Box 17, Folder 1, Document 40

Box 17, Folder 1, Document 40

I regret very much that you have taken what I consider
te hatactaniee position in the Peyton-Harland Read problem.

The abandonment of the portions of these roads by the
Board of Aldermen and signed by me was for the purpose of stabilizing an
unwarranted condition in the Peyton Forest area. The closings exercised the
same restraint on ali citizens and discriminated against no one. The right
of purchase and sale, access and egress has been denied no citizen of Atlanta
into any area of the city.

The Board of Aldermen reconfirmed their position on
this matter last Monday. It had been my hope that you as a group, taking the
position that you represent the entire Negro community, would discuss the
overall problem and work out a voluntary agreement that would help in protecting
the interest of all our citizens, stabilizing proberty values and eliminating the
unfair tactics that have previously been used by some parties.

Your refusal to appoint any member of your group te
discuss this matter openly in an effort to reach an amicable solution is deeply
regretable.

However, your unwillingness in no way deters my
determination to see that the matter ie satisfactorily resolved and, to that

end I will continue to work through whatever representative groups are available,

(Ivan Allen, Jr. ~ 1/11/63)



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