The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-29
NIChER'S COLUMN.
observations on Town Improvements.

To the Editor OF The Herald and
News:-As you propose 10 open =
'kickers Column IN The Herald and
News it occurs to me TO furnish you a
few observations for it. | would, how
ever, not wish to De regarded as kicker
against any improvement that the
town can Reasonably afford. But we
have need OF very many Improvements,
and l think it the part OF wisdom 10
undertake the most necessary nrst. It
will te time enough 20 undertake lux
uries, if we find that We can afford
them, after the works Of prime neceS-
sitv have been carried ont. need not
refer TO past errors in this respect, but
those errors ought to serve as guide
for the future.
II the first place We are not Yet done
with the graded school. aud are called
upon in a few days 10 vote another
5000 for the building. We should OF
course 60 ali that is necessary 10 make
these schools success, for money spent
in the cause OF public education al
ways regard as wisely spent. But from
what I have heard Of the cost OF build
inCs elsewhere. K does seem to NE
that the $4,000 already voted, together
with the 5000 10 $1,000 that the
two lots belonging to the town are
said TO be worth, ought 10 be sufl-
cient to erect q building ample for all
present. purposes. | merely make this
observation in passing: bur would not
wish 20 De understood as opposed TO
voting the additional sum asked for.
Then every one must admit that our
streets require far more work than
rhev get. They are a wilderness OF
grass and weeds in summer, ard a lob
iollv OF mud in winte-. Mr.. Jackson
should have a larger force OF street
workers at his disposal, and perhaps
mightwork il little more eenergetlcally.
Bat our most pressing present want is
unGuestionablv good supply of water,
as was urged by DR.. Mcintosh and
and Others al the meeting. This Is
urgently needed both for the health OF
the people aud for the safety OF the
town froUl fire. II a regular system of
water works be found feasible, in the
language of the resolution adopted, so
much the better. That would answer
all purposes. But should this not be
the case, then it seems to me that we
cis,erns constructed without delay in
the most exposed parts Of the town for
the use OF Jle fire department. | do
noc at all agree with the idea I have
heard expressed, that only the center
Of tie town has the right TO protection
from ire. ] hold that all taxpayers
have such right. and for their resi-
denceS as vel! as their stores and places
OF business Cisterns adequate for all
purposes, [ am informed by the eff
cent head Of our fire department, can
! lie constructed for two or three hun
| dred dollars each: that is, the license
| for one Of the new barrooms to be
opened would about construct two good
clsterns. As il seems to be the policy
OF our conScript fathers. very wrongly
IS I think. 70 increase instead Of dlmin-
ish the nuul0cr OF these places for cor
ruptirg our youth, and reducing fami-
! lies 70 poverty and shame, at least all
the advantage possible should De got
cut oi them for the benefit Of the town.
Instead Of raising the license only SlG0,
| | would have at least doubled it. The
| liceDse at Chesteris, believe, 81 600 aud
at Spartan burg $500. 1t is true, either
sum would be very Inadequate re-
! turn for the harm done a town by 4
barroom: but it would al least be some
thug with which 20 do necessary
work
After our town is properly supplied
with water and other prime necessities,
I should not only have no objection,
but would be delighted to see our streets
lighted by electricity. This would be
| not only highly ornamental but also
exceedingly useful in many ways. I
have seen many smaller places than
Newberry with electric lights, and l
see no good reason why we might not
have them. l freely admit that our
| present pretense at illumination is
| miserable failure and little better than
uothing at all. l only insist that we
should undertake what is most neces-
Sary first.
! Ifthis be kicking, then I am
4 KICKER.