Telegram-herald., 1891-02-04

r. Prspsssa rsas - msss~a 80 Sssy
. R1xA HAS $<hsns<-

- Rtovoeo4 Rt49 - H4eD9 - &ks{
= si<A Asas 3<h~n<-
The pfopesst.ea 70 sxteHa t4s city
haa4<s. now bsfo<s the eaknAea eezn-
Ell. aae state Legislators. snlsss u "A
vossss = Geeess.ty. o. . 70 result ia .
benefit ether 10 he civ or ~ tie err
ers of the lands ever waieh TIE city ! -
assume Jar stlet.oa. saoald sesss VITA
"a sbFaps esaan. II tss aes necessary,
and nobody = " be tsnsftss, tasn an
extension 10 purely sapestaoas and
must become nlscbisyo9s-
II VIII not be eoatsnded for . n1o..
nient that Al extsnAoa IS posreeessary.
teopse living n tie various sgeaFhs
aud additions rad lt undesirable and
expensive ~ live atIleent to city,
eoatrsoanng IA lnnenefabie Ways 70
tae wealth aad prosperity thereof, aud
at the same tine ind themselves
dsnled the use and enjoyment OF rs
advantages, II the way OF water schools,
hight. fife and police projections.
Other elements Of necessity suggest
themselves 20 tie thoughtful and
patriotic citizen, which II is unnecessary
here ~ reeapltaiale.
The Dement'S 10 TOW from an extern
son OF the limits are direct aud posi-
tive IN character. BY taking IN those
tracts tbieAly covered with residences
OF both the poor and wealthy, the value
= immediately enhanced, with no APP
oree.ahle increase IN taxation. The
benefit 70 those tracts not built upon.
aud largely owned Dy rich real estate
SPECTATORS. Is equally as direct and
positive; bat Notwithstanding this, there
seeIns To be desire on the part OF toe
latter % hold their tracts. outside the
limits, until by reason of the enhanced
value growing out of the city improve
meRts on two OF the four sides. they
will be axe To plat and sell their prop
erfy at advanced ngures, without con-
trlbuting Il dollar 10 the expense OF the
| Improvements.
THIS fact IS glaringly illustrated In
| the outlines OF the city IS they Will ap-
pear should the present plan IF extern
sion be adopted. On no one side are
the lines regular and continuous, but
on the contrary, the unbu:lt tracts of
| the rich holders are exempted at all
| four corners, so that the shape OF the
city resembles something SO suggestive
of deliberate attempt TO bench, the
rich at the expense OF the poor as TO
| call for emphatic denuncIation ana re-
| monstrance.
IL is an Undesirable monstrosity in
outline, and no animal or geo,netrlcal,
COMPARISON can be made without doing
injustice TO both the latter.
The only sensible way is to extend
the limits straight out IN each direction
for there is enough crookedness in
Grand Rapids without making the
boundaries SO crooked that cross
| eyed man would be obliged To stand on
his head to outline them.
Another thing should be considered
and it is not the least important one.
| The city of Grand Rapids has doubled
IN population in each of the four past
decades. In round numbers the popu-
| latlon IN 1860 was 5000; in 1870, 5000;
in 1890, 81 900; IN 1890, $4,000, and to-
day. 10y actual enumeration, there are
10000 people residing in the suburbs
| just as much u part of the population
as those living within the limits. A
conservative estimate would give the
city population of l25, 900 IN 1900.
| Where are they 10 live? Surely tile
present plan OF extension could not af-
ford room TO contain them. The lands
of the rich outside the limits, AS pro-
posed, must be utilized for homes by
the increased population sure to come.
Why not extend the limit. out over
these unoccupled lands so that the
| owners, rich as they are, may contri.
butte an equal snare IN the municipal
taxes ana Improvements? All that
makes a roof OF land III the city, or ad-
| joining IT. OF greater value than farm
| ing lands IS the commercial opportuni-
ties built up and fostered in the city.
The duty OF the council, therefore, is
| plain: either extend the limits UNI
iormiy IN each direction SO that the
city may be symmetrical and taxation
eauitabiy adjusted, or else let them re-
main as they arc for another decade,
| that the rich owners OF adjoining lands
may not profit upon the necessities OF
the poor.