Arizona republican., 1917-02-03


 Shrewd business men know that and want to get this land. but 1 say to you that it is worth more to the people of Phoenix for a Civic Cen ter than to anyone else in the world, and we, the people, should keep it.
 Dr. Roy Thomas made the second formal argument for the retention of the site for a Civic Center. He said it should be retained on two grounds, the asthetic and the economic. The asthetic because it is a beautiful idea which can be carried out and the economic because it would add to public convenience and administra- tion efficiency through the grouping of public buildings which all have to frequently visit.
 Dr. Thomas said he considers the site ideal for the purpose of a Civic Center while the city would really be but taking money from one pocket and putting it in another to save for pos terity this magnificent block.
 Franklin D. Lane was the first for nal speaker who favored selling the property and he did not understand he was limited to five minutes and so spent all his time leading up to his ar guments without once mentioning the meat of the meeting Dr. R. R. Brown field was the second supporter of the sale to private interests. He said h. believes the city favors a Civic Center but net necessarily located on that property. He claimed the propcrty to the north is cheaper and that the school board needs money nov
 We now have court honse and park as good as can be had said he, adding, T mean the park is.
 Board of Education Neutral
 Prof. J. D. LOper on behalf of the | o,.I of nIt ha p the board is strictly neutral He said that the board of education will need money but that the people have never turned down a bond issue for the schools and bonds could probably be voted
 G. w. Rarrows said that there Is no call to drag the business district away from it's present location to aid a real estate speculation. Don't make two mistakes" he urged, "one hy getting rid of our most valuable asset aud second by movin~ our business district.
 "Cities are now paying vast sums 70 get hack land they have sold and winch the people once had We are all n favor of schools and we can and will build them but when they talk about getting cheaper land for Civic ten ter why not go to the edge Of town ana get it real cheap. Do you want |" tear Phoenix up to put this land m me hand of speculators2 2'
 pr. J. C. Norton said he believes Phoenix should have a Civic center and thinks the proposed site idea i- "Monev for schools can he gotten IT other ways than from the sale of this property." said he He also said if 1t comes to selling anything the presen' city hall block in the heart of business would bring much more than the school property.
 Charles Christy said he does not be- lieve Phoenix should mortFaee us hopes for the future and Civic center tn avoid issuing bonds for the schools He also said he regards it essential to hold on to this property for the prop ertv sold. the money is soon spent and then Phoenix would have neither the ash nor a Civic Center.
 Scheme to Move Business
 Thomas Stewart said there are three issues involved. the drifting of the ole business center northward. the eco romic question and the school neeos, He said he felt that if the city ana countv would not go in on the CIVIC Center idea then the city alone should do so. He suggested that if anything lis to be done an auditorium surrounded hv business stores he built on the cltN han square. a plan which could he car ried out so that it would probably if nance the entire cost of buying the school property and build the needed public buildings.
 Others who made telling points in favor of the Civic Center idea were Sims Ely. and L. M Fitzhugh. The club took no vote upon the issue put the great ma iority seemed to favor the Civic Center idea
 The Republican has received eN- pressions favoring T Civic Center lroH' scores of prominent people one GU zen writes ~
 "Those who advocate the sale of the school propertv for the paltry sum of s21O O00 when 1t is fully worth one third more. are interested in property in the immediate neighhorhood or whose business is nearby. Why sell lo speculators who do not offer any com - pensation or promise of haVing as business houses built but, instead. they arc likely to allow the property to stand idle with the object of forth coming rise or else sell just few lots where. in all likelihood. unsightly shacks will be erected?'
 A. WetZler says:
 'It is the right and proper 'h'ng '" hold the Central School propert for joint city hall and court house We need all the vaulahle ~round we can secure The s21o 0o0 offer should not he accepted It is not half tle worth of the property"
 Captain P Minor thus "Nprease himself. .s. Central School nroperty at she present -ire for the low price offered am J,ear+if,. ir favor of retaining lt for -