The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-05
MAYOR MYERS IS INDIGNANT.
SAYS PARK AND TREE COMMISSION
TREATED HIM DIsCoURTEOUSLY.

he Sunm1tS
With the Commission on the Sub
ject of the Park Sphinxes to COun-
ell with Communication EN-
pressing His Views Upon the Sub
INSTRUMENTATION Has Failed TO Ex-
plain Its Refusal to Restore the
sphinxeS and Has Ignored His
Reference to the Act Governing
the COmmission-PoIice May BE
Ordered to Prevent interference
with Public Property.
The removal of the Park sphinxes,
which the Park and Tree Commission
doubtless thought it had quietly buried
Monday afternoon, was revived in most
decided and vigorous manner by Mayor
Myers at the meeting Of Council last
night. This was done by submitting the
correspc ndence between the Mayor and
the chairman of the commission in refer
ence to sphinxes, together with "A letter
to the Board of Aldermen, in which the
Mayor expressed his views very pointedly
as to the conduct of the Park and Tree
Commissioners.
The correspondence began with the May
or's letter of March %, TO the commission
addressed to it's chairman, in which he
alluded to the removal of the sphinxes
from the Park entrance, and called the
attention of the commission to section q,
OF the act creating the Park and Tree
Commission, in which it is stated that
whenever the said Park and Tree Com
mission shall think it desirable or eXpe-
dent to make any alterations or improve
ments in any of the public parks or
squares or grass plats Of said city, other
than the Planting and removing of trees,
and the Planting of grass or flowers, it
shall be its duty to submit to Council
plan or written description of said alter
atoms or improvements, accompanied by
an estimate Of the cost of the same, which
alte: atoms or improvements shall be made
only in the event of their approval by
Council"
The Mayor stated in this letter that un-
der his Interpretation of this section the
commission had no authority to remove
the sphinxes without obtaining the con-
sent of Council. Inasmuch this had not
been done, and "as l am satisfied that
the citizens generally do not approve OF
their removal, | would request that you
restore them to their former position in
the park. subject to such action as Coun-
ell may take on any petition you present
to it in this connection"
The commission held a meeting March
dnQ COHSlsiEIt1 the Ad9Ol ttASAf
after which Chairman Daffin addressed
the following communication to the May
or: Your letter of The ed inst. received
end the commission begs your indulgence
till they can look further into the mat
ter"
few days later the members OF the
commission went out to the city green
house and made a personal inspection OF
the sphnxes. as the result of which. nc
the April meeting Monday afternoon II
was unanimously decided not to restore
the sphinxes. Chairman Daffin then al
dressed the following communication TO
the Mayor:
The Park and Tree Commissioners have
instructed me to acknowledge receipt of
your letter of March 49, and TO say that
they have investigated the matter of re-
storing the sDhinxes to their former posi-
ton in Forsyth Park, and have unani-
mously concluded that it was Impractical
be to restore them
The Mayors letter to Council sets forth
his position. 1t reads as follows:
Il submit herewith, for your cons!dera-
tion a letter from me to the Park and
Tree Commission and the answers of the
commission thereto. In my opinion the
replies received by me from the chair
man of the commission are unsatis-
factory, giving no proper explanation of
the actions of the commission and leaving
doubt still existing as to either the ne
cessity or ACCESSIBILITY of the removal of
the sphinxes, the subjecs under consider
alton For this reason l place the mat
ter before you for such action as you
may deem proper under the circum-
stances.
so far as l have been informed. the
sphinxes, which were regarded by the
general public as an ornament to For
syth Park, were not in such condition
but that their usefulness and beauty
might have been preserved for years to
come by a small expenditure of money
for plaster of paris and paint. Regard
less OF this, however. il is for Council
to consider whether the Park and Tree
Commission, or any other body, has the
right TO remove and consign to the rub
bsh heap public property without first
getting the consent of this board, in
which is vested the control of all public
property l am of the opinion that no
person or persons have the right to re-
move public property, or to destroy the
same, without first securing the right to
do so from the city Council.
IF Council is of this opinion / would
suggest that the matter be referred to the
Committee on City Lots and Opening
Streets, with Instructions 90 report back
to Council such recommends tons as ID
may deem proper"
Mayor Myers remarked that the COM
mission had not only refused his request
to restore the sphnxes without giving any
sufficient explanation of their reasons for
doing So but had utterly ignored that por-
ton of his letter which called their at
tention to the section of the act creating
the commission which places certain hm-
its to their authority.
'It appears to me that my communica-
tion has been treated discourteously, -
said the Mayor with some feeling. Not
only has the commission failed to make
any statement as to the condition of the
sphinxes or the reasons for their removal.
btlt no attention has been Dai1 40 tina :
portion of my letter calling attention TO
that section of the act forbdding changes
or alterations without the consent OF
Council. Under the circumstances L feel
constrained to give an order to the police
department. to permit no pubic property 10
be disturbed without an order from the
Mayor, based upon the consent of Coun-
Gil"
motion to refer the correspondence
to the Committee on City Lots, which has
charge of public property, was adopted
without discussion. The view taken of