Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-09-18
STOP THE VANDALISM !

The following letter from % prom
inent citizen. who is not so Green
either IN name or nature as the sigma
ture implies, expresses the sentiments
Of a large number Of sensible people.
and calls for a cessation OF the vandal-
like policy that has been pursued in
this city IN reference to our sidewalks
and shade trees There is nothing
partisan or personal in the discussion
Of this subject. Cor previous municipal
administrations are equally II not
more at fault than the presen, body
Of officials. Whether anything will or
can be done in relation 10 the matter.
we are not able TO say. But that a
stop ought to be put to the destruction
OF our shade-trees Is beyond question.
In the rigid rules that have been fol-
lowed for the laying down OF the side
walks some very intelligent people
have detected signs OF insanity. The
idea that railroad grades must be
adopted and pushed without reference
TO the natural formation Of the high
ways. or to the convenience Of the resi-
dents thereon, or to the trees growing
on their sides, appears almos, idiotic.
except 20 the engineers who have no
eye 10 the beautiful or TO the comfort
and wishes Of the people most directly
affected. When visitors look upon the
grading that has been done so as to
leave many houses away up above the
sidewalks. and others far down below,
and make long gaps vacant whore flne
trees once fourlshed and spread their
pleasant shade displaying their luxuri-
ant loneliness, they ask, who In the
world laid out those sidewalks. and
what on earth were your city fathers
thinking about when they permitted
such arrant folly2'
one Of the chief glorics Of this city
Of homes and fruits and flowers, has
been the fine foliage that adorns the
residence streets and serves TO shelter
folks from the rays OF the summer sun.
What need IL there TO expose the roots
Of those trees to drouth and decay
Why should not the natural conform
alton Of the streets be followed with
some degree OF consideration for It's
claims? Could not the sidewalks be
constructed to large degree consistent
with that condition? Why destroy the
trees and render inconyenient the APP
breaches to houses and make them
hideous IN many Instances? There have
been some few variations 10 this stupid
rule, and there are very pertinent Quer-
les as to the "iniiooenoe' which brought
them about. Investigation might dis
close the reasons for them. and why the
deviation allowed in those cases might
not be made the rule instead Of the
exception.
We give place to the letter 70 which
we have referred, in its entirety. so
that the writer and the people thus
represented may b. heard in their own
way. A remedy for the wrongs done
perhaps cannot now be found. We
protested against the methods that are
70 Objectionable when they were com
meuced, bat our protests and that Of
others were IN vain. Perhaps some
thing may be done TO prevent further
insensate movements Of a similar char
ac,er.
salt Lake CITY. Sept. l', 1906.
Editor Dessert News:
The objectionable ways and means Of
men chosen 10 office 20 carry out The
viii Of the people Is sometimes past an
understanding. / win cite one instance.
on the fertile plains and The ROLLINS
woodlands TO the eastward beyond The
Rockies, where generous rains Keep all
vegetation wreathed IN yerdant smiles
from April 90 October, ID Us 81 small
matter to grow a tree An you have 20
ia Is TO dig a little hole, stick a hJtle
tree IN it--and Nature does the rest
Accordingly, trees there are looked UP
on as Ordinary-in other words easy
got. not highly priced. a necessity. u
course. but not a luxury
How different IN this great. broad
arid West OF ours, frOWEcd down upon
by a thousand chains " almost trctltss
old mountains. Here the tree moit
than any other one thins has made our
deseret blossom az the rose.
Here We pay a good price Tor every
tree we are abs TO procure plant % with
hopeful handf, dix costly canals TO
conduct the cooling waters from the eN-
erlasting hills o. keep HE Don this pre-
cious little tree of ours And how we
watch and nurse this trifug hing
month after month and year after
year digging arount o.. fertiliEing a.
pruning % watering 4 once or twice
every week FOR months every year.
Neglect for only few weeks means
death TO Il.
II u grows and ihriycs we are de-
lighted beyond measure. It's progress
Is a family theme. the children meas
ure their helght hy % and shout with
glee when rs iopmust tWig can no long
er be reached with the family broom
IN time. the spot SHOWS sacred. We
look upon that tree with almost a "a
ternal feeling. Yes. wo grow 20 love
n as We love the child we have coddled
from helpless bahyh0od
And In the face Of this. what mon
strous thing DO we see on every hand
here IN fair SALT Lakeg 4 condition 80
incomprt hensibic that I am amazed. |
cannot fathom how the citizens stand
idly BY with good strong arms az their
sides and permit n. Permit what YOU
ask
lust this. The murderous destruc-
ton Of their priceless shadc lrcrs Tor
what, smooth sidewalks IN one
shameful minute a tree ls destroyed bui
~ takes the average life Of a man 10
grow another.
why. 1 would prefer to pick my