Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1939-06-05

MAYOR HENTY T. POWELL
three per cent, and this would give
us at least $1,000 year additional,
which, with the increased cOnsump-
ton, should allow the construction
of this elevated tank during the fis-
cal year 1940-41 without an increase
in taxes or the water rates And this
is a matter which should receive your
most careful consideration as it is a
matter which can have the most seri-
GUS consequences if neglected too
long. -
Up until the erection of the pres
ent sewer plant, which is now being
built, we were most unfortunate in
not being able to sewer a large part
of the city because it was impossible
on account of the low elevations to
get into the sewer lines. But with
the new plant every section of the
city can be severed. Mr.. Paul NJ Van
Camp, the engineer in charge of the
erection of the sewer plant, is pre-
pairing project which will call for
the seWering of all of the city not
now severed. Of course, this cannot
all be done in one year, but it is rec
commended that portion of this done
each year until the entire city is pro-
vided with sewers. And since this is
a project on which the labor cost is
high and the material cost is low it
can be worked to the city's advan-
tage to get a WPA project to lay
these sewers. The WPA being able
to lay them at only small fraction
of the cost to the city that it would
cost us to lay them totally with city
funds. And should such a project
be worked up, we can do as little or
as much each year as the city is in
the financial condition to furnish it's
part of the funds for the project.
The Kings Daughters Park should
also come before us for serious con-
sideration. With the assistance of the
WPA this park has been conditioned
and beautified to the extent that it
is place of beauty and usefulness
to the comm unity. But due to con-
ditiOnS over which we had no control
the upkeep since that time has been
some what neglected. And it is my
recommendation that small house
be built at the back of the park and
that full-time keeper be employed
to live there and look after the park
To my mind, any other course after
the vast expenditure that have been
made would be inexcusable. And a
keeper living in the park should earn
his salary in the saving to damage
of fixtures at the park.
For the past several years the
street and police departments have
operated under the handicap of hav-
ing inadequate space provided them
for efficient operations. And since
the State Highway and Public Works
Commission is abandoning the pres
ent camp site in the late summer it
is my recommendation that the city
lease or purchase the present camp
site and move the street department
into these quarters, thus getting the
street department more room and al
so getting the trucks and other equip
mcnt from around the fire station
and off the streets.
Such move would also material
ly benefit the police department, be-
cause they are in cramped quarters
and the jail is in a most unSatisfac-
tory place in that DRINKS are lodged
within twenty feet of main street and
the noise and language of some of
these are source of annoyance to
ladies and gentlemen passing the
station. And the court room is on the
second floor of building that was
never designed to care for the weight
that 1T is necessary to put upon the
floor xUhnr fb0ro ic FL r
court. And if the street department
is moved the court and jail could
with very little expense be moved
into the present quarters of the street
department. Thus taking the Jail off
the street and putting the court on
the first floor.
If this were done the police de-
partment should have a small office
built in front of the present Street
Department space for their own use,
where records could be kept and
business attended to by the depart
ment IN manner which is not now
possible due to the crowded condi-
ton OF the building. And should a
new fire truck be purchased the
space now occupied by the police de-
partment would be needed by the
Fire Department.
Since the City of Henderson owns
its own compressor, rock quarry and
crusher, we are in most favorable
position to secure the most advan-
tageous WPA projects for our streets,
since these three items will mainly
contribute our share of the costs and
there will be but little outlay of cash
by us. 1t is, therefore, my recommen-
dalton that as soon as the present
WPA project now being used on the
| streets is exhausted that another be
worked up with the idea of putting
down additional curb and gutter and
sidewalk in the city, and there can
be no argument that thousands OF
feet of each are needed in the city
at this time, and this is our oppor-
tunity to get them with little cost
to us other than the use of the items
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