The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-02-24
M0DEn.IiION IN am 4HiAGS.


penditures is being made, This little
but fast growing City of Elms has yet
a fine financial standing It's bonds
sell readily and at price which speaks
we'll for our credit, But there is pro-
prlety, there is wisdom in going slow
sometimes, even in an ancient Puritan
city conservative by Inheritance There
is, however, one way to continue doing
good thing without increasing the ap-
preparations. This is with regard to
our public parks The sum allowed
each year for their maintenance and
improvement is a mere pittance, and
there is a way by which the amount
for this object may be increased with
is simply by using the income of fund
which is now lying idle. We refer to
the fund created out of the proceeds of
the sale of lands from New Haven's old
town farm. A petition to authorize the
trustees to permit the interest from
this fund to be used for public park
improvements is now before the legis-
lature. There is no axe to grind behind
this petition. 1t is simply step taken
to benefit the public in general by the
better maintenance of the parks
Authorizing the use of the interest of
the fund in question will entail no adj
ditional call on the city's funds for
park improvements and without this
the purpose in question must be asked
for. 1t is an easy way to get funds
for a good object without adding to the
city's expenses. The city's parks even
as they are to-day appeal to the pride
of our citizens and add to the beauty
of our environs; and in years to come
these parks will be appreciated vastly
more by future generations of New
| Haveners than they are to-day There
| is merit In the appeal to the legislature
| to allow the use Of the annual returns
| of a fund which is now lying useless.
Speaking of the growth of the ex-
penditures of cities, the New York
Tribune yesterday calls for halt in
| that city as regards wholesale OUTLAWS
that will be required for certain for
midable projects now under contempla-
/ ~, r1+l Ill
| sympathy with the progressive spirit
which would make the metropolis
more beautiful city and supply it with
all the moral and material require
ments for a high civilization" it adds:
THE city has already entered upon
an extensive operation for the i'm
provement of the docks, the desira bility
of which can scarcely be denied, and
which it is believed will ultimately
prove to be profitable investment
Preliminary steps toward the erection
of a new East River bridge at public
expense are being taken. The creation
and development of the parks, a work
of the highest value, is also a very
costly one. The extension of Riverside
Drive and the construction of the
Speedway are legitimate contributions
to the general pleasure and conven-
fence, but they will consume a hand
some sum of money. The city has been
asked to give s2,500,00o for the cree
ton of a public library on the superb
and exceedingly valuable site which it
that it will make the grant, for
scarcely any other want Is 50 great as
that which the library is expected to
supply The Board of Education is
earnestly soliciting an appropriation of
SO, 900, 900 for school sites and buildings.
If the rapid transit plan is carried out,
the city will have to advance more than
300000 900 in the course of a few years
for that purpose. 1t now looks as if no
obstacle would be interposed to prevent
the erection of a new Hall Of Records,
and certainly the question of expense
ought not to be considered in that case.
Nobody denies that the municipality
could put new building for general
purposes of administration to good use,
and a project which has been on the
verge of execution several times is sure
to be revived before long. The seth
Regiment Armory will be a costly
structure, and so will be the new col
lege building whose present site it is
to cover"
This by no means exhausts the list
of big improvements in New York that
are already in progress or so strongly
urged that their authorization is pos
sible; and though all are meritorious
the Tribune wants to know why such
an aggregation of expensive undertake
ings should be loaded upon the city
simultaneously There is merit fire.
quently in making haste slowly. Some
city improvements can be left over for
posterity to accomplish.