The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-11-14
PRESSING NEEO Of WAXAHACHIE
Arkansas Editor Calls Attention 10
Necessity Of Live Board Of Trade.

Batesville, Ark, Nov. 13. 1908
To the Editor of the Light: ! read
with pleasure, In a recent issue of
your paper, the report of the meet !
ing of citizens held to promote the
better enforcement of the law and
to encourage the further develop |
ment of civic improvements in Wax
ahachie. | have an abiding interest
in Waxahachie. 1t was my boyhood's
home, and when the family removed
from there to Arkansas, many years
ago, | left with the firm determine
ton, which | have always cherished
since, that ! would some day return
and make my home there again. |
like to join heartily with its people,
wherever met, in the declaration
that it is the best and biggest town
of its size in the world; and there
Is nothing that relates to its growth
and prosperity that does not interest
me greatly. 1t was with pleasure,
therefore, that | read of the citizens
meeting here referred to, for, if
may confess to the Light what
would not assert anywhere outside
the corporate limits of Waxahachie,
the town has impressed me with the
| idea that 1t is, if | may say it, just a
| little bit slow, in some respects, and
/ that it needs some things which it
might easily have, with small effort.
We form our estimates of individ-
uals, communities and things in gen
! eral largely by comparison. This Ar
kansas town in which | live, though
the hest town in the north-eentral
part of the state, has hardly half the
population of Waxahachio and per-
! haps less than one-flfth as much
wealth; yet, in some respects, count
| ed OF Importance, Batesville is much
ahead of the Texas town. For in
stance, we have a Board of Trade,
that serves the community as the
! live wire serves an electric plant. 1t
| is composed of the active business
and professional men of the town,
who pay dues Of fifty cents month
each; has strong board of direc-
tors, and an energetic and capable
secretary, who is paid a good salary
and devotes his whole time to the
work of the board. 1t has accom-
plished some splendid results for
the town.
/ w me We nave mere, dS 1 nave
| said, perhaps not one-fifth OF the
wealth of Waxahachie, we have, per-
haps, four times as much sidewalk
| beautiful concrete sidewalks, with
stone or concrete crossing-and we
do not need them half so much here
in and our sand and gravel, as you
do in your black mud. BatesvilIe has
the advantage of owning it's own
water and light plant, and has an ex-
cellent service in both respects.
Here one may go, in the darkest
night and In the worst weather, into
almost any part of the town, dry
/ shod and under the Stare of electrici-
1 ty. An excellent system of sewers
has recently been added; and yet the
municipal debt does not exceed
! $40, 900, which is being reduced each
year, without excessive taxation
and Batesville, like Waxahachie, is
q dry town, too, and derives no
revenue from liquor license.
know the old home quite we'll
enough to know that it would be far
from the truth, and would do the
community much injustice, to sup
pose that Waxahachie is really de-
ficient In public spirit and civic
pride. Within recent years the COM
munity has given more than $4,000
to Trinity University; has invested
thousands more in the construction
! of magnificent churches which would
do credit to cities several times
larger, either north or SOUTH in
many beautiful homes, and in other
ways that fully attest the cultivated
spirit and good taste of the people
there. AS l have said. Waxahachie is
perhaps just little slow and the
outside public naturally expects a
great deal from a community situat-
ed In the greatest agricultural coun-
/ try in the world, and known to be SO
| amply able to have what it wants.
/ From a later issue of your paper
II learn that rivalry has developed
there for the franchise to replace
/ the present mule cars with q mod
ern electric street car line. This Is
another indication OF the awakened
activity of the community, and when
this Is once fully aroused, there Is
such an abundance OF resources there
that Waxahachie may easily be made
one of the most beautiful, attractive
and delightful cities in all the great
southwest confidently expect to see
! 1t SO. Respectfully,
e. L. OWENS.