The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-03-27
The Soulh side Park.

{ have been given to its readers the accep ance
or rejection Of the South Park project viii have
/ been definitely settled As stated in our last,
that decision being one Of peculiar interest to
workingmen We desire again briefly to refer to
few OF the plausible Interpretations Of It's
enemies. Whilst, doing - are well aware
there are a class Of oiaquers on whom all ar
gu.ieut or reason viii be thrown away, who
Lave been raised into a temporary noiOriety BY
their urscrupulous opposition with all such we
desire to hold 10 controversy; but to those who
allow She sober second thought 10 control their
achon, WHO realize the almost irreperSble mis-
take committed two years sgo when a similar
project was voted down, and by which We are
now compelled 10 60 a mile further south, We
propose to enter into free and familiar con
yersatiou
TheIo9iections sought 70 I've raised By its op-
ponents, that somebody Will get rich if the bill
il ratified BY the people Is certainly beneath
contempt, and an uDmitigated piece Of dcma-
soguesu. Is that any reason Why the work
ingman, who can enjoy equally with the wealthy
its advantages, should vote against IL? Certain
I y lot, and we cannot believe our fellow eiti-
reps vii allow snch elap-tr4p to control their
SQ&pn. If we are to have park, the land
aust be obtained from those who possess it as
il Is net very probable that our:mechanics will
relinquish their hard earned homesteads for
chat purpose
But, We are also told that the park il situated
too far from the centre If the city. We'll, let
us see. The upper park commences st 5lst
street and contains 450 acres, certainly, near
enough for al practical purposes for those me
-hauios residing s0utL OF sub street, while the
park fronting on the lake is advantageously To-
Gated for every employee in the immense estab-
iishmHnt Of the Rock Island Railroad Company.
But, the objection Is mere rel than apparent.
Suppose the PARK was situated in the very heart
Of she city What then Have workingmen
nothing else to DO than spend their Afternoons
atplaces ot public Fesort' II j. to the Sabbath
alone they are compelled to look as a day Of re-
creation, and we know Of no reason why either
Of the proposed parks, on that day, are not as
accessible to them as to the man who rides in
bis carriage and four.
With regard TO the bugbear Of the expense
Of reaching it or returning from it. it is
only necessary to say--that ia a short time
The services Of the dummy will be called into
requsiti0n, when, for a nominal sum vie tors
will be landed IA shr very heart Of the proposed
Improvements, and that too in all probability
before the parks are ready for occupancy
The objection raised that the city has no
corporate jurisdiction, for the time being, is
answered BY tie simple fact that the property
referred TO not yet being within the corporate
limits or The city-any such assumption would
be an act Of usurpation on her part Yet il
Is wen known that in lees than three years those
limits viii not only embrace the lower park,
but extend miles beyond It.
But aside from the consideration to which We
have referred, there Is another and important
feature connected with the success Of the meas
ure III which ouf mechanics have peculiar in
terest The location OF psrk n the south di
vision means a location Of capital in tist neigh
Dor hood-means the opening OF broad avenues
and the erect . Of miles Of dwellngs-which
will afford employment to thousands Of Dur
skilled arIizAns. Let the popular vote "a
tify the recent action Of our Legislature
and the workingmen OF Chicago will reap q
rich ha, thereby, while they can not pursue
a more blind or suicidal policy than by voting
down 3nt project, simply because this one or
that one says somebody is going to BE- enriched
We might continue the consideration Of the
subject to al indefinite extent but we forbear
We wish before concluding howevor to call at
attention to the TACT that number OF those
/ opposing the project referred to, belong 10
class Of citizens who have opposed, and who will
continue to oppose all public improvements,
IN which they are not sel6shly or direct
\ y interested. They ali profess to be
( in favor Of a park, bat not in the 10
cation proposed the natural inference being that
! lie location which WOULD suit being upou
or 10 tie immediate neighborhood Of their own
/ property. But, as al cannot be grati6ed, We
/ hope our readers will refuse TO let such argrl-
ments control their action, md 81 by their
votes next Tuesday that they IT e 10 their
/ best and truest interests, by YOr!Ag for the
| South Side Park on the plan and in the location
now proposed.
TEE changes on the earth's surface during
the glacial period, are strikingly illustrated
by boulder Of peculiar variety Of granite,
4