITY COUNCIL.


council practically makes the board a new
body, although the old members with the
mayor form majority, and are likely to shape
the legislation of the city.
> Too much should not be expected of the
city government at present The city is more
largely involved than at any period of its his
tory; it owes more money, has to provide for
more revenue and its necessities have grown
with its population until its officials hardly
know which way to turn to help matters.
All observant persons are agreed upon the
necessity OF doing great many things in Or
der to make our city presentable to the coming
world if not comfortable to its present inhabi-
tants. The trouble is that too much is sug-
gested al once.
One great point to be gained is to secure
he conviction upon the minds Of our tax pay
ers that they will have to submit to extra bur-
dens, in order that the necessary work shall
be done. When once our community is con-
vinced that there are certain things that must
be done, and the sooner done the better, then
we may hope to 60 ahead with the work.
If you suggest that some certain street should
be paved, you are met with a long-winded
dissertation upon sewerage, drainage, paving
and general ornamentation, involving an ex-
penditure of millions of dollars.
1t would be splendid five could spend three
or four millions of dollars on our city. 1t
would make it the finest and most prosperous
city in the south.
To sewer this city properly will cost an out
lay of hundred or two thousand dollars.
To pave its streets will cost a million or
more dollars.
To ornament its squares, erect proper pub
lie buildings, to widen and straighten crooked
streets, to make street along the river bank,
TO wall in the river, to build fountains, ETC.,
will cost good deal of money.
All these splendid ideas frighten our cit-
zens who have become used to the mud
streets, who have never thought of making ex-
pensive improvements; who are strangers to
the idea of sewerage. But there is one plan
that will be endorsed by all thinking people,
to-wit: Adopt plan and work up to it; do
something every year. In place of sewerage,
surface drainage and strict police
regulations enforced in regard to the
removal of all filth and garbage. Then
the paving of street after street until the work
is done.
Sewerage and street paving could 60 to-
gether.
Let us do $Ioo, 600 worth of work year
until our city is made as clean as pin and as
sweet as rose.
An investment of $Ioo, 900 annually for ten
years will be splendid investment for our
city. 1t will keep up its business life and Its
growth and add to its wealth.
A Railroad to the Gulf and to Fredericks-
burg.
All interest in the enterprise of building
railway to the gulf and to Fredericksburg,
seems to have subsidized.
The Importance of the enterprise remains as
great as it was few months ago, but things
seem to 60 by fits and starts in our community.
1t requires some man to start the music always
before anybody will take any interest.
When our leading business men, a few
weeks ago, tramped over the city and secured
subscriptions for the Palmer-Sullivan road, We
thought we could see the beginning of an en-
terprise, which is of the greatest importance to
our city. The Palmer-Sullivan people de-
handed 100000, right of way, depot
grounds, etc., our citizens raised about $780,
ooo But the Palmer-Sullivan scheme seemed
to fall through, and instead of our citizens
pushing right on and when the Palmer-Suli-
van people failed forming a company and
at once inaugurating a home enterprise, they
dropped the matter entirely. One hundred
thousand dollars subscription by our citizens
in the hands of local company will build
this road, and our business men should not
let the grass grow under their feet in pushing
this enterprise.
Building Permits.
The followinp DermitS have, heen Issued