The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-05-26
Absolutely Pure

He emphasized the need of parks.
advocating strongly the purchase of
the Emerson woods, and the grove
and West Oliver street. on the river
bank. Applause greeted his recital.
or his plan for boulevard and pave
ment that would connect the parks
he proposed to establish. He urged
the necessity of a new hotel here.
and recited an instance of poor hotel
facilities. He uttered a prediction
that new hotel would be under
construction before the end of 1915,
He advocated free band and choral
union concerts, and declared that the
electric line to Flint looked like q
certainty at present.
Touching on the subject of the
vacant plant of the Owosso Carriage
and Sleigh Co., the speaker declared
that since it was vacated, SO propo-
sitions for it's occupancy had been
considered by the association, and
that four were now under considera-
tion.
The speaker took few we'll aimed
wallops at the man who knocks his
town, and urged constructive criti-
cism. His classification of critics with
those afflicted with the hoof and
mouth disease, the blind staggers,
hog cholera and hook worm disease,
was unique and highly illustrative.
He declared that the meanest man in
the world is the man who will not
get in and help, but will stand off
and criticize those who are working
for the betterment of the CITY," He
related numerous instances of the
h. saN;
business men in the way of saving
them money.
Mayor DeYOung's Address,.
Mayor James De Young was the
next speaker. He enumerated the
duties of each of the three commits
sioners and gave a resume of what
had been accomplished by the COM
mission since 1t took Office on April
13, 1914. He stated that the COM
mission in those two years, had ex-
pended approximately SAT 900 for
improvements consisting Of new
pavements down town, at cost Of
S10,600, new water supply costing
$500. Extension of water mains at
an expense of $12,237, a new coal
shed built at the water works plant,
costing $3.50, improvements made
around the library costing $1,000,
and $4500 paid toward the new ar
mory. In addition the city has
built three miles of sidewalks cost
ing $4,000, and bought tools valued
at $4,000. The amounts represent
what the city at large paid on the i'm
provements.
The mayor stated that provisions
had been made in the budget, recent
ly adopted, for funds that would cut
the city's bonded indebtedness by
$4,000, or to $227,749.He expressed
satisfaction over the fact that South
Washington street is to be paved this
year and expressed he hope that the
same improvement may be made on
Corunna avenue next year.
He stated that commission is limit
ed in its resources by the statute en-
acted in 1909, which makes it COM
pulsory to pay bonds issued after
that date when they are due, or to
refund bonds in serial form, issued
before the law became effective. The
city has number of bonds, he de-
clared, that under this law, must be
taken care of when they fall due. He
said that before 1920 there will be
old bonds totalling $4,000 due, and
that before 1924, bonds totalling
$105,0 900 will mature. All of these,
he said, must be refunded as serial
bonds, or paid when due.
To Offset this legacy of indebted
ness, left it by the old council, the
mayor said however, that the COM
mission inherited public property
worth $36S.559, exclusive of the
schools, and had also been left by
the council permanent improvements
in the form of pavements sewers and
water mains valued at 1854, 1000, in
addition to sidewalks worth about
100000.
Referring to the fate of the fire
department and park bonding ques-
tions, at the hands of the people, the
executive said that he felt no particu-
lar regret over the defeat of the plan
to motoriZe the fire department, but
was sorry that the park project met
with disfavor. He expressed the fear
that unless the city acquires the Dim
mick property now, il will never get
another opportunity to secure it.
'I believe" said Mayor De Young,
that it was lost through misunder-
standing and a lack of harmony.
There are certain classes in the city
who feel antagonistic to anything the
Improvement association advocates.
This feeling is deplorable but il ex-
lists nevertheless. and must be faced
It is this class that we
want to reach and mingle with, to
bring about a better understanding.
II believe that ii would be a good
plan to utilize this building for the
purpose of holding smokers, and get
together meetings. where everyone
would be welcome, and where mat
ters of public interest and import
ance could be talked over. be-
lieve il would create q better feeling.
The commission ! venture to say,
Continual ON nooc =,