The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-27
TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT.
,5R. DALE,s CHARACTERIZATI OF
COUNCILS ACTION.

The County. He Thinks. Has Been
Within It's Rights in the Matter OF
EstiI Park and Done Nothing for
Which 1t Deserves Censure-The
commissioners Action No More
Technical Than That of a Man Who
Resumes Possession of Property
For Which He Has Not Been Paid.
From the Grant of the Land to the
city the County Expected to Re-
ceive Benefits That Have Not Been
Realized.
Chairman ]. J. Dale of the Board of
County Commissioners was ready yester-
day With an answer to his critics of the
CIV Council, in the matter of the re-entry
oil the county authorities upon the lands
embraced within the limits of Estin Park
"It is a tempest in a teapot" said Chair
man Dale.
When asked to state the position the
county occupied in the matter, the chair
man of the commissioners responded with
great alacrity He brushed aside the dis
danful criticisms of some of the alder
men with a wave of his hand and a satri-
cal laugh. They say that our action
WAS based upon a technical construction
OF the law and the provisions of the deed
of gift to the city," said Mr.. Dale "Well,
they are dreaming. Suppose I sell a man
horse, with the understanding that if it
is not paid for within thirty days the
title to the horse is to revert TO me and
that l shall be entitled to the possession
Of the animal. Suppose that at the end
1,
ties the purchase money IS not paid. 1t
may be technical but is it not right and
ptoper that 1 should resume possession of
the horse and that the man who had failed
to keep his promise should lose possession
and his incipient title? If take the horse
back into my care and keeping, do l do
the purchaser any wrong at which he is
entitled TO cavil or is my act, under the
circumstances, a high-handed outrage?
These are the questions that l should like
20 nave answered by the members of
Council, who have ventured to critlcse the
action of the County Commissioners in
this matter"
The same principles of right" said
Chairman Dale, "hold good in this ques-
ton of the re-entry by the county upon
Estill Park The park was given to the
city upon certain plain and well-under-
stood conditions, from the exact perform
ance Of which the county expected to de-
rive and would have derived distinct
advantage. Had the lands so granted
been made into a public park, with lakes
ANA graded walks and driveways, and
beauthed by the art of the landscape
gardener. the lots of land by which the
park is surrounded would have been ma
terially increased in value and could have
IL oil bU 10 at hat
would have more than justified the outlay
that had been made in the purchase of
the Plantations from which Estil Park
and the county farm have been carved out.
II was this prospective advantage to the
county, as much as any other considera-
ton so 1 have been informed and be-
lieve, that induced the then commissioners
TO grant the lands embraced within the
park limits to the city"
Nov, this advantage has never accrued
TO the county, because of the city's fail
ure to grade the lands and beautify the
park as il agreed to do. The surround
Ing lots are of no more value than they
We're at first. save as they have been i'm
proved by the county for agricultural pur-
poses. The outlay for the purchase has
never been diminished by any increase in
value resulting from tho improvement of
Esliu Park by the city. Every condition
upon which the grant was made has been
broken and why should not the county
enter upon what has again become its
own? What right has the city to make
objection TO a course that it has brought
upon itself?"
But don't you think" Chairman Dale
was asked. chat the suggestion of Mayor
Myers that a competent landscape gard
ener and typographical engineer should be
secured who would pass upon the ques-
ton whether or not the land could he
made into a public park. is good one,
,{rrt.A l. A.,t,l f.N-I Cd
What good would the adoption of the
suggestion do?" was the chairmans
counter inquiry. Several thousand dol
lars Of the taxpayers money have al
ready been spent on the improvement Of
the park and absolutely nothing has been
accomplished. Why spend another thou
send without reasonable hope of accom-
pushing more? / am familiar with the
lands themselves and with the conditions
surrounding them. l know that the city
Is not now in a position to expend the vast
sums of money that would be necessary
10 drain and improve the park and fit it
Ior the uses of the public. The county
needs the land, and the city does not;
NE county can use it and the city can't.
We ere entitled to take possession and
nave done so, without intention of retreat
ing from che position in the matter we
nave assumed. and that is a statement of
NE whole affair in a nutshell.
why all this uproar and cutlery about
nsihlng that does not really matter.
0,lessedly, the city is not in a position
Use me land for park purposes at pres
Let 1t, then, go for a time, for
~ TOUR or five years. perhaps, and at
4t, ''a OF that time let us see what con-
.us exist then. There will still be