The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-15
SHOULD IMPROVE THE PARADE
COZ. MERCER THINKS THE CITY
MIGHT DO SOMETHING FOR 1T.

The Main Walks Around ana
Through the Parade Ground
should BE Rebuilt at Once, He
Says-Cross walks Corresponding
with the Cross Streets, and Diago-
mai walks should Also BE Built.
Col. Mercer Suggests That PaImet-
to Trees He Planted Around the
FieId-Chairman Daffn Notifies
Electric Companies to Remove
Their wires From the Trees. {tsa
Col. George Mercer, who IS a member
Of the Park and Tree Commission, and
whose home fronts the parade ground,
is very much in hopes that some time or
other in the near future if possible
Council will see its way clear to give the
Tark and Tree Commission sufficient
money to improve the extension.
Col. Mercer spends part Of every after
noon in front of his residence, which
commands a FUN view of the parade
ground and from constant study ne is
doubtless more familiar than any one else
rin the city with It's condition and the man
ner in which it IS used and abused by the
I'VE asked Council when the last budget
was made up to give 5000 for the parade
ground" said Col. Mercer with that
amount we could have accomplished
great deal Council did not see fit TO grant
our request, and only gave US 5000 for
our entire work, which merely sufices to
maintain the work at its present status
without allowing any expenditure for i'm
provoments. Ii is not too late Yet for
Council to take the matter in hand for
the present year. There is no Improvement
which would be more generally appreciated
by the public than The reconstruction Of
the main walks around and through the
parade. These walks are used daily by
thousands of people, and on Sunday they
are the promenades for a large portion of
the population. At present the walks are
in bad state of disrepair. Council could
well afford to rebuild the walks with
gravel. and no similar Improvement which
il could make would give more general
satisfaction TO a larger number Of people.
In addition to the main walks said
Col. Mercer the commission would like
TO see constructed across the parade walks
on the line of the cross streets. This would
give three cross walks across the park
which would take the pace of the numer-
Gus unsightiy foot paths which
have been cut in every di-
rection. For the convenience Of the peo-
pie and to prevent the cutting of foot
paths, diagonal walks should also be LAID
on the lines of travel now pursued by pc
desrians as indicated by the foot paths.
This could be done without injuring the
appearance of the parade. No driveways
of any kind would be permitted"
The parade could be greatly improved
by planting additional trees. A sugges-
ton which / would make to the Park and
Tree Commission, had we the means,
would be to set palmettoes in the spaces
between the trees surrounding the parade
The spaces between the trees are rather
wide at present. The filling in
with palmettoes would give
fine effect and at the same time the pal
mettoes being .ow, they would not o.
struct the view materially, nor would tney
interfere with the growth of the other
| trees. Council might make start by pro-
vding the main walks at once and allow
US a sufficient amount in our next years
budged TO complete the work Sa-
Vannahs military parade ground is
an unique institution. There is no other
city in the country having such large
open space situated in the heart of It
aud so available for large public gath
erings. This being the case, it would seem
pearance, and the effort made to make il
as attractive as possible"
Col. Mercer said that the work of the
| Park and Tree Commission is suffering
much from vandalism. The practice OF
cutting across the squares to save time
has become common again, aud there is
| hardly a square that is not marked by
one or more of these ugly lines. No ar
rests have been made recently on this ac-
II,
cutting across the squares is violated with
impunity.
Other ordinances intended to aid in pre-
serving the work done in improving the
squares are also violated constantly with
out any notice being taken by the police
when i was riding around on the
street car this afternoon" said Col. Mer-
Ger, II saw several boys deliberately
| breaking down a palmetto tree in the
square in front of Wesley Monumental
! Church, our people seem to be lacking
in pride in the proper appearance Of the
squares, or, rather, only a small pro-
/ portion of the population seems 10 have
| this spirit The spirit of vandalism seems
10 be rampant. Unless the police will aid
us in enforcing these ordinances the work
of the Park and Tree Commission will
| be largely wasted
Some of the electric companies using
overhead wires have been lacking their
wires TO the trees in the streets and
| squares without so much as saying "by
your leave" to the Park and Tree Com
mission, or any one else. After protest
ing without avail Chairman Dahin has
! given the companies notice that the wires
must be removed Immediately, or they
will be cut out by the Park and Tree
| Commission.
| COZ. RIrtIINEER