The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-05-29
THE CITY PARK.
The Old Hill Farm to bs Made a
City Pleasure Resort.

Little, and Jos. F. Smith. to the City
Council, was published in the
HERALD. This report stated that
: the Old Mill Farm had been pur-
{ chased by the city to be converted
into q city park, and suggested a
method for raising the means to pay
, for this property, which method
was adopted. Itmay be argued that
the city is not at present in need of
a park; many think it does, while
many hold different opinion. But
whether it does need one now or
not, the time will soon come when
the need of one will be keenly felt.
With characteristic foresight Mayor
Little discerned that such a need
would arise in the near future, and
knew that unless a good location
were selected in time, it might not
only cost a vast amount, but might
besYery. difficult, if not impossible, to
secure desirable location when a
city park had grown to be an i'm
mediate necessity. He therefore be-
gan to cast about for a place. The
! Mill Farm struck his fancy, or
rather, was such a place as his judg-
ment suggested the city would re-
quire. He made inquiry as to the
value and the price at which it could
be purchased, and some time ago
| submitted the matter to the City
| Council with the recommendation
| that the city purchase the farm for
the purpose indicated. The Council,
seeing as the Mayor did, entertained
the matter very favorably, ordered |
the purchase of the farm, and ap-
pointed a committee to suggest a |
method for raising the means to pay
for the farm, which special commit |
tee reported, as before stated, on |
Tuesday night last.
In the whole valley no better site |
could have been chosen for a park |
than the one just purchased; and
there is no spot which possesses bet /
ter advantages for the purpose in |
view than the one selected. 1t con-
tains 10 acres, and to all persons
who move about the city, it is well |
known. The farm begins at the
southeastern portion of the city, the
north end consisting of what is
known as the "locust patch" or both
of them. At present there is a lane
which runs through the centre of
the farm, but being private property
can be closed at will. The width of
the farm, east and west, is equal to
two Of our city blocks, including the
street, while it extends south tU the
lane or road south of the old
Brigham Young mill, now known
as the Letter mill. This piece CON
tains 100 acres, and the old mill,
pond and. race are included
in the purchase, together with
very good residence. The
locust patch there is the only
grove within miles Of the city and
is located about three blocks from |
the First Ward street car track
and in the course of time the cars
will run directly to the park. This
grove is large enough for all the
purposes that can ever be required, is
rustic and very pleasant and shady. a
large portion of the land is excellent
farming ground and is at present
under cultivation, from which the
city will realize some pecuniary ben
eft. The land is level and being
prolific can easily be converted into
the object desired. All the north
and the entire western portions are
good, solid land. The southeastern
part is occupied by mill pond, and
is more or less Doggy and springy,
and with comparatively little
trouble can be converted into ponds,
and the other portion drained, filled
in and made solid, the dirt taken out
70 10 |
the earth necessary to fill mp
springy places which it is desirable
to make solid.
The additional ten acres is located
to the southwest of the farm proper |
and is divided by street from it.
1t is full of springs from which |
flows a large stream of beautiful,
clear, cool and delicious water. This
land was purchased by the late Z
President Young because of its ,
springs and the water was used and
drawn on to the Mill Farm, partly |
to irrigate the land and to run the
mill; the water from which can also
be turned on to the land and put to
good use. There is an abundance of I
water which belongs entirely to
the land, and has its source on the
ten acres mentioned.
The farm contains as much
ground as will be needed for a park
for Salt Lake in the next two gener-
atoms at least, and there is so much
that it will never be necessary to
keep the grounds like a lawn, as
would be the case were it but q ten |
acre block. The whole can be made
to appear rural and rustic, can be |
sufficiently developed and still give
ample room for pic-nics, for
ponds, for walks, for drives and for
all other purposes for which parks
are used.
1t is not the intention to spend a
large sum of money at once. The
work of making Improvements will
progress as fast as deemed advisable
and the funds of the city will admit.
The great object was to secure
the land so that it could
be held, and improvements
be made little at time, and year
after year, without mourning any
great expense. Among the first
things to be done will be to lay out
drives. The present idea is to take
a street near the centre of the city
say the street on which the Town
send House is lOcated-grade it
for drive directly south to the out
skirts of the city, then turn east
and continue the drive to the
northwest corner of the park. Here
it will enter the park and run along
Just inside the line to the south
corner, then turn east again, then
north, and then along to one of the
streets-First or Second South, or
South Temple street perhaps
which lead back to the centre Of the
city. This will make a delightful
drive. and a drive is at present one
of the lUXurieS that our city is most
in need of. 1t is not improbable
that there will be two roads in the
park, along side each Other-one of
gravel. which will be needed about |
three months in the year, during
wet weather; the other of the soil
there, which makes an excellent,
soft and nOiseleSS track, and which |
would be used about nine months III |
year. One of these roads in the |
park will be built between now and |
fall, and the other at later date.
Next spring trees will be planted |