Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-06-06
H. F. PICKELS,
y, B. HEUSTED,
PHILIP QUIGLEY,
JOS. Il. PHILLIPS,
ELI MENDINHALL,
JOHN @. BAKER,
W. II. QUINN,
j. T. RICHARDSON.

Mr.. Pickes moved the adoption Of the report,
and spoke IA ats favor. He said that the subject
of Public Park had been mooted for years but
had never been definitely acted upon. len years
ago, four squares Of land above Adams street. were
offered to the city for SIC 500 but now that price
was doubled and if We wait I've Jears longer, it
will be doubled again.
Mr.. Hnegan said that be was in favor of having
a Public Park, if the ground could be purchased
at q reasonable hgure but he entered his protest
against this immenEe purchase, and the immense
expense, which would be incurred in fitting up the
ground properly for Park purposes As the rep
resentatiVe Of four-fths Of the taxpayers Of his
Ward, who were Of the same opinion, he was OPP
posed TO IT. He also doubted the right Of Council
to create such dsbt in this manner. II 1t desired
to improve the Water Works. even TO the extent
OF only $4,000. appl lIcati0n must be made to the
Legislature. If it dasisl TO change the grade of
the moRt unimportant street pubic cmeeting must
be called. And yet; this immense purchase is TO
be made by this body, simply on their oWn re-
sponsibiIity, aud without any expression of the
people on the subject. The who'll cost of this i'm
proVemsnt would amount to $500 000 and he be-
lieVed that before adopting this report, the opin-
ion Of thu City Solicitor should be received, and
vote Of the people obtained.
Mr.. Pickles maintained that the mass of the peo
pie faYcrsd the Park project
Mr.. Lynch said although he was a member of
the Park Committee; he could not slgn the report,
or vote for its adoption. Having at heart the in-
teresH OF the WoFkingmen, who compFised four
ffths Of our population, he conld not vote to in
crease their taxes, By making this purchase, from
which they would derive iittiO or no real benefit.
Look at the Parks OF other cities, beautiful and
pleasant enough to be Snrs but difficult OF access
10 those Of limited means, and patronized manly
by those Of wealth and leisure Gazing upon these
beautiful Parks in the large cities, and then upon
the sanitary condition Of the inhabitants the cam
did observer caRnot help thinking that the money
used in producing these resorts would have been
far more appropriately expended in cleaning tho
6ltby, dirty Strests. Aud 80 with Wilmington
Let the Park money be appropriated TO this or
some other useful purpose and the majority Of the
people would be benefited in q far greater mea-
sure, than BY an expensive public Park. Go asll
the poor WORKING man Il he wants 70 be taxed TOR
| public Park, and his answer will be, "no." 1t
requires the utmost frugality, on his part TO meet
his ordinary sxpenseS and procure the necessarles
Of life, and the payment OF his taxes is grieyous
burden. Therefore h0 does not desire one cent
added 10 them, particularly for 0 project from
which he is 10 derive no benefit. After his days
toll, he has no inclination TO plod all the way 70
the Park fer rest and recreation. but Is content TO
remain ct hOme. His limited means will not ad-
NIT Of his hiring conveyance, and he possesses
no fast team. Oh no. the Park would not bene-
At him the GlightOst; but pFehAps It would benefit
th0as whO possessed fast leans, which they dis
played 80 gaily and dehanty on King street, last
winter, and which they now wish TO eantsr through
our public Park. He was In favor Of public square,
where the psopls could rest themselves during the
day and evening, bnt as for Park, he felt con
yniced that 1t did not meet the wished CT major
ity of the people,
Mr.. Quin thCaght the people did want q Park ;
and aassrtad that IS per csnL Of the visitoEs 70
OsntFAl. fAirmoant and Druid Hin Parks were
nechalies and Working people. He considoEsd
that public squares only encouraged and fouierod
public proottution, and cited the square al Seventh
and Walnut streets, Philadalphla, a. an axampls,
He thoaght tha people wanted q Park, .ana the
poor man could enjoy its IuxnFies a. wen e the
Kioh man,
M LSSeh said be would not object to Mia mark.
! u the city could afford It; but he thought the