Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1894-12-28
REPLY TO Mr. G|BS0N'S LETTER
Alderman David Williams Gives His
Reasons for Opposing the
Park Purchases.
He Would Like to See the Late City
Treasurer's BOndsmen Pay
Up First.

The following letter has been received
from Aid. David Williams explaining his
position on the question Of the legalizing
Of the park purchases made by the late
council with a request that it be pub
lished:
GREAT FALLS. Dec. %, 1894.
Editor Great Falls Tribune:
SlR-Inasmuch as the Hon. Paris Glib
son has stated his reasons through your
columns for asking the council to secure
additional legal services in the prepare.
tion of a bill to be presented to the legis-
lature for passage by that body, legaliz
ing the action of the last city council in
purchasing land outside the city limits
for park purposes, I desire to submit
some OF the reasons which actuated me
in voting against such request: First,
the cost of improving these parks in
such a manner as would make them at
t~ractive resorts would involve the ex-
%penditure of a greater sum of money
than can be raised by taxation. Taking
as a basis for calculation the cost OF the
improvements made in the parks donated
by the Townsite company, which already
amounts to more than $4,000 fifteen
thousand dollars in four years. This is
in addition to the improvements previ-
ously made by the Townsite company
the cost of improving and beautlfylng
these outside parks would exceed $780,
600, an amount for which no provision is
or can be made under our present laws
on taxation and Indebtedness, even
though Mr.. Gibson's prediction as to
this city's future is realized. He has
only to consult facts and figures, instead
Of theory, to arrive at the same conclu-
sion.
l am satisfied that the money which
has been expended in improving the old
parks has been economically and Judici-
ously spent, but the trouble lies in the
fact that it is difficult to grow trees in
this section and it will require at least
Sl5O,OOO more to complete the work
already begun.
Second-It is commended by those fav-
orable to the new park purchases that
the money which would be realized from
the sale of the lots donated will assist IN
%defraying the expense of improving same.
This may be the case to a very small ex-
tent, but it would not represent 10 per
cent. of the amount needed. Moreover,
l am opposed to the city council enter
ing into the real estate business. 1t is
beyond it's functions, and the municipal
interpretations act under which this city
is operating grants no such authority.
Privileges which would now be a source
of large revenue to the city were gratuit-
ously and recklessly voted awayfrom the
people to corporations by former coun-
ellis, and the parties who were largely in
strumental IN bringing about that state
of atfairs-some of whom were beueti-
Charles thereof-come to this council ask
ing the present members to commit
similar errors-to put it mildly-as we're
committed in the past.
Third-l believe it is poor policy to
expend large sums Of money upon out
side parks, while u streets and avenues
their present condition. Outside
of the business portion of the city there
has not been a single avenue graded,
consequently owners in the residence
portion are 10th to set out trees in front
OF their lots, knowing that they will be
disturbed when the grading is done.
The council should encourage the
planting of trees in the resident portion
of the city. Special improvement dis
tricts should be created for the purpose
of grading and curbing, in order that a
uniform system of tree planting be in
This can be done under the
laws by special assessments against the
properties benefited, and payment made
by the owners in four equal annual
installments, the entire cost of which
which will not exceed $50 per lot, or $3.50
per lot per annum. This small expend-
iture would greatly enhance the value of
the property benefited.
In this manner the city would be
beautitied and made attractive within a
very short time.
If two or three blocks for park pur-
poses could be obtained at reasonable
prices within the city limits and at an
easy distance from the public schools
they would be a valuable acquisition
and the cost of improving them would
be trifing in comparison to improving
the land purchased Outside of the city
limits.
Notwithstanding, for the sake of ar
gument, that Mr.. Gibson's position ia
voring the purchasing of these outside
parks is tenable, / would still oppose
any action being taken by the council
seeking to legalize these purchases, from
tIlo ldCI lHdI leRdIlLIuS tueso p~uICndseb
means legallzing the park. purchase war
rants that are now outstanding. This
should not be done, at least until the
bondsmen of the late city treasurer re-
store to the city treasury the money be-
longing to the park.purchaee fund. out
of which these warrants will have to be
paid, if paid at all. The excuse that the
money is tied up in a suspended bank
comes with very bad grace from those
men who signed that bond for the sole
purpose of securing control of the city's
money for the use of the banks in which
they we're at that time interested. One
of these bondsmen conveyed to the city
his interest in one of the parks in ques-
ton and received in payment therefor
park-purchase warrants. and l ask if it
is right for me as a councilman to vote
to legalize this mans warrants when he
is taking advantage Of every technicality
to avoid fulfilling an obligation to secure
the city from %pecuniary loss, and which
obligation was voluntarily assumed by
him?
In conclusion I desire to say that I do
not wish for one moment to withhold
from Mr.. Gibson one iota of the credit
that is justly due to him for the persist
emit and successful efforts he has made
and is still making for our sity, but in
A.. ..-:l.... Al. . l.---