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Our Man About Town

Our Man About Town image
Parent Issue
Day
24
Month
June
Year
1887
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

It was a novel sight to see a young lady attempling to ride a 58 inoh bioycle on Catharine street one night last week. Of course she could not fall, being supported by a gentleman on either side, who steadied the wheel for the distance of several blocks, when she was assisted to alight. I have been informed by the post-master that it will take several weeks before people will receive their mail promptly af ter the f ree delivery service begins. Mr. Duffy must not be blamed, as it will be new and strenge work, and it will take some time for the men to become acquainted with their routes. I have always argued that E. B. Gidley, as a member of the board of health, "is the right man in the right place." V henever he goes for a person where a nuisance is known to exist, it nieans a general cleaniug up. And he don't go half a dozen times either, henee some citizens wish that Gid was in some other country. On the streets Tuesday, I noticed a number of small boys playing with toy pistols, they were pointing them at one anotherand having, as they thought, considerable sport. Now these toy pistols have done a great deal of harm and in a number of cases have caused death. Why is it parents allow their childreu to purchase such dangerous toysV In my opinión, when boys are seen upon the streets with these pistols, our officers of the law should take them from them. Ann Arbor is gradnallv taking on city uirs, and when, in addition to her watersystem, her electric lights, and her postal delivery, she gets street-railways and her daily newspapers, she will be so coinpletely metamorphosed that her own citizens will hardly know her, and certain somnolent snoozers will hardly realize that they themselves once formed the constituent olements of a fossilized town. Though you can't make the rank and file of our oíd settlers believe it, you can quietly bet your bottom dollar that Ann Arbor is making steady progresa and is going to boom right along into a position worthy oL her ments and her history. I heard a Btranger who had formerly been one of our citizens say the other day, that after travelling exteasively over,' the country, he had never seen s city giving clearer signs of future progress-than does Ann Arbor to-day; and he pointed out several pieces of business property whioh he feit certain would be a paying investment. Even the apathy of her rich men cannot now stop this beautiful city in her carcer of prosperity. Tuesday's Free Press contained the opinions of some of Detroit's most prominent citizens on the university question. Out of fifty-three flfty strongly favor the laboratory appropriation, three only thinking the governor right in vetoing it. This shows the feeling in that city and throughout the state it is the same. How governor luce can thmk he is doiug nght or pleasing the majority of the people I cannot understand. The university of Michigan which is known through the length and breadth of the land for its vast magnitude and learning, and when asking for appropriations needed to carry it on and make it stand on the same plañe with Yale and Harvard, to have one, although occupying the guernatorinl chair say, it must not be, it is more that the peoplo of Michigan can stand this increase in taxes - a few cents to each tax-payer. I think the governor ought to have visited the university and have found out by his own personal knowledge what her needs are before he presumed to veto the appropriation. It is to be regretted that the house did not pass the bill over the governor 's veto, but now the governor can go to Detroit and rejoice with the Evening News which is a bitter opponent of the university. In the inauguration of so important a change as the postal delivery system there will be great obstacles to overeóme in getting all the arrangements perfectcd and the system running smoothly. Our citizens can be of incalculable assistance to the autliorities, if they will, by showing patience and forbearance, and by kindly giving information to carriers and superintendents. Don't expect everything to be arranged in an hour or a day. Postmaster Duffy will get things in order as soon as any man eould. For about three months box-holders will retain their boxes, and they must, in order to insure free delivery, give in the number of their residences, the names of streets, etc. Our common council has also a most important part to perform to make the experiment a successful one. There are many streets without names, and many houses without numbers. These should be attended to immediately. Then, again, a great many sidewalks are in a frightfully dilapidated condition. Our local pride ought to correct this evil, but the new postal arrangements are bound to correct it, because you can not and ought not to compel carriers to travel over broken and dangerous sidewalks in their rounds. They are about to undertake long and tiresome routes, and it is but just that everything be done by everybody to render their journeys as easy and swift as possible. We have bccome so accustjmed to hearing Ann Arbor called the prettiest town in the country that we sometimes think we do not appreciate the compliment as much as we should. That it is a fact cannot any longer be questioned. It is the universal testimony, not only of strangers, but of former residente who have been away for eome years. Nature has been yery kind to us here, and here she exhibits, as in no other locality, all the charming beauties with which she is adorned. The wondrously beautiful trees alone would make the place conspicuous among her sister cities. And wheu we add to these the tasteful lawns, the fragrant flowers, and all the attraotive surroundings, - the bilis aud dales and woods and streams - it is within reason to say that nowhere shall we find her superior or porhaps her equal. And yct, notwithstanding all these acknowledged advantages, Ann Arbor is capable of many iinprovements. Among these, flrst and foremost is the neeá of a public park. In every city as large as ours, and even in places smaller and less beautiful, there is set apart a space for public use and recreation ; where the poor and the rich may enjoy out door pleasures and rest and refresh themeelves after the toil and worry of the day. For such a grand purpose Anu Arbor has matchless resources - plenty of epace, plenty of trees, plenty of shade and plenty of sunshine. That she has not taken steps in this matter is to strangers visiting us, a standing wonder. Let our city government and our public-spirited citizens take steps at once in this matter, and it will not only result in untold benefit to our own citizens, but wil] strengthen our claim to being the lovelieat city in America.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Democrat