The morning news., 1889-05-29
A Suggestion to the Mayor.

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prominent citizen who takes deep interest
in everything that tends to beautify and
imnrove Savannah:
Editor Morning Nelcs: Our worthy
mayor is ready not only to entertain but
| to adopt proper suggestions tending TO the
| public good. I therefore venture to make
one through you. Our street and lane COM
| mttee has Just as much as it can do IN at
| tending to the streets and lanes proper. 1t
| has neither time nor opportunity to expeld
upon the ornamentatiOn Of the parks and
| public areas, AMI the practical duties Of
| leveling, paving and keeping in order the
| tnoroughfares Of the city are very differ
ent from the more aesthetic oitice OF beau
| tlfying our parks and squares. That the
| latter are not at present maintained II
| Cieanly and becoming condition IS best at
tested by their appearance. The square in
which the noble Jasper monument IS To-
Gated has attained the acme OF municipal
neglect and untidi ess.
Ny suggestion IS thai a new COMMITTEES, say
Of three, to be known as the com nnittee on
parks aud squares, be appointed, and if this
be inpracClcable, that a subcommittee,
from e committee on streets and lanes, be
designa ed for this purpose. Such com
mlttee should be especially charged with
the crnamentat!on of our parks, squares
and public areas, and of all spaces MT
49, 80 SN~NAN-
use for pub C passage. Tue condition of
the ground, the grass plats and the
trees should be submitted to th9 intelli-
gent scrutiny and care of such a com
mittee. Decaving and unsightly trees
should be replaced, and the arboriculture
of the city should be conducted upon scien-
tifc principles. We have many beautiful
Towering trees which would greatly orna-
ment our areas, among taem the mimosa,
the lagustraina, the fringe tree, some specie;
of hoilyhocSs, the olea der, and many
others; and the adaptaOility of new vari--
ties of trees to our climate and soil should
be tested and utilized Ii is very apparent
that the planting of the water oak,
tho pr dominant tee in our CITY,
should he checked It's rapid growth has
caused its popularity, but it is really a
swamp tree, needing a damp soil, and the
under drainage of our city has Withdrawn
its proper nouriShment. 1t is, besides, an
uncleaulY tree, shedding its leaves at all
seasons. 1t is peculiarly the prey of the
mistletoe, and at 50 or 40 It bsco mes hollow
hearted and presents a mela choly spectacs
of pre- nature senility. Who can prop
erly apply the remedy except an
intelligent Committee especially charged
with the work! Such committee could CO.
operate with an in eligent and earnest COM
mlttes from the Savannah Floral and Art
AssociatiO1, and the certain result would
be marked progress in the aesthetic de-
velopme1t and beauty of Savannah. What
the intelligent cO-OneratiOn of the public
can do for municipal welfare is now eing
attested by the volu ltary efforts of tbs
Public Health Association and the persist
cy OF Us zea4OAs inspector, Mr.. Des-
vergers. Surely it is not necessary to argue
the value to city AMI its people, Of public
clea illness and adornment These must
always be close allies of municipal advance
ID, 81
alone they possess the highest S glificaace
Our city has attracted far greater atten-
tion from its fine trees and foliage than
from the char cter OF its buildi lgs. Ii is
known t. ou SderS as the Forest Citv."
Assuredly it ncerns every inhabtalt
that, neither thr ugh Ignorance nor neglect,
shall it become disfor rested. CITIZEN
The suggestion contained in the foregoing
communication is a good one and ought to
be carefully considered by the mayor. Our
people are just beginning to appreciate the
possibilities which Savannah pos s5esses of
becoming one of the most beautiful cities of
the country, if not, in some respects, the
most beautiful. The improvements which
have been made within the last two or
three years have awakened in them de-
sire for other improvements of an orna
mental character, aad if the council will
only take the lead they will gladly lend
helping hand,
More trees ought to be planted and the
planting of them ought to be under the
direction of those who know what trees
thrive best in the soil and climate OF this
locality, and which ara most desirable for
beauty and shade. There ara a great many
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because they are rapidly dying, and their
places ought to be supplied with others.
Indeed, tree planting in the city ought to be
made a constant study, and the young trees
should be carefully looked after. In times
Of drought they should be watered and
they should be protected, as far as possible.
from disease and from amin ais which still
have the freedom of the streets.
Some of the public squares are in an un-
slightly condition. With little effort they
could be made as green and pretty as John
son square How beautifully green the
yard in front of the Chatham academy is
The success which has ATTENDED the efforts
to beautify that place shows what can be
done in the public squares. The time ought
not to be distant when the neutral ground
on Soutl Broad street will be bsauti-
full sward from one end of it to the
other. 1t should be used no longer by the
soldiery. and when its improvement is be-
gun the people should not bs permitted to
dishgure it with paths.
There is no reason why the work of
beautifying Savannah should not keep pace
with her material prosperity. Savannah is
already beautiful city, but she can be
made far more beautiful. Let us make her
the pride of the south.
The fact that Kyrle Bellew was hissed by
a Chicago audience the other night, when