The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-26
VAL FROM BUFFALO.
Universal Decline and Fan on In the Erit
Reservation.


To THE Enron or THE sUN Str, am
reader and admirer Of THE BrN, believing that
" stands alone as an organ OF illumination
and progrcAs, / am Induced 10 acdualnt you
with the singular conditions that prevail In
this city. lettering lts growth and disappolnt-
inR rs best citizens. in the hope that you may
indicate some hopeful solution.
Buffalo Ia the eighth city In the land. LIS
location IL unsurpassed for commerce BIZ rail
and water, No city In the world 10 90 happily
placed for electrical development lie sum
mer climate Ia extraordinarily cool Yet
despite these natural advantages the city a
stationary. n not retrograde. Those who
come here from other cities soon lose their
enthusiasm and alertness. and share the In
dehnable apathy that seems 10 settle over the
city. With nearly thirty railroads entering
the city, we have the most unsightly station
In the world. For thirty years we have ap-
pealed for a new structure. and now that
one is promised we cannot agree In either site
or expense 70 he incurred. We have fewer
arc lights 70 illuminate our streets than Toledo.
and few residences are lighted by our boosted
power. The water Of Lake Erie is unlimited.
yet because OF inferior pumping facilities
many families have suffered this winter, and
the great insurance companies threaten 10
withdraw their rieks unless there IL more
protection from fire.. Our tax rate Is verv
high, and We are daily losing new factories
The bank clearances Of the city are only half
those o. detroit In the past ten years nine
pany 10 the admitted ruler OF the city authori.
ties, paying mere bagatele for a golden
old fashioned methods Of the car system are
remarked. The jobbing trade, once enor-
nous. has been lost 10 Cleveland and Toledo
house. in The city Main U Street o has ns Gr9g
two hundred two story buildings disnEuTinR
H Sto oP PRo business 9sGiss atry The city is DIVIDED
street, and these two sections have nothing
in common. What is protected on one side is
city Is steadily increasing under an impotent
police management, which requires twice az
many pgtrolmen as Cleveland Real estate
ton and exorbitant taxes Our wealthy men
are 30 retentive OF their money that no city i'm
The Mckinley monument to be furnished 81
the state, was earnestly opposed, stranRN
as il may seem, and The, site almost lost bI
an attempted injunCtionl Wherever you 20
you may see VACANT stores and factories.
A university half a century old. and With
faculty. has never received one dollar OF en-.
dowment from Buffalo men. One generous
CITIZEN who gave the city magnificent organ
would provide IL a roof
The recent appeal Of the Munich pal League
q municipal lighting plant was promptly re-
fused by the Aldermen. Each attempt to
improve the conditions Of the municipality
Common Council OF the unwilling ness OF the
citizens TO unite for the public good Our
streets this winter have impressed travellers
as the worst cleaned in the land For each
new expense the city issues another emerS
gency bond. until now the limit has almost been
reached and we shall face bankruptcy In a
few yeare, We are informed that the general
wishes OF our people for the abolition OF the
Board OF Aldermen will be refused by the
agents Of the machine at Albany. What are
we TO doY
-, II must be conceded that our press .is bat
Ting for better things, else we would face
russian conditions. We have unfortunately
an immense foreign population ignorant
and bigoted and too easily cajoled BY the
politicians Our patrician element luxuriate
IN their elegant Delaware avenue homes for a
Few months and then go away, with no feeling
OF obligation in civic affairs There Is posi-
lively almost no civic spirit here. Our ablest
clerRymen soon seek other fields IL is 70 the
credit OF the women that their many active
clubs seek TO keep alive culture and art and
are uniting 70 make themselves felt at the
city hall, which Is an Augean stable Indeed
Tan IHE Sun suggest a plan OF Improvement
can u diagnose the Buffalo disease and indi.
cate sure remedy. and thus assist TO place
this magnihoenly situated city where il
deserves 20 stand?
BUFFALO. March ~.