Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-11-29
a SORRY BUSINESS.

A SORRY BUSINESS.
In addition to using all of its own
lot for building purposes, the Obser-
yer leases a small tract of ground on
Court street. This little tract is only
feet wide and 12 feet long. For its
use, we pay a yearly rental of $40.
and consider that price the next thing
to gift. We are farther required to
ers say the word. Only one block
away, on the same street, the Council
has leased a tract belonging to the city
for a period of 10 years. This latter
tract is 80 feet wide and 100 feet long.
For its use, the lessee will pay only
$50 a year One tract contains 96
square feet and rents for 500 a year.
The other contains 5000 square feet,
cover 80 times as much ground,) and
rents for $50 a year. One site is as
valuable for business purposes right
now as the other; and, judging from
the direction in which the town is
growing, the city ground viii be twice
as valuable as the Observer ground
long before the 10-year lease expires.
The unseemly haste with which the
leasing of the city ground was rushed
through the council reflects upon the
business sagacity of every member of
that body. What citizen of Dallas,
outside of the council, wanted the city
to lease the land? The Observer has
been unable to find one. How many
votes would the Fenton lease have re-
ceived If it had been placed before the
people? Not one taxpayer in fifty
would have voted for it.
The people of Dallas have no more
desire to rent out their city grounds
than the people of Polk County would
be willing to rent the Courthouse
Square for business purposes. Port
land-Los Angeles-Chicago-
great city in the United States has it's
plaza, its park blocks, its City Hall
grounds-land so valuable that the
money realized from its sale would
pay the entire city debt. What think
you, would happen to the city council
of Portland should that body permit
the erection of a show house on the
Plaza block, or a store building in the
City Park?
Here is the way the Observer views
the whole matter: The council has no
moral right to lease out one foot of
the City Hall lot for private business
purposes. If 1t has the legal right, it
ought not to have it. The ground
rent which It is charging Mr. Fenton
for 80 by 100 feet of ground is con-
sidered ridiculously low at this time
so low, i'm fact, that II is virtually a
free gift What will the use of such
ground be worth five or six years
from now? 1t is certain that IL will
never be worth less than $5 a month
and the time may soon come when 1t
will be worth ten times or even TWEEN
ty times that sum- For it must be
borne in mind that Dallas is a grow
ing city. Who would have believed
five years ago that the people today
would see a modern. three-story brick
building as far away from Main
street as the new Hotel Gail? Who
would have believed even three years
ago that in less than one year Dallas
would see a solid row of substantial
brick buildings covering the old EN-
mons residence lot on Court street?
Who would have listened to you one
year ago II you had prophesed that in
1911 the old Collins shack at the cor
ner of Main and Court streets would
give way TO twentieth century busi-
ness block? Who knows but the day
may be almost upon us when the city
will desire to give way to the march
Of business progress by selling its
present city Hall property at figure
that will enable II TO purchase other /
and more desirable lots for city pur-
poses, and upon such lots to erect a
public building that will be creditable |
TO a live and growing city? II such n
day shall come within the next 10 /
years, how much will II cost the city I
20 get rid of its tenant and that SO a 4
month lease, in the event that he 4
should decide TO retain possession OF 1
the ground?
1t is a sorry piece OF business. any
way YOU look at 1t. except for the man
who got the lease-and no one blames
him. Sorrier still. the work is done.
and there would seem no way to undo
IT,
The Observer finds no pleasure in
criticising the members OF the city
council. II would rather stand by
them. and help them. in all proper
ways Il realizes that these men serve
the city without compensation. and
that they get many kicks and little
praise. a fun appreciation OF these
facts often stays the pen OF criticism
and fault-hnding in this Office. It Is
probable that great majority Of the
taxpayers Of the city have the same
feeling toward these officers II Is
easy 10 find fault when the council
happens 70 make a mistake; IL is often
difficult 20 suggest course that would
have proved better and more prac-
ticahle. No one desires to be unduly
critical; therefore. many undesirable
actions of the city Official are permit
ted to pass without protest But the
leasing Of valuable city property Tor a
long term Of years. AZ a price next 10
nothing. was an unbusiness-like move.
The city win find u out. these officers
win md e cut and the Observer
would De less than a newspaper n "a
permitted it 10 pass IN. silence.