Morning journal and courier., 1889-07-30
OLD sCHUTzRN PARK.

OLD scHUTZEN PARK. This Favoriso Resors.of she Germans
 . few,Years Ago, which has Struggled Hard for an Extssance ofLate Years
 may Soon be Transformed into It's
 Old-Time Glory-And Again it may
 Not.
 Old Schutzen Park, over on the other side of Cedar Hill, which at one time was almost the fairy land of the Germans of this city, and has since had hard struggle for exist snce, has at last, 1t would seem, had period sst to it's days of idleness and disuse.
 For several years the famous old park has been on the wane. Its groves, where former ly resounded the tumult and melody of Ger- man revelry have long been quiet; its pavil- ions, where the merry throngs congregated in jovial goodfellowship, have been empty; its picturesque bowers and cozy hooks and corners, where the young people loved so well to pass the pleasant moments of summers eve, are overgrown with bush and all de- serted; its forsaken precincts no longer echo with the harmonies of a summers day con- cert; its excellent shooting range, where the sharp crack of many trusty rifle has scored full true bulls-eye for the German Inde- pendent Rifle corps, is rarely visited; it's
 
 their glory and the Germans mourn the de- cadence.
 The history of the old park is an interest ing one. Over fifteen years ago the Germans of the city, chief among whom were the members of the Independent German Rifle company, began movement for the purchase of the property, which was naturally very beautiful in situation and surroundings A good deal of money was raised by subscription. The rifle company gave the Connecticut Savings bank a mort gage of $8,500. This was endorsed by twen- ty-two prominent Germans, many of whom are wealthy. A large stone wall was erected about the picturesque spot, and then began the work of beautifying the grounds. In this, from first to last, about $32 1000 has been spent. Nothing was spared in turning the newly planned park into one of the most attractive places within the outskirts of the city. It was was used by nearly all of the German societies for festivals, gatherings and the like and was especially used by the Ger man Independent Rifle team and other clubs for shooting ground. At the time of the opening of the park, large number of mer- chants, city officials and others rode out on the Cedar Hill horse railroad, which then ran out to the park, and most hilarious day was spent.
 Houses, pavilions and other buildings and arrangements to be found at pleasure resorts were built about the pretty grounds and for awhile it seemed as if Schutsen Park was destined to become very popular resort. Band concerts, dances and festive gatherings of all kinds were given there on summer af- ternoons and evenings and for while it dourished.
 There was little money in the venture, however. Either through mismanagement or some other cause, nothing could be made by the proprietors. At the same time the rate of interest, six per cent, at which the mortgage had been given, was slowly drain property was soon transferred to a company, which was formed, and took the name of the Schutzen Park Stock company, and shortly afterwards combination of seven persons obtained possession of the place. These have not, to this day, disposed of the Gerner, Henry Krebs, Philip Fresenius, Charles Schlegel. Ernest Klenke. They were organized as the Schutzsn Park Stock corporation. Two of these, Henry Krebs and Philip Fresenius, have since died. Although the park was not financial suc- cess, 1t nevertheless continued In the good graces of the Germans and others as place of amusement until access to the spot was rendered difficult by the action of the State street horse railroad in destroying it's line above Bishops Gate. The crowds could no longer ride up to the welcoming stone gates and the pleasure trip became somewhat bur- densome. About this time also, a new park was started near old Schutzen. This was called Basserman Park. This naturally divided what little patronage was left. One or the other must die and the unhappy lot fell to the picturesque and popular Schutzen.
 The park has been used as a rifle range of late years, but further than this it seems not to have been found available by pleasure seekers.
 The persons to whom the property was last transferred have endeavored to make settle ment with the bank, but they have found 1t impossible to give title as they cannot dis corporation has not held meeting in five years and is therefore by law extinct. Last January Attorney Jason P. Thomson, who represents two of the proprietors, was commissioned by the Superior court to sell the property. This the attorney has been unable as yet to do. In the meantime the bank, to avoid the many legal com sued the twenty-two original signers of the mortgage for the amount of the note, which Is $S,500. The case will come up before the September term of the Superior court The persons connected with the property are considered as abundant security for the amount, but the numberless compli- cations which have marked the transactions of the proprietors rendered this course of the bank the most simple solution. All of the latest proprietors were among the twenty two original makers of the mortgage except Messrs. Fresenius and Schlegel. Attorneys Thompson and Zacher, who represent the Fesenius estate, represent nearly all the present proprietors. Attorney Thompson thinks that the old park is not destined to be one of the popular pleasure resorts about the city. The Germans universally are intensely interested it its fate, and would welcome any attempt to restore 1t to some of it's former glory.