Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-25

park comprise the present population of
our city, (probably of our state,) together
| with the generations that shall come after
them, these grounds being a sacred and
perpetual trust, deserving better care, at
the hands of our city officials, than they
have thus far received.
| We are further told:
ga legislative act secured the past winter,
gave authority to the city council, upon a two
thirds vote of all the members elect to sell
change Smith park in the First ward upon a sat
| isfactory arrangement having been made with
all persons interested In said park, for such
price and upon such conditions as the council
may deem for the best interests of the city,
| The legislative act above referred
to, should be regarded as a badge
of fraud, it confers no authority
and is as i'll timed as snow in summer.
''Well admitting the soundness of your the
orizing, Mr.. Van Slyke, what is the prospect for
securing the consent of the heirs Of the legatees
to the sale, required by the legislative act?',
Very good, indeed" responded Mr.. Van
Slyke. "Some of the heirs hare already been
heard from fdrorGbiy, and l do not think any
trouble will be experienced In securing full title
in the city to sell under the provisions of the
| act''
| Having for many years known and re-
garded Aid. Van Slyke as man of honor,
L incline to the opinion that he is not here
correctly reported. He may have been
deceived by the false and popular clamor
upon this subject with which the city is
rife. How does he know that 'some of
the heirs already have been heard from
favorably?'
If our city council have designs upon
the interest of ''the public" in this prop
erty and expect to succeed they should dis
cover an heir possessed of a capacity for
inheriting unknown to our laws, one capa-
BILE of defeating an absolute and bona tide
deed, backed by thirty four years of peace
able and uninterrupted possession. If
there be an heir of Smith, Whitney, or any
| other man who would not quit claim to
said park for the consideration of 81, he
or she should be furnished guardian.
Mr.. Van Slyke is reported as having
| made the following statement:
The most trouble that anticipate is in con-
vlncing some of our own people that there IS
not job In the proposed transaction, and that
| those who have been instrumental i'll securing
the legislation had, and are DESTROYS of selling
| the property have been actuated solely by what
they consider the best Interests of the city. And
l think anyone who will look at the proposition
calmly and without prejudice will reach the
| same conclusion. -
These are words fifty spoken. No Judge
of human nature Will question the correct
ness of the conclusions at which he has ar
rived. Some may ask, why he continues
thus to run the gauntlet?
An apparent change having come over
the spirit of his dreams, Alderman Van
Slyke seems now to reason thus:
There is no possible chance for job. If
sold, the best bidder will get it, and the proceeds
go directly into the city treasury and are there
held in trust for the purchase of other property
for parks. If it is done, it will result in giving
st. Paul from three to half dozen parks in
much more favorable locations, and that is all
there is to it,
"Faith is the substance of things hoped
for, and the evidence of things not SEEM"
the stock with which have been blessed
is inadequate to this occasion.
Mr.. Van Slyke evinces holy horror for
roughs and tramps. He regards Smith
park as being so near our docks and depots
as to be constantly infested by these
rowdies, this and the fact that these
grounds have become valuable, reaching
the sum of 100000, and the difficulty of
properly lighting the premises in ques-
ton, are put forth as his chief motives,
for desiring to effect the purchase, sale and
| re-purchase. Should he visit Castle Gar
den, New York, he will find that great park
much nearer to dock at which are landed
more roughs, tramps and desperadoes in
one calendar month than would visit Smith
park during period of seven years, while
the rounds comprising said garden or
park, are far more extensive in area, and
much moro valuable than is Smith
park.
Strange to say, the common council of
the city of New York permits it to remain
a park, it is to be supposed for lack of
that enterprise and sagacity which has
characterized the administration of our
city affairs; this Encouragement of
that immense park has extended through
period of more than two hundred years,
during which it might have been sold and
the proceeds re-invested in from three to
half dozen parks in much more favorable
localities.
Why did not these gentleman ask the
Legislature to direct the sale of the
streets? See the dedication.
| Here endeth the first lesson.
AARON GooDRICH.