The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-07-12


:,
ES There are many things a city
of even the unmetropolitan size of our own,
needs besides fire companies and street
sprinklers. Freedom from dust, pure air,
and shade are comforts that are absolute
necessities, as much as the preservation of
our buildings from fire or food. Health is
a necessity to the enjoyment of life, where
as the possession Of property is not; but even
the essential blessings of health must have
means of qualification in order to possess
value. Health in prison would in general
be deemed a choice little above sickness in
palace. Now, city is sort of prison,
the surrounding country being the pure air
beyond the walls. One of the chief com.
forts of city life is a park-a place of public
resort, where pure air and shade could be
enjoyed by the imprisoned population.
Were there attached to every prison large
a..y parlor, supplied with easy chairs, vases
of flowers, cages of singing birds, foun-
tain of cool water, music, pictures, and win
dows overlooking pleasant prospect beyond
the stone walls and the iron bound gates,
and were the inmates of the prison allowed
every evening to come out of their pent up
cells and sit an hour in this parlor with its
miniature world of attraction, and be per-
mitted to look out upon the setting sun from
the pleasant windows, the most of them
would doubtless consider the brief enjoy
ment Of this luxury, a compensation for all
the dreary hours of solitary confinement.
Just such prison parlor is pubic park to
q pent up city.
The country cannot be brought to the city,
neither can the city be taken out into the
country for an airing. True, there are q
favored few who can afford their carriages
and drive into the country, but the majority
cannot, and this majority is made up of
the working classes, who need this retrea-
ton most
No more beautiful sunset is ever seen on
the Ohio than summer sunset at Evansville.
On Sunday evening we were strolling on
the river bank, above the foot of Locust
street, and enjoyed the luxury OF our glo-
rious sunset We could not help remaEking
The number who, like us, were wandering
along the high bank, seeking pure air, and
more extended landscape than is afforded
OF the brick walled streets. Many were
cougregated on this quiet eyening-some
seated On the large blocks Of stone scattered
along the bank, and others on the grass,
looking out upon the beautiful river, and
listening to the vespers OF thessmany COM
minglipg church vells and we thought
what source of every day enjoyment could
planted along this bank, bit OF fence to
enclose the strip of bank from the highway,
and few rnstic seats scattered beneath the
trees.
This congregating upon the naked river
oank is small indication of the general
longing of the pent up population for some
pleasant place of recreation. Would not
such an outdoor parlor for the public COM
fort-one Of natures acknowledgement
many from frequenting places of immoral
amusement--of doubtful utility, comfort, and
healthiness2 We don't know what viii be
done to provide for this great public want
we can only remark upon facts; we know
what could, and what ought to be done.