The Parisian. (Paris, Tenn.) 1907-1962, 1921-06-10
ROTARIANS TOLD
CITY OF PARIS
TO FORGE AHEAD
Mayor of City Talks to Rotarians
AT Weekly Luncheon Concern
ing Civic Matters.
PORTRAYs SITUATION IN
WEST TENNESSEE TOWNS
Says With Forthcoming Issuance Of
Bonds Paris Will Forge
Ahead of Others.

Insisting that with the proposed
bond issue, and the immediate ex-
penditure of $4,000 thereof. Mayor
j. r. Rison, Jr., told the members
of the Paris Rotary Club last Friday
in an after-luncheon talk, Paris
would forge ahead of all other cities
of similar and even larger size in
this section of the state
The mayors talk was in response
to an invitation of President j. T..
Porter of the Rotary Club to outline
the results of q recent inspection trip
to Dyersburg, Union City, and other
West Tennessee towns. In the course
of the outline Mayor Rison said that
Paris was far ahead of Dyersburg
in municipal buildings, ahead in the
matter of fire department, and rela-
lively in water and light plant facil-
tiles and operation, although ex-
pressing the prediction that Paris
would hauFSSs adopt the alternating
electric current system. the same as
Dyersburg within some four or five
years, and that this would take some
$4,000 of the 100000 that is going
to be held back out of the gross
bond issue to be voted tomorrow
week. He said that Dyersburg had
a two-tub wooden construction set
Ting basin and wooden-tub filter
tank, while Paris had dissection
settling plant of concrete-the best
plant of its kind in West Tennessee.
A comparison of rates for light, cur
rent, and water showed that Paris
was considerably less than Dyers-
burg Dyersburg has the city treas
ury plan. which has already been
authorized by the new Paris charter
to be made effective here. About
the only advantage Dyersbucg has
over Paris at this time, said the
mayor, in addition to its general
progressive policy is it's general civic
appearances, including the court
yard, and its street construction, that
city having some eight miles of
permanent asphalt streets These
streets were constructed on the 'front.'
foot assessment plan, the property
owners on each side Of the street
paying q third each of the cost and
the city the remaining third. There
is on file 100 per cent petitions for
all remaining streets to be construct
ed with permanent asphalt, as soon
as the city can get it's finances in
shape to bear its third of the cost
that will be entailed.
Dyersburg has now over half-mil-
lion dollar bonded debt, exclusive
of the two-thirds pro-rata paid on
its streets by the property owners.
The tax rate there is 1925 for the
city, against Paris rate of so cents
for general expenses and 25 cents
for schools, or S5 cents against 225
cents. The mayor said that in view
of this Dyersburg taX-rate precedent
he felt the plan offered the citizens
of Paris under the bond, issue pros
posed, and to be voted tomorrow
week, was the best, cheapest, and
most economical course to pursue,
as the sale of $4,000 at this time
would not cause an increase in the
60-cent tax rate, and further ex
planned, that should there be any
increase in the tax rate it would
emanate from sources other than
being chargeable to the bond issue,
/. e. creating avenues of expens
other than existing at this time for
maintenance and operation.
He said that rather than undertake
the front-foot assessment plan over
the entire City of Paris, the recon
struction of the streets could b,
done with Camden cementing gravel
with a sand and oil surface in the
residence areas and use asphalt pos
sibly, on the square and in the fire
limits where the traffic is so heavy
and where permanent construction is
essential. The mayor pointed out
that should the general street work
in the residence areas be under
taken under tie front-foot assess
ment plan at this time, it would
have to extend over the entire city