Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1917-03-15
Civic Club Hears
Live Discussions

There was q large and representa-
tive attendance at the Civic Club
Tuesday afternoon, ever sixty mem
bers and interested visitors being
present.
The subject of the high cost of liv-
ing was continued. Mrs. Whittle led
the discussion with very instructive
talk on rice as, hygienically, a valu-
able food asset and substitute, and
gave some down south" recipes for
preparing the cereal.
Vacant Lots.
The question of planting our city's
many vacant lots to vegetables the
coming season brought out some spir-
tied and profitable suggestions, as
did, also, the growing need for pub
lie market under proper superintend-
ence and inspection.
Chautauqua.
Messrs, Briggs, Reed and Dill then
addressed the meeting in regard to
the proposed new Chautauqua build
ing and the Importance of the city
acquiring the seven acres offered by
the Chautauqua association, in order
to complete the present park system.
Mr.. Briggs, as one Of the three
original promoters of the association,
gave his hearers a brief history OF
the founding and conduct of the en-
terprise. The original purchase, he
said, comprised about eight acres and
was effected by the issuing Of Chau-
tauqua notes to the amount OF
$500, and these were readily taken
as security for the loan after the title
of the property had been examined
and found to be perfect; and he stat
ed, most emphatically, that this title
came to the association by warranty
deed, WAS NOT NOW NOR EVER
HAD BEEN DEFECTIVE. The old
auditorium was built. practically, by
seventy people, and the hope was ex-
pressed that the same enthusiastic
spirit that then prompted the under
taking might sustain the new project,
and that the young people would en-
ter into its educational work with
even q better appreciation Of the ad-
yantages II would offer.
New Building or No Chautauqua.
The present building is now unser-
viceable and IL no effort is made to
provide a new one, Ashland's Chau-
tauqua will soon be thing of the
past. The only and proper way to
make such provision is to dispose OF
the property to the city and to take
the money received to construct
new auditorium. Mr.. Briggs consid-
cred the price asked, namely, $15,-
600, as very reasonable for the seven
acres, especially in view of the fact
that the city paid $4,000 for only
two acres to extend its park system.
The new auditorium is to have a
seating capacity of 1000 with pro-
vision to extend same, if needed, to
$500.
The construction is to consist OF
a concrete wall thirteen feet high on
which the spherical roof is to rest
for foundation; door spaces to be
in the wall, with a circular alcove at
one end for stage purposes.
For this construction work there
is to be no further tax upon the city
indeed, the money required is to
come from sale to the city of valu-
able property.
If action be not taken soon the city
will lose this favorable opportunity
to secure the property and, eventu-
ally, It may pass into the hands OF
private parties, thus depriving our
citizens of a great privilege and ad-
vantage.
Financial Side.
Mr.. Dill followed with an interest
ing statement sustained by official
figures, which gave the financial part
of the proposition concrete and intel
]igible form. as follows:
Assessed value of Ashland proper
ty, sS,OOO,OO0.
Population, 5000.
Average assessed value, $500.
Total bonded Indebtedness, $685.
52O.93.
Annual interest, $3.50.
Average interest per capita, 2K
cents.
Principal paid in ten equal parts,
per capita, 25 cents.
Inclusive of interest, BIN cents.
Present tax rate, 22.3 mills.
Average Indebtedness, per capita,
$S5.
Inclusion of proposed bond issue
$3.50.
Increase, less than one-third mill
or the increase will be 30 cents on
81 900.
Other Features.