The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-03-27
SOUTH SIDE PARK.

circular has been 6isuibated through
ont the city, signed TAX Payers" which
50 misrepresents the law ard the facts tha
it is calculated to prejudice the minssnof ID,
people. IT states that the park commission.
ers are made body polite, with more pow
er tn a king or monarch ever dared
clothe subject" This Is fa;;se They
have only so much power as is necessary
and no more than the comm issiouers o
highways when they open a new road, or {
town board when they order sidewalk
Again. the Central Park Commissioners in
New York are body polite, and this bill Il
moulded after the Men York bin, and wh.
is not proud Of the Central Park
Objection is made because The limits ar,
fred to the bill. Objections were made "a
the bill, two years ago, because the limits
Uere not fixed. People said then, I'VE don't
know where this park is to be-" and many
voted against it because they did not know
where il was to be. The fact is everybody
knoaos lohsre il is 70 be, and the park commits
sioneTs are not authorized to locate it to suit
themselves.
1t is not true that three quarters Of the
ground is low swamp. On the contrary,
it is eight feet above the level of Lake Mich
igan in the lowest place, aud there is hardly
enough low ground for the necessary ponds
and lakes. It is not true that il will require
$l0,O00,000 to improve it. Three hundred
dollars expended on an acre Of land in the
way Of drives and shrubbery, makes
beautiful spot, as every man knows that
has ever fixed up door yard. Eleven hun
bred acres at $500 would be only $3.50, 900.
Only 500 COO has been expended on Lincoln
Park, and yet it is one OF the prettest places
in the country. The location Of the South
Side Park gives one mile and half front on
Lake Michigan, thus giving a breathing
place to every body.
1t is said the park is too far of. In few
years none scarcely will live on the South
side south Of Sixteenth street, but the great
mas Of the people viii live within twenty
minutes walk Of the park. From the river
south to Sixteenth street will be business
property.
1t is said that park can be obtained at
any time within fifty years. How much will
this ground cost IN fifty years, If the city
does not grow any in fifty years this kind of
talk viii do, but if the city grows as it has,
two hundred million dollars will not buy II.
IL we are to have park, now is the time.
II tie park bill had succeeded two years ago
this land could have been purchased for
much !ess than it will now cost. The mis-
representations in the hand-biIl are fearful
It figures up the park debt at nearly 8
000, 900. Let US see how this will come out !:
For ils-o'snsai per acre $500. loo acres $4,000
sl,44s,oco
AT the outside it cannot cost over, So, O00,-
600. The cost Of the land is 81, O6O. 600.
to be paid BY the land specially benefited,
leaving 100000 to be raised The as
sessed value Of the South-side and the towns
Of Hyde Park and Lake, is 500, 000, 600 90
so that the amount to be raised requires .
tax of only two and half per cent, while
the enhanced value, by reason Of the i'm
Provement, will be Al least forty per cent.
Under these circumstances we cannot be-
lieve that the voters Of South Chicago viii
reject measure-the acceptance Of which Ia
fraught with so many advantages to the well
fare Of the city. From sanitary, indastri-
al, and commercial point Of view, the duty
Of every citizen dictates but one course, vis
the ratification Of the bin recently passed By
the legislature.