The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-07-31
THE TREES OF SUMTER.
fersincnt Comment ON the Neglect
Mutiiatlon ana Destruction of the
City's Chief Adornmcnt.

ts thicI AuOrflncnt.
Sumter Daily Item:
lfinYite your attention to the fol
lolng matter and request that yot
pa plish this letter In the Item, a.
these may be others who are interest
edS
rhe trees of our city are it's chic
adFnment; not only do they beautifS
ouf streets. but provide a shade which
Is not only comforting. but healthful
fh beneficial effect of the trees upor
the atmosphere is well recognized
ana from every civic standpoint tn
trees are desirable and should be pro.
tected.
fhose of my friends who come here
rom other places comment upon ouI
beautiful trees and mention what an
ssfet they are and how other towns
wqpld be so glad to have them.
When visit other cities note
thst they expend considerable time
an9 money. not only in setting out
yopng trees. but in repairing and
prTerving the trees they are fortu-
uae enough in some cases to possess
Whh these facts before me I am sur
praed to note the ruthless and appa-
rently wanton destruction of the
trees In Sumter. seemingly unneces-
saty aud deliberate.
Al the time OF the laying of the ce-
ment sidewalk on the east side of
Main street many young and perfect
" healthy trees i'm front of the Hotel
supter and the late Dr. A. j. China s
rcstence were destroyed to make
roofn for the sidewalk. The reason
dive at that time was that the roots
az tho trees would crack the con-
crete. Time has proven this reason
To be erroneous. Furthermore. we
can buy cement sidewalks, but not
trees.
The latest outrage TO be perpetrat-
ed ts the cutting down of n magnif-
cent tree In front OF the postofiice. !
am Informed this was done at the re-
Quest OF some federal department
hetd. just why the feelings OF the
citizens of Sumter should be hurt,
and the civic beauty of our town dam
aged TO please such federal officials /
do not know. SO far as the condition
OF the tree was concerned. L had
same examined both before and after
IL was cut down and the expert re-
ported:
This tree Is I'm need OF some trim
ming. so far as can see. in its upper
part but the trunk Is apparently
ae.lpa.saadl the. treS could lee put IN
very rood shape at u cost not to en-
oted $3.50"
Altar the tree was cut down the
remains were again examined and
the trunk found to be perfectly sound.
with the exception of some minor de-
fects easily and cheaply remedied.
Owing to the location of this tree
and its stately beauty. it's loss is
keenly felt by those appreciative OF
the things that money cannot buy;
especially as the removal Of this tree
leaves the surrounding bill boards and
advertising signs to glare forth in all
their hideousness.
/ note the vandalism has now
proceeded up Calhoun street In the
direction OF Church. Here the trees
have been trimmed so high above the
ground that the shade to the sidewalk
has been efrectually removed. Fur
thermore. no attempt Is made at any
time that l have ever seen in this
city to cap or otherwise coat the
wound In the tree when limb is cut
OF. Preparations for this purpose
are cheap and easily applied. even
by the Ignorant class of labor com
monty employed I'm this work. When
these wounds are left open moisture
soon pcnctrates 60 the main trunk OF
the tree. rUtting the same, and In a
few years causing destruction OF the
entire tree or some of its limbs.
note ON Church street between
Hampton avenue and Calhoun street
that another tree IN being vigorously
attacked ana understand this tree
~ partially rotten. That being the
caas.-'why not adopt plan that ]
have seen used In Cincinnati and some
other places OF digging out the de-
cgyed portion of the tree. putting
railroad rails vertically I'm the same
ana GlIing In the tree with a concrete
and stone mixture. The upper limbs
are then cut Off and suitable vine
II pnanted around the tree. which. in