The border vidette., 1928-05-19
CITY COUNCIL AND The PARK

The City of Nogales has taken
a hand in the city park situation.
Open discussion through the
Herald has been in progress for
several weeks and special CON
mittee appointed by the city
| council and consisting of mem
bers of the. board of aldermen
have written the following letter
to the officials of the Southern
Pacific Railroad company.
| The city has asked that the
railroad either release the park
to the city of Nogales or else
consider the city when a lease
is granted to other parties. The
letter follows:
Mr.. E. B. Leavitt, Lease Agent,
Southern Pacific Company,
IS Market Street,
San Francisco, California.
Dear Sir:
1t has been repeatedly brought
to the attep ton of the Mayor
and Board of Aldermen ef No
| gales that the Southern Pacific
company desires to lease for
commercial purposes the present
city park on railroad land on
Morley avenue at the intersec
ton of Park street. At meet
ing of the mayor and board of
aldermen held on May 7th, 1928,
the mayor of Nogales appointed
the undersigned members of the
board of aldermen as q commit
tee to consider this question and
to take up with the railroadscom
pany the proposition of continu
ling the use of this land as q city
park. a
This land has been used as
| park for many years by the re
si9ents of Nogales. It is the
only green spot in Nogales, and
we report that public sentiment
as whole is against giving up
the park. The park is located
on the main business street of
Nogales. and it's shade is acces.
sible to people who would not
walk several blocks to a park
not so centrally located.
In a recent letter to Mayor
Karns.. you stated that the rail.
road company is unwilling to
grant the city an easement to
the park but that the city may
continue using the ground as
park until its use is desired by
the railroad company needing
this land very soon. We earn
estly hope that this is still the
attitude of the Southern Pacific
company, and that, if the com
pany will not grant the city an
easement to the park, it will per.
NIT it's use by the city until it is
req quired for railroad purposes.
However, should the railroad
company be determined to lease
this land for commercial pur.
poses, we respectfully request
that the railroad company will
! consider somewhat the interests
of the city and will grant such a
lease to M. Karam & Sons Mer.
camille company, who is willing
to lease the land from the rail
road company upon the same
terms as are offered by any other
prospective leasee and who has
offered to convey to the city Of
Nogales clear title to the north
IS feet of lot in block 4 of No
gales townsite, which land could
be used for park purposes, al
though it is not desirable.
Of all the propositions which
we understand have been made,
that of M. Karam & Sons Mer
camille company is the only one
that offers to reimburse the city
for the loss Of the park.
Further M. Karam and Sons
Mercantile company have offer
ed to pay the paving assessment
against the park. which assess.
ment will be payable by the rail
road company unless the city is
grante an easement.
We wish further to state that
Nogales recently issued bonds in
the amount of 100000, and the
present administration does not
desire another issue for a park.
We therefore desire to continue