Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-01-04
City Affairs.
MARIErrA IN MID-wINrER.


will see mortar boxes piles of brick
and humber In many places along
her thoroughfares you WIN find half
built residences with bare timbers
shivering in the cold blasts. No work
men are now seen busy in these half
built structures, but everything is
waiting, everything is expectant, not
for breath Of spring, by no means;
just waiting foa a let-up Of the cold
blast to begin again and hurry through
to completion. Nearly every one Of
these half built houses has a family
waiting to occupy it. We hope this
condition of things will continue, for
piles of brick and lumber and mortar
boxes tell their own story-the golden
tale OF advancement and progress as
well as of prosperity. 1t will not be
good omen when they cease to be
seen along our boulevards, much as
they seem at time to obstruct the free
use of the same. Let the snow cover
their unsightly appearance with the
gentle mantle of white and all 5he busy
delivers rest and recoup for the bust
ling spring which is now but a few
weeks ahead.
Mariettians have come to appreciate
the beauty as well as the utility of paw
ed streets. No mad, no frozen hum
mocks to drive over, what can be
prettier than a long stretch of paved
street covered with snow.
A paradise for the boys and girls
with sleds, to say nothing of the boys
and girls of larger growth with horses
and sleighs 1t has been said that in
our peculiar climate we get all the dis
comforts of winter without any of it's
pleasures. The last one, and so far
this winter, that saying is not true.
IMPROVE THE ICE HARBoR LOT.
We had promised ourselves that we
would never call that piece of ground
by that name again, having firmly re-
solved to call it by its right name, to-
wit: Lower End Of the City Park
But wishing to be understood, we start
right out by throwing Ice Harbor Lot
at you again, prefering to be clear in
our statements rather than accurate
The Ice Harbor Lot, then, we will take
it fer granted, is definate piece of
ground known to every denizen and
citizen; and knowing it is to condemn
it, in its present condition of dilapida-
tion and squalor.
1t is proposed now by the City Coun-
ell to continue the present arch about
hundred and ninety feet towards the
Phoenix Mill property and then fill
this ugly ditch to grade, as well as the
balance of the Ice Harbor lot This
as 1t appears to us, is very commend
able move on the part of the Council,
and one which will meet with a hearty
approval of our citizens generally.
How to pay for it. OF course, any
thing that is worth having in this
world costs money. The mass meeting
which was held in the City Auditorium
some months ago. to discuss the i'm
provement of the Ice Harbor lot, had a
good deal before it relative to the cost
OF the proposed improvement, but that
did not deter the people from strongly
advocating its immediate Improvement
One way to pay for 1t is this: The city
has never made a levy for park pur-
poses, or if it has, the levy has been so
small that it can hardly be said to
have been levy, only shadow of one
A loan payable in ten years, principal
and interest, could easily be negotiated
at low rate of interest and a small
levy made for park purposes each year
to meet these certificates as they be-
come due. The first of these bonds or
of indebtedness to become
due could be made so as not to fall
due until after the decennlal appraise-
ment had become in full force in furn-
ishing more funds without increasing
the taxes. 1t is plain that the next ap-
praisement of real estate will increase
the grand total of our city duplicate by
a million or more Of dollars. This will
be done by raising the outlying or
suburban real estate to level or to an
equality with the real estate nearer the
center of the city. All will agree that
the valuation of these centers is al
ready high, CT at least high enough,
and that the increase will have to come
from the outlying lots which are now
on the duplicate at merely nominal
values, When this has been done it is
to be hoped thst the rate of taxation
will not only be reduced, but that such
reduced rate will raise much larger
revenue for all purposes. This may
not be the best plan, but we give it |
merely as a suggestion. Others may
nave much better plan for raising the |
money to carry on this much-needed |
Improvement. The people are demand
ng that samething be done and now is
probably as favorable a time to do ii
S the city will ever have