Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-02-17
Entered at the Postoffice at Stanton
Va, as second class mail matter.
Friday, FebruaryH, 1911
CITY COUNCIL Is WIDE AWAKE

NVON~t6 - vUt0e SvvNse.
The City Council is to be congratu-
lated on the promptness with which,
ON Tuesday night it lined itself up
with the progressive movement for the
development of Staunton. 1t showed
that it recognized the widespread in
terest in the organization of the Cham
Der of Commerce, and the popularity
of that enterprise, when without dis
senting voice it adopted the resolu-
tions providing for the appropriation
of 81, 600 to. aid the Chamber in its
work &c advertising the advantages OF
the city; and in authorizing the Cen
eral Manager to act as the executive
secretary of the organization. That
the General Manager should be will
ing to take upon himself these extra
duties without additional compensa-
ton is creditabIe alike to his public
spirit and his patriotism.
As Councilman Cochran pointed out,
in moving that the advertising appro-
priation be made, there is no town Of
its size, east or south, that has SO many
natural advantages, or is so desirable
as a place of residence as Stanton,
yet these things are hardly known
outside our gates because We have
never taken the trouble to let them be
known. With the fund now in hand,
or which will be in hand when the
Board of Aldermen approves the reso-
buttons, much work of value can and
will be done. Our light will no longer
be hidden under bushel, and people
everywhere will know what we have
to offer to those who will come
among us.
The Council also acted wisely in
undertaking to have the city hear part
Of the expense of closing the hole left
by the cave-in on the Wilson property.
Those who opposed the proposition on
the ground that it would be establish
ing an unwise precedent to appropriate
public moneys to be spent on private
property, had much to justify their at
titude. AS general thing it would
be unwise. But this is the exception
to the general rule. There is great
cash filled with dirty water and the
seep;ngs of sewage, extending diagonal
ly across city block, and just across
tho CT root from q r,1h1in cohAn1 This
is bound to become a menace to health
according to the general opinion, but
if the city undertook to compel the
Wilson's to close the chasm on the
ground that it was dangerous to health
1t might have some difficulty in prov,
ing the danger in court.
Then there is always the danger of
the earth, in its present condition,
slipping and causing the destruction
Of both the Wilson and the Todd
houses. Such an occurrence would
bring up again all the talk and spec
ulatlon about the cave-in, and would
cause fear and anxiety on the part of
property owners in the entire neigh
borhood, besides depreciating the
value of property. All this can be
avoided by prompt action, and the
entire matter disposed of. While it is
a great pity the Wilson hole could not
have been closed long ago, the condl-
lions which prevented this being done
at the outset ought not to operate as a
bar against the city's doing it now,
when it has the opportunity. The
longer the delay the worse the situa-
ton is likely to become. The attitude
of the city authorities in the matter
should be that in doing this work, and
bearing part of the expense, they are
doing it, not out of any special consid-
GRAFTON for Prof. and Mrs. Wilson, but
for the general good of the city. The
benefit to the Wilson's is only incl
dental, the city's interests are at stake
in the matter, and it is for their full
est protection the city is cutting loose
from red tape and acting. There is
but little doubt that the public gener-
ally will approve such a stand.