The Pensacola journal., 1912-04-06

more fearful In it's demands of toll
than the cumbersome chariot of tho
ancient thouSand-named god. A car
whose propulsive power is a sixty
horse power engine and whose driver
is anything on two legs from fowl
lifting descendant Of Ham to a high
proved what-you- call-it who boasts u
hat turned down and pants turned up
in a word, the awfulmobile.
We do not decry the existence of this
practical evidence of mans ingenuity
and progress exemplifed in the auto.
1t has come to stay and is already an
essential to our present life. but we
would raise protest against the ex-
cessive toll demanded by it of roads,
streets, human happiness and human
life.
Here, in poverty ridden Pensacola,
we are being taxed for paved streets
to a degree beyond all requirement of
business demands. Homeopathic doses
labeled Improvement" Enhancement
of Property Values. ETC., are handed
out as palliatiyes TO the fellow who
rears upon his hind legs and weakly
waves the G. ID. Q. signal. Improve
ment? Yes, all admit that except the
swine that were won't to wallow in the
mud holes that once were where brick
bats are now symmetricaily arrayed.
But some Of us canIot get it through
the hairy bump on the top of our neck
that some of this wholesale country
road paving is not being done in the
interest of the few modern jugger
nauts and holders of vacant town lots
on streets the Oldest inhabitant does
not know the location of.
Berrancas avenue. for instance.
Verrucous indeed must tabe the brain
that asserts that Barrancas avenue is
being paved for aught else than to pro-
vide private speedway for the con-
scienceless owner of space annihila-
tor who desires a straight course TO
Bayou Chico bridge.
This reminds us Of another toll ex-
acted by modern progress-the desc
Grafton OF one of Pensacola's beautiful
spots and incidentally the cruel disre-
gard for private property and human
hearts and affections. Reference is
had to the George Washington treat
ment of several grand. beautiful oaks
of centuries growth of the appropria
ton of four fifths of an acre Of the old
homestead of the late w. b. Runyan,
whose estimable widow for a quarter
of century has gaZed at the setting
sun through the foliage of these mon
archs of the wood, seeing a reflex of
her own peaceful oncoming lifes sun
set.
Adamantine indeed must be the emo
| tions of he who would lay axe to such
massive testimonials of an omnipotent
Creator waen every thrust is as
| thrust in the heart of those who have
spent a lifetime in sweet communion
with the spirit of peace and beauty
| that dwells in this arboreal retreat
In 1883 the Runyan family sold 20
| the county what was then a toll bridge
twelve feet wide and permitted a pub
| lie road to remain through this prop
| erty as an approach and for twenty
| four years taxes have been paid on the
| zF ,af 0if taV ae
| were paid for is not apparent unless II
| is the few insignificant lights of the
past couple of years which but serve
| to intensity the darkness. Now, the
1 wonderfully wise powers that be, sally
| forth and map out course sixty feet
wide without considering private in
| terests or property whatever.
Could these juggernaut- serving trus-
| tees have witnessed the manifestations
| of grief by the residents Of that lovely
| spot upon seeing the desecration and
| 6esolation begun, their little shriveled
souls would rattle around in their re-
| ientless hides about as the change LETT
/ in a property owners purse after the
/ paving assessment has been paid.
The trustees explain the destruction
/ of these trees by saying 1t was un-
1 ayoidable in order to reach the bridge.
| UNAVOIDABLE ?' As though a wooden
| bridge requiring thirty days to rebuild
/ on another site is comparable to some
| thing 1t required hundreds of years to
| construct. 'Unavoidable?'& The opin-
| ion Of some of us who still go and
| come on Shank's mare as to reasons
| for telling these trees is unprintable.
| Verify the modern juggernaut de-
| mands it's tolI-and gets it, regardless
of the tears of the aged. the beauties
of Gods wonderful creations ahd the
rights of private property.
| s. d. BENNETT, JR.