Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-06-09
Valuable Suggestions on the Branch Normal Property
 Offered.
THE FUTURE OUTLOOK
Commercial Prospects and Extension 0i the City Will Be Affected By
 Plan to Move ColOred College.

GdtloI dt dp41S
 l Your statement - the judgment ex
 pressed oy Governor Donaghey at Helena to a representative Of The i Graphic that the Branch Normal property of % acres, with it's two buildings, had better be made avail abh for factory sites and the college De moved to farm some miles from Pine Bluff, is very large proposition, and should be taken up without de- lay oy our real estate men and es- peciailT by our Board of Trade, espe- eiallI- as the matter may be discussed and decided within a few weeks by the trustees of the state in charge 0f the property
 That the school which is a branch Of the State University, and is intend ed for the higher education of col ored youths, would be much benefit ted 5y removal to farmland a few miles distant, is generally accepted by the local public. white and color ed. The one point on which there is a difference of opinion is the dispo- sition to be made of the property. It is not likely that Governor Don- aghey at the time of the above ex- pression Of his judgment adverted in a comprehensive way to this point. and sites for factories is naturally suggested to the incomer on trains as there are several factories there on the roadside. To real estate men and our local commercial bodies who are looking ahead on the prospective development of Pine Bluff, the matter has different aspect
 Twenty-Five years from now our city is expected to have a population Of 3O,G0O or more, and after that time the growth should be much more rapid. But how is the city going to stretch it's legs? Just now extension for suburban purposes is limited to one direction, the south. East Pine Bluff is not very popular as pros pecLiye residence section just yet though apparently most excellent region for factories and entrances for new railroads. On the northwest end Of town, nice residences cannot De expected to be put up across Brumps Bayou north of Pullen street, as our four cemeteries are located there and behind the cemeteries there is large colored settlement. The section of Pine Bluff between Pullen street and Sixth avenue extended is at pres ent blocked by the Branch Normal, 20 acres, and large colored settle ment.
 It would be great help to the symmetry of Pine Bluff if this sec- tion could De opened to white resi- dences. This might be accomplished in course of time by making the 20 acres of the Branch Normal a city park and thus enhancing the value of surrounding property so much that the colored people would gradually find it to their interest to sell out. Streets, sidewalks and other costly improvements would be made and their natural economy would force them 10 shrink from the responsi- bility.
 But if the colored people were to remain forever where they are, the city needs parks. It has not single one, large or small. There is not single breathing place in the city where the public may go to get a breath of fresh air The representa- tives of Jefferson county in the con- ing legislature should make an ef- fort to get this fine park site of the Branch Normal for the use of the suffering public of our city.