, 1866-11-03
PCRIlC PARKS.

Eupllc PARKS nave come 10 DC recognized i
necessity Of every large city. It is not
alone that they arc felt by the rich aud pros
porous 10 be important to their lore OF /
pleasure and display. Fond IS the upper
classes are Of showing the richness OF their
equipages and the erlcuaor OF their turn |
cuts, public parks are far more essential to
the poor and laborfpg multitude. They af- |
tord TO MI the poorer population means Of
cheap and Innocent recreation, invaluable IN |
It's Influence both to health and morals. This
is truth which has come to be generally
accepted, and there Is hardly large town
nuywhere that has not taken steps to pro-
vide for It's residents public grounds. set
apatt to the various healthy rccEeauons and
outdoor sports With which the people love
to make tbcmEelves merry. Our own city
LAS done something in this way, but
there have not get been any plans
for public parks, which seem to meet alt our
requirements It Il q subject about which
there Will, doubtless, be found some diver
sity In views, and In the peculiar division Of
| our city into the North, South and West
Sides, 1t may not be found practicable to har-
monizc the opinions Of residents In the differ
cnt divisions. Indeed the North Side has
already taken steps to provide itself with
| 1tiaEE u puuAlC kEbVl6 4u 44AA@VAA AIN"
The dimensions Of the ground set apart to
this purpose, and the plan on which 1t l.
| proposed to lay out and improve 1t, strc as
| furnHcc that the dwe1lcrs on the North Side
will have in Lincoln Park something worthy
| of the name.
But so far rs we know, nothing at NIL
worthy has been proposed, or undertaken,
for either Of the other two divisions Of the
I .+h- - IL IA
that either the West or the South Side will
t-a content TO remain without public park.
Sooner or later the people In both these
divisions nrc sure to insist that large grounds
shall be selected and purchased for this pur"
Pose. These public parks have come to be
regarded .s \ public necessity. The com
ron people demand them for their own ben
ctit and enjoyment, and thIs demand. how
, | ever it may hc, under one or another pretext
for th. timc avoided or postponed. will have
IN the nd to be met and satisfied. So thai
l,c question is only whether It Is best Il
| I. C hold Of this subject at once, or whcthc
6: tAlpg Is to be gained By delay. Ant
= as ,c-prGs one, and the most I'M
= ,4,rtaat point to be considered, there ea1
i. no doubt Whatever, that not only Is an
acl.v dangerous, but It uust inevitably max
the creation Of public park difficult sn
embarrassing. and will increase indeanitcl.
!. It's expense to the city. A park u,ass cou
tsisc large body OF land. At present, suc
tract Of land either on the West or To
- South Side, can be selected and bought VIII
- out any serious difficulty. and At q very mo-
ii crate rsire. But let this mattcr be delAEe
* ru,n lands in the vicinity Of the estS WINK
1, arc now unoccupied are covered over vii
It, settlers and owners. and to secure posse
,le sion will require controversy with indlfi
he uaa owners and with pirate rights. Fnit
ed should by Ill mcans he avoided, And IN II
az meantime the price Of the land will hs'
he risen TO figure which will make the pu
of cb&<e heavy burden to the taxpayer.
be The force oi theec considerations must
MI, f.1t by all, and there eau be no doubt ID
"a measures should be taken without delay
lac secure so much land as inay be needed 1
"a public parks, To do this. authority N,
Isr be Eiycn By the State, and 1t Ia import:
- that tho matter should be attended to I
winter, as our Legislature hesas Its sessit
ouly once in two years, and It would b.
w 6-rious mistake to have the subject n
wy noned for several year4 longer. There
as i,c no risk In the city securing the land net
nea sa ssry for this pmpote Immediately, on
~: Nc eont.a1y, there arc many eogent Feas
le s., .sairst any postponement. A. regards