Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-06-04
A BEAUTIFUL SPOT.
Such is Sears Park, the Proposed
Summer Resort.
The IncOrpOrntOrs Entertain Their
Friends saturday ArternOon-sup-
per BY the Hospital Guild.

The incorporators of Sears park could
not have selected Il more suitable day TO
show the beauties OF natures handiwork
within the boundaries Of their tract, sit.
uated west of the famous Black Hawks
watch tower. A gentle breeze tempered
the suns rays sufficiently TO make out
door exercise quite admissible, and those
who attended the picnic tea" were not
slow in grasping the opportunity thus
afforded. Most of the visitors went in
vehicles, and on arriving at the grounds
were accorded a cordial welcome by the
board of rporators-Messrs. David
Sears, A. G. Dart, w. b. Ferguson. G.
w. Halves and DR.. Paul. Bleuer's band
played some of its liveliest airs on the
highest knoll in the park while on a
lower eminence the ladies of st. Luke's
Hospital Guild had arranged long
tables to spread their toothsome lunch.
An hour or so was spent in viewing the
grounds and discussing the natural adj
advantages of the spot for IA delightful
retreat. 1t took little imagination to al
most see the place transformed from its
rustic simplicity into a summer resort
equipped with all the modern conven-
fences and comfoTts-the main hotel with
its wide piazzas, surrounded by cosy cot
tagcs, with here and there a swinging
hammock, and winding graveled walks
leading in all directions, while an artiiiN
cal lake in the center of it all flashed in
the sunlight, the brightest Jewel of the
landscape setting, In truth it was
pleasing vision and way you looked at it,
either in its crude or finished state.
When the guests, and there were about
one hundred of them, has tasted and tess
titled to the excellency of the spread pre-
pared by the ladies', Il little speech making
was INDUCED in. DR. Calvin Truesdale was
first called on. He said this was the age
of booms. and that this picnic was a lit
tie boom for Sears park. lie hoped that
the project would be successful, and that
in a short time Rock Island could boast
Of an inviting summer resort. He un.
derstood the plan to be to organize a |
and to buy this beautiful |
ground, which consists of twenty>eight |
acres, and also some little additional on |
the east, and convert it into public |
park. with the embellishments and cons
veniences that would make it a popular
resort. The men who furnish places of
innocent recreation convenient to cities
are public bcnefactors, and this particu
ar project warmly commended itself to
him. Its location, topography and sur.
surpass anything in the Mis-.
iissipp valley. No spot could be more
or better adapted to the pur-
pose. The views are not only extremely
but have softness, fertility
md a sheen very grateful TO the eye. Its
traditions make it interesting. But a
ew years ago, within the life of those
low living. this ground and its neighbor.
oOd was the home of a strange race, and
We can well appreciate the feeling that
made Black Hawk fight heroically for it,
nd his bitterness when driven away.
Capt T. j. Robinson, f. W. Hurst,
x. Senator Ainsworth and G. II. Deere ;
lade brief remarks of complimentary
AZURE, and commenting the project rs
ne worthy of hearty support by the cit.
.ens of Rock Island and Moline.
Mr.. A. q. Dart, in behalf of the incor- c
orators, explained their intentions. A =
.ock subscription of 100000 was pro- S
Oscd, to buy the grounds, build house r
entertainment, a line of summer cot ,
ges, an observatory, which would also s
: a water reservoir, put in an electric !
ght plant and system of water pipes. 4
I'd provide an artificial lake, and vari-
Is healthy and Innocent amusements.
18th the grounds, he explained, goes
,rpetual water power right, available by
IMPLY connecting with the shaft at Sears
i'll. which would suffice to keep the res
voir full of waite: and enable the dyna-
o to generate electricity to light the
dc OF trf Hhp int |
Osen for the observatory had been sur
yed By Mr.. G. ii. Stoddard since his
rival on the grounds, and was found to
1863 feet above low water in the river
ID 25 feet higher than Black Hawks
atch tower. These grounds are vacant a
w, and for sale; and if the owners
ould conclude to divide them up into
Hiding lots our people will have lost
rever the opportunity to secure a most
autiful pleasure resort. which would be
great point of attraction for excursions
d conventions.
Mai. G. W. Halves, also an incorpora>
r, said that their motives were not actu>
ed by selfishness, but by a desire to
Divide the locality with summer resort \
)rthy of the highest praise from people
10 know what a summer resort should +
"A place where wives and children Il
~ stay for weeks enjoying fresh air and
lolesome exercises, So far IS, 900 of
G capital stock has been subscribed
icy should hereafter ask for additional
descriptions and when the amount was 4
sed the stockholders would elect direc> r.
IS and managers to suit them and pass Y
on and improve in any desired way the
lde plans that those who were acting
nply as incorporators had formed
Ball playing on a small scale and QUOT
ching furnished considerable amuse. 4
mt. DIR. Truesdale and Capt Robin ~
q proved themselves to be heavy hit~ Y
8, and Prof. Kemble and DR.. Craig eX-
TT fieders. T. II. Thomas acted as -
cher until he received foul over the
hit eye, when he retired, not having a
ask.
A suggestion at the supper table that
would be an agreeable and deserving
butte to take up a small collection for
, benefit OF St. Luke's hospital was
ed upon, and the sum of S1475 was
lcklY donated and turned over TO the
,sident, Mrs. j. NJ. Buford. who re-
ned the thanks of the guild for
kindness of the gentlemen. The
was made independent A
the incorporators, who were unaware
the movement.
So far $4,000 has been subscribed to-
rds concentrating the Sears park pro
t. This will only cover the cost of -
grounds, and the improvements are -
mated to amount to $4,000 The y
,scription paper will be circulated in a a
7 or two, when it is confidently ex>
tied the full sum will be realized. If
ok Island is ever to secure first class u
inner resort, it is imperative that de- L
ed action be taken at this time, as it
he intention of the present owners to