Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-18

during which nothing was done to the
| park beyond trimming the trees, keeping
| the walks fairly passable and the grass
reasonably clean. In the latter part of
1881, upon the request of Mayor Rice, City
Engineer Rundlett made a report to the
| council estimating the cost of
a new iron fence, filling up the grounds,
| sodding and replanting the same. This
report was accepted and the work executed
| last year, the street clean1ngs being used
| for the fill, and the street force doing most
| of the work, under the superintendent of
| the park committee. The cost, including
the present neat and substantial fence, the
broad walks with broken stone base and
gravel dressing, and the flower beds sur
| rounding the fountain, was about $4,000,
| and the total expense to the city of placing
| the park in its present neat and attractive
condition has been but little if any in ex-
cess OF $4,000.
Continuing the work so we'll doue last
year, the park committee propose tie make
such improvements in this park this year
as will make it "a thing of beauty"
and if not a Joy forever, at least go far
in that direction. In addition to
the neat and ornamental electric
! light shafts which have already been
| placed at each of the four corners, OF such
height only as to spread the effulgence of
the lights beneath the tree tops over the
grounds, they propose to erect in the CEN
ter of the park, in the vicinity of the foun-
tain and band stand, a high shaft which
will carry the three burners with which it
is to be supplied, some foot above the
highest trees, and diffuse its light, not only
| down through the trees upon the park
| itself, but to the drive around the park.
| The band stand is to be raised several feet,
| given a more cheerful and tasty appea-
ance by fresh paints and some other little
| additions which have not been fully de-
! termined upon as yet, but intended to give
it an appearance more in keeping with its
surroundings than it now has. The side
walks on Market, Fifth, and Washington
| streets are to be widened to full ten feet,
thus adding to the comfort of promena-
ders. A number of the old trees which are
beginning to show signs of decay, will be
removed and their places occupied by Wig
Orous young elms of from four to six
inches in diameters and a row of such
trees will also be set out just outside the
| sidewalk around the entire park. 1t Is also
proposed to beautify and add to the sym
metry Of the present fountain by replacing
|
of swan with its wings extended and a
| boy grasping it around the neck. It is
further proposed to make the floral deco
rations of the park much more extensive
than ever before. In addition to repeti-
ton of the large beds around the base of
the fountain, large iron urns filled with
| choice exOtics will be scattered about
| the grounds in the center of the different
v.la yh1la Of ha
two plats Immediately in front of the city
hall will be converted into flower beds, the
feature of which will be the words, ''Rice
Park formed of perennial flowers. In
short it is proposed to transform this park
into great flower garden, and to have all
the surroundings in keeping with this
happy and beautiful conception.
IRVINE PARK.
This park dedicated to public uses at
the same time as Rice park, received but
little attention until some two years ago.
1t remained without fence until 1872,
when it was enclosed by a COM
mon three board and cap struc-
ture, and it was closed
to the public for picnics, etc., though au-
thority was granted for its use by bands
for concerts, the same as Rice park. In
1873 the council accepted deeds granting
driveway around the park, but it was not
until 1876 that this driveway was graded,
when it was named Irvine Park drive. In
the same year, the citizens in the vicinity
bearing a portion of the expense, the board
fence was replaced by one of wire, and
$500 was expended in making some rough
walks. In 1880 aid. Ringwald commenced
the agitation of carrying water into the
park and putting up a fountain, the i'm
provement being made the following year,
the cost of the fountain being a little less
than $1,000. A half dozen settees were
also put in, the shade trees trimmed,
grounds cleaned of, ETC., the total expenses
incurred being about $500, aud total
from the time the first stroke of improve
ment was made of not more than $4,000.
Last year the park committee spent
about 5000 in laying out new walks and
widening the old ones, making them all
twenty-five feet wide, with a twenty-five
foot walk around the fountain, and in par
TALLY preparing the ground for floral
decorations this spring. This will be done
upon different plan than that employed
in Rice park, it being the purpose of the
committee to have a different design for
each park. In this park the floral decora-
ton about the fountain-which is octago-
nal-will be in eight large vases supported
by the eight columns forming the corners
of the octagon. In the southwest corner
of the park will be an oval flower bed
twenty-five feet in diameter, while oppo-
site in the southeast corner will be large
fernery with petrifed stumps, ETC., from
the Yellowstone country, about which the
ferns will be trained to grow. In the
northeast. I corner a pavilion 20x20
with an extended Swiss roof is
to be erected. The rickety
plank stairs leading into the park from
the south are to be replaced by heavy or
namented stairs with the newell posts ar
ranged for holding urns of flowers. With
these Improvements the park will present
very cheerful and attractive appearance,
and the committee feel that their efforts to
make it favorite resort ought to be sec
onded by having Franklin street put in
the best of driving condition, with good
substantial walks on each side, and also
that the present plain plank stairway,
leading from Third street ought to be re-
placed by something more substantial and