Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1939-06-05
Mavor Powell Recommends Increase In Water Charges

turn out much stone which can be
used to an advantage on our dirt
streets to make them pasSable under
any weather condition.
No problem facing our city today
concerns us more than the traffic
problem on Garnett street. 1t is in
deed unfortunate that most of the
merchants do not have back doors to
their places of business. But since
they do not, spaces of necessity must
be provided for their delivery trucks.
But we have gone beyond that and
have allowed certain individuals to
use Garrett street for their place OF
business upon the theory that they
owned the property fronting upon
said street, and had the consent OF
the business occupying the building
along the street, and this has caused
untold resentment among the cit
liens of the city and is materially
affecting the movement of traffic on
said street. In addition, there are
continual calls coming to my office
rom other owners Of property STAT
ing that they own property on said
street and desiring reserved parking
signs for the space in front of their
stores. And if one is entitled to it
by reason of ownership, another is,
and if this practice is followed to
its logical conclusion the public in
general will have no space in which
to park on Garrett street. It would
therefore seem that where the bust
ness could be conducted from an
other street that wisdom would re-
qllire that it be there
Our merchants and their clerks
are also thoughtlessly driving thous-
ands of dollars out of Henderson each
year by parking their cars in the
business district to the extent that
no space is left for those desiring to
trade here. And l believe that if
these parties would voluntarily agree
that for the next thirty days they
would not park their cars between
Chestnut street and the railroad, be-
tween the fire house and Spring
street they would find parking con-
ditions improved and business i'm
proved as we'll, for people will not
stop and trade unless they can find
somewhere to park. If you doubt this
just remember what you do when
you are out of town on trip, and
think of how far you rode from town
to town just looking for a parking
place.
Double parking is also a matter
which is giving up most SeriOuS\ con-
Germ. This is because not only is traf-
fic tied up in many instances but the
lives and property of our citizens are
being endangered by this practice,
not only by making driving condi-
tons more hazardous but because
there are times when double park
ing has so tied up traffic that it
would have been impossible for the
fire or police departments to 90 down
said street. This offense is caused
mainly by thoughtlessness because
the average person only intends to
stop a minute, but in that minute
often from SO to 100 cars are tied up
And suppose each of the more than
5000 cars in theCcounty were to dou-
bic park on Garnett street for lust
one minute. The police seriously
hope that arrests will not be neces-
sary but unless the public cooperates
voluntarily arrests must follow.
This is true not only because our
desire to keep the street open but
also because in 1888 when the State
Highway and Public Works Commits
sion repaved Garnett street and
widened the same, the City of Hen
derson agreed with the State High
way Commission that if they would
do said work that the City of Hen
derson would give the Federal Bu-
reau OF Roads control over traffic
and parking on Garrett street. And
we have recently been warned by
the Federal Bureau of Roads that
unless double parking is eliminated
that they will exercise their privilege
to the extent of stopping all parking
on said street. And they will be with
IN their rights should they do this.
Another item which materially
slows down traffic on said street is
the practice of making left turns off
OF Garnet street at its intersection
with Breckenridge. And l am MAX
ing a recommendation based on many
hours of observation that left turns
off Of Garnet street at this point be
eliminated.
1t may appear that I have dealt at
undue length with traffic problems.
but | know of no more important
problems facing us today. And since
1t seems now that the National Safety
Council will have a traffic engineer
in the State in the next few weeks
and he can be obtained to study our
problems at nominal cost l recon-
mend that we secure his services to
study of our condition and give
us concrete recommendations for
their removal
Last but not least is an item which
perhaps does not come fully within
the scope of the City Council. But
for the past 80 years Henderson has
failed to secure new industry en-
ploying as much as 100 people. And
this being true, every effort of city,
county and people will be needed to
get us out of this rut. And it is my
recommendation that this body place
itself upon record as being willing to
make every reasonable concession
that it may lawfully do to any indus
try or organization, OF legitimate
character and of financial stability