The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-05
THE MONEY WENT QUICKLY.
BUT THE PARK AND TREE COMMIS-
SION HAS DONE GOOD WORK.


Says Some Arrangement VIII BE
Made TO Keep Up the work - The
street and Lane Department Might
BE Brought INA Legal Difficulty
Might Have to BE Overcome.
The unpleasant predicament in which
the park and tree commission finds itself
by reason of the expenditure of its entire
appropriation for the year, before the
year is half ended and the refusal of
council to furnish it additional funds
with which to continue its work is the
subject of a great deal of discussion.
While there is general surprise that a
body of intelligent gentlemen such as
compose the park and tree commission
should have been guilty of such bad
bookkeeping, the members of the COM
mission are the recipients of general sym
pathy. Their interest in their work has
been so manifest and they have given so
freely of their time with such good re-
suits, that the public generally has come
to share their interest in it.
1t is true the commission has spent S12,
500 in FIVE months, but it has done a much
needed work in the improvement of For
syth park, and one which is appreciated
by the public. The members of the COM
mission might have strung their appro-
priation out over the year by pottering
along with Forsyth park work, failing to
complete their work in Colonial park and
leaving the green on Oglethorpe avenue
in a neglected condition for another year.
They boldly undertook all three of these
improvements at the beginning of the
year, in addition to keeping up their reg
ular work. Each of the three improve
ments named cost more than had been
anticipated, and this accounts for the
rapid exhaustion of their budget. The
work that has been done was well done,
however, and the amount consumed was
not enormous. their appropriation being
only $12,50O In view of the good work
that has been done and the interest
which the members of the commission
have constantly shown in their work. the
positive refusal of council to grant the
small additional appropriation asked for,
5000, comes like a positive rebuke to these
gentlemen.
The question which naturally arises is
what is to become of the work of the park
and tree commission. Are the grass trees
and flowers to be allowed to die of neglect,
the work in Forsyth park to retrograde
and the parks and squares to fall into
neglected condition? Mayor Medrim when
seen yesterday in reference to the matter
said not. Some arrangement would be
made to carry on the work, he said. He
did not think 1t likely, he said, that coun-
Gil would reconsider its action of Wednes-
day and give the park and tree commits
sion an appropriation. Mayor Meldrim
seemed to think it very strange that the
park and tree commission should have
gotten rid of its budget so quickly.
Alderman Hamilton, chairman of the
finance committee of council, did not seem
to think that the park and tree commits
sion stood any chance Of getting any more
money. The present council was an
economical one, he said, and did not pro-
pose to incur obligations which IL might
not be able to meet promptly. He under
stood, however, that the work of the park
and tree commission would be carried on
by the street and lane department and
paid for out of the appropriation to that
department. In answer to a question Mr..
Hamilton said he thought the work would
be directed by the street and lane COM
mittee, and not by the commissioner of
public works. The street and lane COM
mittee could organize a force for the work
if it had none already, he said.
1t is evident that council does not intend
20 let the work of the park and tree COM
mission drop, and it seems to be equally
evident that Ii does not intend to intrust
the work during the remainder of the year
to the commission. If this is the intention,
there may be some difficulty I'm the way of
carrying It out Section of the act of 1898
creating the park and tree commission
states specifically that the park and tree
commission shall have the exclusive man
ont s.f oil TOM nd srar- alat
ing to the care, preservation, improve
ment, adornment, good order and regula-
ton generally of the parks, squares, grass
plats, trees and flowers of said city; the
planting of and caring for trees and grass
in the parks, squares and grass plats, and
also In the streets of said city; it shall de-
termine what trees may be
removed from said parks, square or
streets, what trees may be planted therein,
and when such removal or planting shall
take place; il shall superintend and take
charge of such planting and removal; 1t
shall also make such rules and regulations,
etc"
charge and control of the expenditure of
the appropriation of money which may be
made by the mayor and aldermen for
parks squares, trees and grass pats and
flowers.
The amendment to the act adopted by
Aut last leElSldluEe gave the park ana
tree commission control of it's own labor
and further extended its powers II the
city should undertake to care for the
parks and squares through any other
medium than the commission, Ii would
probably be acting in violation of the act
The park and tree commission held
lengthy session yesterday afternoon, and
discussed the situation. No conclusion
was reached, except decision to present
an official statement of its affairs TO coun-
eli at the next meeting of that body. Sew
eral members OF the park and tree force
were present al the meeting. The mem
'bers Of the force were very much averse
10 giving up their work. They have be-
come Interested la and take pride in
the work. Foreman Beyln said that he
did not propose TO see the young trees on
Oglethorpo avenue which he had selected
with so much care, die and rather than
nave this happen he would continue to
give them his attention. one Of the gard
oners said that the suspension had cut
no hgure with him, and that he had been
az work looking after the flowers in the
squares as usual. and would continue 10
give them attention as needed All the
men expressed their desire TO continue I'm
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