The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-18

To the Editor: A persistent effort TO
befog the atmosphere of the bond dis
cussion and to draw attention away from
the main issues raised is apparent in the
Hood of anonymous communications
which have appeared, and which bear a
marked similarity in style and dlctlon.
The inspired editorials in !he little
Evening Times have also sought to dl-
vert the discussion into personal chan
nels, and make it appear that attacks
are being made upon the private charac-
tiers of the members Of the Board OF Al
dermen. l for one do not propose to be
thus msrepresented. | am discussing
measures. not men, and | would remind
those who are so FESTIVE under criticism
of their official acts that criticism is one
of the penalties of greatness
/ said in former article that ] Gid
not propose to discuss details, such as the
price paid per foot for curbng, Of the
price paid per yard for moving dirt, fut
to look at general results. What matters
it what the price paid for such work
may be when the work itself. as | con-
tend, is not only unnecessary, but most
wasteful use of the cty's money, and
fearful cost TO property owners the ele-
walton of whose houses and front yards
happens not to suit the arbitrary ideas
of the street committee. The people have
had enough Of the Procrustean methods of
this street committee. Your readers will
recall the story of the famous robber of
Attica Procrustes, who had an iron bed
prepared upon which he would lay his
captives, and when they were too long
for it he would cut them off, while if too
ln
grades of our streets were in the begin
as fine as in any town of its size ~ this
or in any other country. Not content
with this condition. and not following with
macadam and curbing those natural lines
upon which houses had been built and
grounds laid out, the street committee,
calling themselves progressive" must
perforco put into practice their Procrus-
team theory without regard to existing
thus cntaiing upon the city
an enormous useless expenditure of mon
ey, and forcing those citizens whose prop
erty did not happen to fit their iron bed
to lay out thousands of dollars in order
to render their homes again habitable
and slightly. And what guarantee is there
that this will not go on indefinitely I'M
less the people rise up and stay their
hands? They seem to have run mad
with this Procrustean dirt moving idea,
for did they not at the last bond election
beg the people for the bonds ON the
ground that the money was needed to
the work begun, that work al
ready done would be lost without money
with which to complete, that the money
was to be used only for completing per-
manent work. that the issue then asked
Tor together with money derived from
general taxation would be sufficient for
all this, and that no more bonds for street |
Improvement would be asked for? And
what do we now find? The great bulk
Df the money thus obtained has appa-
fcntly not been used for finishing perma-
lently the uncompleted work. but in put
ing into an incomplete condition many |
additional miles of our streets. to fix |
which now, along the lines contemplated. |
would cost mint of money. This fifty |
thousand dollars will be as nothing in
he hands of this street committee with |
these methods.
Let US have an end of this iron bed of