Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1892-08-04
BE Consistent.

A~VooOI ~ J0c
With considerable interest I read
the article in last Sundays ARGUS,
headed: ssThe Opinion of the Com
munity," in which is denounced the
action of the Mayor and Board Of Aid
ermen because of the appropriate ton
Of Five Hundred Dollars for the i'm
provement of "Hermann Park"
The ARGUS in one breath deplores
the insufficiency of the appropria-
ton and calls it squandering the
money wantonly. The next minute
1t wants to be recorded as public
spirited and thoroughly anxious to
beautify the Park and make it a
pleasant resort for our citizens and
longs to see the day of it's accomplish
ment.
It furthermore jumps at two con-
clusions, firstly, that the City has
just borrowed $4,000, hence has no
business to make an appropriation
for the Park; secondly, it claims
that it requires One Thousand Dol
lars to give the Park even Health
ful drainage,
Just where The ARGUS gets it's in
formation from I am unable to say,
but one thing it should do, in Justice
to itself and the public, and that is,
to investigate matters of its own ac-
cord so it will not convey an errone-
Gus impression to its readers as it is
doing in this instance, for I will
give THE ARGUS credit that it does
not willfully misrepresent the state
of affairs.
In the first place it is we'll for The
ARGUS and the public to know that
the finances of the City are by no
means desperate, in fact, no worse
than they usually are at this season
of the year, and as I am reliably in
formed the City frequently had to
borrow money in the Summer for a
short time. As rule, about mid
summer the City Treasury is short
of funds, and to tide over the time un-
til the annual Taxes are collected the
Aldermen very wisely borrowed some
money so as not to be in arrears with
their street hands ana current ex-
penses but to cash all bills that may
coma against the City as they are
presented, instead of making their
creditors wait until the annual tax
money comes in this is businesslike,
and as before remarked, not initiatory
with this Board, but has been Gus
tomary before. When the taxes will
have been collected the City will
easily pay off this temporary loan
and be in as good financial position
as ever,
AS Tor the statement that it re-
quires One Thousand Dollars to give
the Park even healthful drainage
this is grossly exaggerated and is SO
wide from the mark that it becomes
ridiculous.
It was the calculation of the Park
Committee that inside of $1Oo the
Park can be thoroughly drained for
all practical purposes. Since then
two-thirds Of that work has been
done and up to now not over twenty.
five dollars has been expended. This
of course would not include brick
or underground drainage, such
as are found in highly ornamented
City Parks when finished. Nor
was it intended that $500 should
be sufficient to complete and orna-
ment the Park in all its appoint
ments. This sum is, however, as
much as the Roara of Aldermen
cared to appropriate this year, and
considered that this sum, properly
expended, would make very credit
able showing. The appropriation is
no greater than the city can spare
and at tho same time carry on
ether necessary improvements.
Furthermore, it is we'll to remem-
Der that when the city accepted this
land for park purposes they did sc
in good faith and with the intention
to improve it and make it a pleasure
resort for our citizens as early as il
could be done practioablys it was sc
accepted by 3 former Board over two
years ago, and this Board is merely
carrying out these pledges.
In my opinion, as also in that Of
the majority of our citizens, as fal
as ! can learn, this Board of Alder
men deserve credit for commencing
a work SO much needed, one tina
will give our citizens healthful ex
ercise and recreation and tend tt
{add greatly to the attraction of oul
already pretty city.
| CITIZEN