Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-05-04
NAVY pnSf IyfELLlGsaOsR.
CITY PARKS.

La If not full filne Inat sAs Nat- ~
Seattle shouli be taking measures 20
re desirable locations Tor the por
nose of city parks. Certainly noiaioR
can be gained by DELAYING such acton
tin sreS lands have 20 increased 10
value rs to require for tne.r plfchaS
MANY hundreds Of thousands instead ..
the few thousands OF dollars TIA. "ouia
now sn.1ioe 1t Is not Necessary 70
proye hos important y tue 1ass'aou u
parks. az II - generally uncsratood ana
acknoss;a 'eed- Seattle - not ofi'g re-
uovned for tie cornnsrcisi acVsnsafes
of its position, but for the oeau:y o. IL
in which Il IS unrisalt~d- ~
water views Of lakes. bars ana ooano,tns
snog capped mountains to the ess' aHa
west al! 20 10 make up s pie'aie snft
rnust b. sen 10 bs appreciated. Even
residents of the city csn sSSafe,s in
inc how surprisingly beautiful VIII be
a.. riaxys from various points when the
al, f;rs .t,ar now To n coasiisr!.sle ex-
ts,, hide from sight the landscape, are
rsmoyea. Ifmsy be said a, the present
,.yoa that the eyratry cannot be seen
Tor the trees. excepting Of cous5e tbs
xievs from the front. LOOKING 10 tie
usS. I'm. few wears more Will c1snge
ali this. X would be well however IL
clearing IL groves and clusters here ana
there Of tile 50 beautiful vine naples
we're left standing, and hore would be |
one of the advantages OF prooofing az
tire uYeseut time the necessary lands Tor |
the marx, as not OILY as mentioned,
vnnId much Issa money be required foE /
the purchase. but iess expenditure would |
be necessary In laying out ana ofna-
,nenting the grounds, as not oa!y would
thee beautiful NAPLES be saved from
destruction, bu. also grand specimens
of eedars that would take huudreds OF
Years 10 replace. The frs having but
little foliage compared to Their hI2hfs.
are not ornamental ard shDuid be cut,
bat in clearing smaller specimens ~ ana
20 feet in hight might be spared AMI
when relieved of oyershadowing trees
they would soon grow into handsome
trees that, together with Others men
toned and other vaTities OF forest
growth. as ash, alder and balm, woaid
need bu. little addition Of ornamental
trees and Towering shrubs or vines u
transform them at once into b.euti-
full parks. / think it will require but
little reflection 10 convince any that tie
proposed method ia far preferable to
clearing entirely the land, expendinR
large sums in getting rid 81 the s.ninps,
and then fep!antine with trees, Tor
which half lifetime IL required to rem
der attractive. IL my suggestions are
adopted, Won may have interesting and
pleasant parks in very brief time. ana
nj small cost. Nor need the work OF
their construction be all at once. but.
reaching over series of years, all that
would be necessary 1T frat would be to
Law oct and clear roads mot straight
leading through different portions OF
the proposed parks, some of them GROSS
ing. intercepting, and branching. thus
aff0rding pleasant drives; then remove
fallen timber and unsightly trees; closr
here and there five or ten acres. or more.
to bo sowed with grass, and SO form
forest glades. These claarings could be
multiplied or enlarged rs time pro-
Rressod and all this with bat little an
nual expense. Then variety OF orna-
mental trees and shrabs could be added
from time to tiue.
spoke OF the tall fir trees as not at
tractiye, bnt were growing more open.
They sometimes present q park like ap
pearanco. and in such cases consider
able portion might be preserved. That
Seattle is destined to become an i'm
menss city. reaching from Elliot Bay
back 10 Washington lake east, and
stretching out 10 tho north to the shores
of Salmon Bay. encompassiug Lake
Union and extending even farther
north, perhaps to the southern shores of
Green lake, as also south to tho head Of
Elicit Bay, none who have given the
subject proper consideration can fail 10
understand. Nor let any thiak that
very large space has here been de-
scribed-two to three miles in width
lake Union surface of two miles in
length aud about one mile In width 90
be snbtracted) and a length OF six or
seven miles north and south-.hat In all.
One hundred thousand inhabitants
would occupy all this land, whilst the
two or three hundred thousands that
may be expected in less years than
sone imagine. will extend still farther
10 the north and south OF the city limits.
Now, that such a city IA described will
need a number OF parks, IL plain, not
less than five or six good sized parks,
say from 40 acres to 100 and 200 acres.
Certainly Que, OF least, should be not
less than 20 acres. Lot San Francisco,
with her Golden Gate Park of more
than 1000 acres, be An example hero.
Now, rs to ths location Of the park. II
lmay be- permitted 10 express an opin-
ion. ] should suggest some place on
the shore Of Lake Washington for an
10 or l00-acre park coo .ores
w0nld be better. reaching from tho
lake shore 10 the summit of the bluff.
thus producing variety. and permitting
an extended view Of this expansive and
beautiful lake and tho grand mountains
of the Cascade range beyond; where
Mount Rainier 10 the southeast aud
Mount Baker 10 the northeast stand as
giant sentinels, guarding this Eden
land. Then 40 acres somewhere on the
lovely shores Of silvery Lake Union
should be selected for park, whilst a
beautiful park Of the size proposed for
Lake Washington, $50 acres or morel
might ba located somewhere on the
summit of the ridge dividing tho bay
from tho ses-like lake 10 the east.
Here the most beautiful Of parks might
be constructed, overlooking tho entire
city. and with views 10 tho east and
weat of the Sound. bays and lakes, with
snow-capped mountains OF the Olympic
and Cascade ranges towering beyond.
Imagination cannot picture more
beautiful site. Still, will mention an
~uct Wv lui eHhuu p3IAs thVt te>S
than 90 acres; twice as large were bet
teri, that alone might rival the 10.
cation last mentioned. aud that is
on the summit Of the high peninsnlar
hill northwest of the city, aud dividing
Eliot from Salmon Bay. This site, "A
the ono mentioned. would also present
fine view of tho city, and Of bays,
lakes and mountains, With still more
extended view Of the waters Of the
Sound. The map shows ON the summit
Of the hill what appears IA swamp or
marsh. from which flow in opposite
directions two small streams, one flow
ing south towards Eliot Bay. and the
other north to!Salmon bay. BY deep.
ening for short distance the channels
Of the tvo streams this swamp Of APP
parently 30 or 10 Acres could easily lie
drained gnd transformed into a bcauti-
Z full meadow. whilst the outAawiue
streams would supply water for orna-
mental fountains ON either slope. The
park might extend west TO the shore of
the Sound. In my opinion grand and
beautiful park might be formed here
that would In time aud at small expense
rival Il not surpass the famed Golden
0ats Park Of San Francisco, requiring
80 many years and such vast cxpendi-
lures In ita construction. Street cars