The Daily Texarkanian., 1900-05-30
Communicated.
To TIE TExARKANIAN:

III dn al AlNAN III NAAN SbAAt-A ~
Yesterday I noticed the interview
had with those who are protesting
against the improvements on the
streets of the East Side.
I note that these men, are with
out exception in favor (0 of the
improvement" and | wonder that
they have not long ago dropped on
to the idea that this tommyrot of
theirs is getting old. They have
said on all occasions that they are
in favor of improvements, but the
same class of men that are now
standing in the way of this mu b
needed improvement will continue
its fight against Improvements as
long as they can find a lawyer to
take their case; and no one doubts
that men can be found somewhere
that for S25.OO fee would abolish,
if possible, every institution organ
lied for the good of the city, not
excepting the public schools and
even the churches themselves.
Did not this same class of citizens
fight the building of the sewers in
this city? Have they ever put their
names to or in any manner given
their support to any public improve
ments, unless there was a strong
prospect of getting some pie out of
it2 Have they ever come out for
any general public improvements in
which they we're not interested
directly or indirectly, in the con-
tracts2 Oh but they are in favor of
the improvements Yes, doubtless
they are losing sleep because it is
temporarily impeded, and no doubt
our people are exceedingly sorry for
them on account of their deep dis
tress and grief, because the work is
not being pushed now.
They are probably in favor of i'm
provements at the private expense
of others, and they can be induced
to help in such enterprises a little
themselves if assured that they
would receive quick returns in the
way of good dividends. And yet
they might object to such improve
ments as would attract capital and
bring strong competition in their
lines of business. Some men would
much prefer "to be big man in a
small town than a small man in a
big town."
But it is the cry in this particular
case that the taxation is unequal
and unfair, because these men are
so poor and unfortunate as to own
brick buildings on Broad street, and
they see that the cost of the i'm
provements to be made on Broad
street are not in proportion to the
amount of taxes they will have tc
pay.
They say that they don't
blame the people in the residence
portion of the town for wanting
these Improvements which are to be
largely paid for by the owners Of
property on Broad street. In other
words they are not surprised that
the owners of little homes in the
city would try to make the owners
of Broad street property pay fol
suburban improvements. They think
it is theft on the part of the resi-
deuces owners, to ask them to hell
build any streets outside of BroaC
street, They are anxious enough tc
have the people come to BroaC
street, if they will build their owl
roads to come over Let us lool
over a few years in the past. When
our water works were first built the
hydrants we're all on or within reacl
of Broad street, and the most O
them are still on or within reach O.
it, One-half of the territory within
the corporate limits is now without
a single hydrant, or any fire pro
lection, Broad street has haC
three -fourths of the benefits of al
the fire protection paid for by this
city, in the past which amounts nov
to something over $33 900. Originally
all the electric lights were on or ad
jacent to Broad street, For a very
short time the residence portion Of
the city was grudgingly favored
with a few lights, but the luxury
was too expensive for "po' folks,
and the service was soon reduced t
Broad street alone. Four-hfths o
all the electric lights paid for by
this city have been for the benefit
of Broad street. The amount pait
for city lights in the past is some
thing over 10000 From the day
of the election Of the first city mar