The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-30
THE BAY STREET COMMON.
An Eloquent Appeal on Behalf of
Making it q Park.

Making IL q FarK.
SAVANNAH, April 29-Editor Morning
Net1s: have been very pleasantly impressed
by recent editorials in your paper. advocating
not only the substantial progress Of Savsn-
nah, but its advancement in those comforts
and embellishments which shall make 1t an
attractive city both to residents and
strangers.
Awaiting myself of your columns, and the
encouragement you hold out to enterprise, l
beg to announce my approval Of the sug-
gestion in the MORNING NEWS yesterday,
relative to an Improvement which will add
greatly to the attractions of Savannah, and
which can be accomplished at a nominal
cost. refer to the dedication and improve
ment as public park of the green area
north of Bay street in the eastern portion OF
the city Some years ago, at the instance
of Alderman Davant, as | remember, steps
were taken to convert this space into a
park, but the enterprise was defeated
by the opposition Of a gentleman, since
deceased, who thought it might become
necessary TO open the streets running north
and south through said area. In any dedi-
cation or Improvement of this domain it
would be very easy for the Council to
reserve the right to open streets, should
they become necessary in the future. No
outlay would be required, except to define
with the spade and pick the boun-
diaries of the new park, to place
in it some comfortable benches so
located that visitors could view the broad
savannas that lie to the north, and the
windingS of the river flowing onward to
the sea- the planting of new trees, and the
better care Of those now growing, the keep
ing of the grass, and the clea sing and
more thorough policing of the space, would
entail an expense purely nominal and that
would be amply repaid by the addition of
so beautiful an area to the existing attrac-
tions of the city. When the municipal gov
eminent is less burdened with debt, a simple
coping Of stone or brick might mark the
southern and western boundaries. In the
afternoon, when the sun is declining, the
river reflects the blue tintS of the sky, the
water approaches appear at their best, and
from no other point can our harbor and its
possibilities be seen to SO great an advan-
tage. 1t is the prettiest view that our city
affords. Strangers visit and admire it, and
wonder thatour municipal authorities fail
to utilize and improve it. To most of our
own people it is terra incognita.
The Alderman who will use his influence
to have it converted into park, will confer
a lasting benefit upon our city The chief
attractions of Savannah are undoubtedly its
foliage and open spaces. and every avail
able spot, not required for public passage,
should be converted into park In Wash
ington, d. c., one of the most beautiful of
cities, even the green space north of Bay
street. between Whitaker and Bull, would
be inclosed and maintained as diminutive
park Our principal thoroughfares, in very
dry and dusty periods, should be watered at
public expense, as they are in almost every
city of any enterprise in the North,
and West Much disease is unQuestionabiY
caused by our abundant dust and grit, to
say nothing of its effect upon cleanliness
and comfort. We should enforce a more
clearly appearance in our streets and
squares. The nurses and children who en-
joy the free use of our parks should be made
to pay for the privilege by at least re-
moving the greasy papers in which they
wrap their lunches The carts of the
scavenger as they pass through our streets
should no longer be permitted to lay loosely
on the top of their loads the papers
and scraps they remove, and give
them to the winds to scatter at random
all over our thoroughfares. The private
proprietors who collect their own frag-
ments in open boxes, where they become
the free sport of the breeZes, had far better
retain them within doors; under the pres
ent system they simply litter the streets
and offend the eyes and sense of all polite
visitors and sensitive citizens. The writer
of this found it difficult to deny the asser-
tlon or cultured gentleman VINO had trav-
ersed the world, that Savannah was the
dirtiest civilized city in appearance that he
had ever encountered
Our squares and public areas, our streets
and our trees and foliage, require much
more attention than they now receive to
make them look cIeanly and attractive If
you, Mr.. Editor, through the columns of
your influential journal, will help to speed
this good work, you will confer lasting
benefit upon our city, and upon every
CITIZEN.