Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-22
CAN'T FIND ITS PEER.
EY-Councilman Keating Eloquently
Eulogizes the East End.
HAS no EQUAL IN THE COUNTRY
Pittsburg's Handsome Residences and
Bright Newspapers
THE WONDER OF THE UNITED STATES

During the Indignation period consequent
to the recent triennial assessment several
gentlemen made the statement that high
city taxes would stop the erection of fine
residence buildings within the city limits
and compel those who contemplate the
erection of such to look for sites in the
suburbs. But more recent developments
fail to support this statement
Instead of diminishing inquiries after
large residence grounds in the choice sec
tions Of the city seem to be growing every
day, and bona fde purchases are being
made, the purchasers in most cases declar-
ing their intention to erect palatial homes
for their own families. Many of these are
Allegheny men who have become tired OF
that city for variety of reasons, and feel
ing satisfied that the East End
is and will continue to be the residence
quarter of Pittsburg, have decided they
could do no better than to enjoy home
amid its comforts, conveniences and natural
attractions.
Building Palaces for Homes.
Among the recent purchases by ALLIE
gheny men reported is that of William G.
Parke, who within a few days paid 500, 900
for the residence and grounds of Aaron
French, at Penn and Linden avenues, and,
it is said, will tear down the old building
and erect in its place magnifi-
cent residence. j. G. Stephen
son purchased a residence place
on Penn avenue, near to the French prop
erty, for $40,0 900. A number of Pittsburg
men have also bought in this favored Sec
tion recently. John B. jackson paid $50, 900
for tract adjoining the French property
on Penn avenue, and proposes erecting
home there; Albert Wilson, the druggist,
paid $47, 900 for lot 176xS00 feet at the
and Henry Curry, of the Carnegie firm, has
closed deal for the Burger property, on
Homewood avenue, for S4S, 900.
A large number of persons moved to the
East End from Allegheny as tenants this
year, but they are only tenants On trial and
if they like that locality many of them will
be owners of fine properties upon which
they will lavish thousands in improvements
inside of another year.
Proud of His Own Town.
A. F. Heating has been travelling about
among the large cities of the country a
good deal recently, and Yesterday. in con-
versation, compared this city with others
that he had visited. His remarks were in
teresting:
"If there is any city in the country that
has a finer residence section than the East
End" he said, 81 would 60 a long distance
to see it. 1 have travelled around a good
deal lately and visited many cities, but
the more got around the better satisfied 1
became with our own city. Nowhere have
been have seen handsomer streets. more
beautiful residence grounds, more elegant
residences or SO many of them as one finds by
ride over the traction lines through the
East End. l don't believe there is city in
the country that can excel it.
81 have been agreeably surprised to note
the superiority of Pittsburg over other cities
in the matter of street cleaning In New
York, Philadelphia and Baltimore the ap.
preparations for street cleaning are several
times larger than Pittsburg makes, yet 1
found paved streets in the best parts of
those cities that you could not duplicate
anywhere in Pittsburg for dirt, and all
their streets were much worse than ours.
This was particularly true of New York and
Baltimore, and the streets were not only
dirty but they were in o condition that
would not be tolerated here.
The Evolution of tho East End.
been a wonder to me-" continued Mr.. Keat-
ing, "and 1 think Ed Bigelow is entitled to
credit for it fully as much as rapid transit
Seven years ago, when Mr.. Bgelov assumed
control OF the East End, its population was
insignificant as compared with now, there
was not sewer in it, there were only a
half dozen paved streets and it had the
largest death rate of any section of the
city. To-day it has an almost perfect sewer
system on nearly every street, there are
many miles of beautiful paved streets, it is
the healthiest part of the city, and the
population is as great if not greater than
any other section.
"All this has been done without adding
1 cent TO the city debt, in fact, the debt has
been decreased s., 900. 900 in that time. No
other city in the country has such record.
Those who continually rail against the gov
ernment of this city on account of alleged
extravaganza are certainly not posted. They
cannot have given unbiased consideration
to the facts here as compared with
other cities. Pittsburg's debt was SIS, ,0OO,-
900 at one time, and all but S14, 800, 900 of it
was entered into not by City Councils but
by vote of the people. To-day our debt is
smaller than in almost any other large city,
our tax rate is lower on the average and our
city is developing as fast as any in the coun-
try, and a good deal faster than most of
them.
knArsument for High Taxes.
eff our taxes are large in tie aggregate it
only proves one thing that l have in nv
experience. Whenever a city's taxes are
stiff there you find vigor and prosperity. 1t
seldom fails and it applies to other organi-
cations than cities. Take churches for in
stance Show me a church that has en-
dowments enough to keep it up without
taxation on its membership and will show
you slow, dragging useless congregation.
A poor congregation with a big debt is al
ways vigorous and successful. The same is
true of cities.
"Another thing noticed, concluded the
ex-Councilman, twas that Pittsburg's news
papers are better than in other cities
used to think our papers were dull here
sometimes, but take it all back now. 1
spent two weeks in Philadelphia recently
and made up my mind, after studying
closely the character of the best
papers in that city, that Pittsburg
excelled them all. Baltimore, Boston and
Washington were even worse than Phila-
delphia in the character and contents of
their papers. On inquiring learned that
in all these cities they employ more men on
their papers than in Pittsburg, but for some
reason, which I cant understand, their
labors are less satisfactory to the readers.
The people of those cities appreciate this
fact, too, and speak highly of Pi.tsburg's
press.
HUNDREDS Of rooms rented every week
by advertising in tbs cent a word "To Let
rooms" advertising columns of THE DIS
PATCH.
RuG1NE is a safe sure and absolute de-