Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-01-21
CITY HAIL M PARK.

been blessed with sound-thinking, far
sighted citizens. who went under tn
opprobrious title of 'dreamers" o
hot air artists" They were able t
sec farther ahead than their contem
Eeraries, and occasionally expresse,
themselves in public, as a result !.
which they were termed faddists O
Mat not.
About the year 1889 the entire Mai.
street block known as the Erwin
pace extending to Church street OF
the west was purchased for $4,150. A
taat time it a suggested that th5
beautiful site be converted into a city
park but the advocates had no:
enough followers and today resi-
Cences and business buildings adorn
tho site except for a space on Main
street and $4,000 has been refused for
a lot 26x15O feet.
About twenty years ago a philo
sophie dreamer advocated the pur-
chase of practically the whole block
between Fourth and Fifth emu for
500 for park purposes. Later tho
First Bank site was offered for $700
but now the price per foot for proper.
ty in this block would sound fabulous.
These instances are mentioned to
show where, in the rapid advance in
real estate values, the city made a
costly error in not purchasing a site
70: a few dollars large enough to be
used as a city hall and central park.
Opportunities have been passing
with only a few wise enough to hear
item knock at our door.
Apparently the last opportunity of
kind is To- gently rapping on our
door. A few people have heard the
Will it be needed? Hender-
sonville has the opportunity of pur-
a Main street site sufficiently
for a town hall, opera house,
market house, fire station, prison and
city park. These things are all nee
assary and their necessity grows
greater as the years go by. A nice
park with pools, sanitary
drinking fountains, band stand for
1ight concerts, public toilets, swings,
,enches, etc., would be of ~incalculable
to the city; they would be the
leans of balancing the business dis
ret, which has grown lopsided, and
would be the pride of generations.
Consider what a priceless heritage
AsheVille possesses in the shape Of
Pack Square park, admirably located
Dut many times too small, and provid-
ID not by long foresight but by the
ezing of a dilapidated county court
.ouse, at which time almost any per-
could see-the wisdom Of retaining
he space for a small central park.
What has made the taxable values
# St. Petersburg, Fla, rise from ST.
5S,1O4 in 1909 (only a slight increase
yer Hendersonville's present proper
y valuation) to $7,O17, $50 in. 1914?
more than sufficient foresight
the part of it's citizens to utilize
IS natural advantages, and these in
.rofusion but undeveloped are about
IL Hendersonville can lay claim to.
We have been wonderfully blessed in
his respect but the advantages await
Ugh development. st. Petersburg has
tPht city parks and throughout the
inter they are the gathering places
t thousands of people who like mild
mIsements and engage in the sport
t the Sunshine club, the daily amuse-
tents consisting OF quoits, horse
hoes, checkers, croquet, rogue and
Their mild games. Those Florida
esort cities around st. Petersburg
re now planning for THE County
.'eautiful Bill" which provides for the
of a tax not to exceed three
ills to meet the expenses of a county
ark commission.
Surrounding mountain resorts are
and doing, Selling their opportun-
les. We have many yet undevelop-
We need to wake from our leth-
rgy. How long shall we sit with
yes closed and hands complacently
,lded in supine indifference and wall
i mournful tones, taxes are too
they must be reduced?"
noN,m nTcuTrUE TIN