The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-04-05

To our Worthy Burgess and the Honorable Tent
lemen of COuncil-

TO our Worthy Burgess and the Honorable Gent
lemen of COuncil:-
Most Esteemed Sirs:-PermiU an humble
tax payer to say a few words in regard to
the most excellent manner in which you
fail to practice that economy which leads
to wealth, Prior to the late spring election
there were those among your most Excel
lent Body who were loud IN their Express
sions for Reform in the dispensation of such
matters as pertain solely and closely to the
public veal If | am not mistaken, the
scraping of the streets can we'll be classed
in the category of those Great Reforms
which were supposed to startle the people
on account of their Progressive flavor, so
also, the filling of the thoroughfare leading
from the Valley House to the Lehgh bridge
can be looked upon as the commencement
of the Great Reform Period. The taxpay-
ers must not grow impatient under these
Excellent large oaks from
little aeOrns grow" 1t must be Temem-
bered that the direct tendency of these I'm
provements are Wise and Sagacious and
MOTTO be an example of What You Know
About Road Making. If it were so the re-
| Election would in all probability be unkind
and unpleasant to your sensatiYe spirits.
allude to this particularly from the fact
of which you must be already aware, viz:
the ready tendency of the public mind to
look with suspicion on your acts. 1t did
seem somewhat strange to me when
| learned that property holders were being
asked to sign petition calling for the ma
cadamizing and sewerage of First street,
from the fact, principally, that / could not
convince myself that you really meant it.,
and anything that | may have said az that
time l now cheerfullS take back, for see
that | was right, Fortunately for the tax
payers, you have in your Excellent Body,
at least, a few who will see TO it that the
public money is not squandered in making
improvements that, while necessary, are a
secondary matter with you, The money
expended in scraping the streets may not
be wisely expended, but it at once shows
that the Spirit of Progress is not dead in
you as one would likely infer from the high
character of the Improvement which at
once gives us change if in nothing other
than in the quality and tint of the mud
/ This is most excellent Economy and the
people loudly applaudyour sincere motives
OF course you will find those among oul
people who will disapproYe of your actions
but, Most Worthy Sirs, pay no attention tC
them, let the Spirit of Your Reforms speal
for themselves and you are sufficiently con
demned. We should have a sewer system
! and l suppose YOU heartily agree with me
but of course are handicapped as to the
size, or whether it should be on the surfac,
or underneath the ground. These littl,
things naturally disturb and annoy you il
your deliberations, ,and prevent the immed
! late carrying out of an Improvement whicl
YOU seem exceedingly desrous of making
; The probable cost is no consideration, bu
i you reflect l understand and appreciat
. the motive, and if the taxpayers and proI
erty holders won't you can't blame them
+ next summer when we inhale the malaIi
n ellluYia as borne on the breezes from tn
=, stagnated cutters, and are choked by IN
" dust or walk ankle-deep in the new shad
'e mud, it viii be more plain to them an
they will swear at YOU; don't mind il, 20
[, are public servants and as such are M
70 supposed to pay attention to matters of s
n little Importance. You are anxious to la
h the sewer, at least as much so as you al
v. TO macadami1e the streets, but there al
80 many who seriously doubt 1t. They ma
~ be wrong, but 1t is critical.
L. So, also, you have been violently abuse
~ for the manner in which you had the tire
~ in the Park trimmed. 1t should not CO.
cern you; remember the public knows not
IN ing about trimming trees.
,,iitI Don't allow these little things TO wor
III you, the taxpayers will see that they a
go not forgotten. There are few other 5hin
that the people are kicking about, but lat
IS | will refer to chem.
ng Thanking You for your attention, b
m, to sign myself,
re- Your most humble servant,
JoHN Brown.