Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-14
The Modest Councilman Presents Mrs,
Schenley's Deed.
he DISCLAIMS AN ACTIVE SHARE
The Park Committee Formally Receives
the Gift.
INTERESTING DETAILS OF THE AFFAIR


The residents of the Twenty-second ward
walked the streets with more erect air and
sprightly step, feeling some three inches
taller in spite of the depressing condition of
the atmosphere as who should say 1--WE are
the park people"
At the meeting Of the Park Council Com
mittee called for yesterday afternoon with
some mysterious preliminaries Chief Bige-
low and A. 7. Heating were first on
the scene, and, as they filed into
CITY Attorney Moreland's Office, said
they had doubts whether the meeting would
be an open one or not. w. A. Magee was
the next arrival, and, held up by the report
ers, declared upon entering the room
that be was in favor of free speech, tree
press and everything else. Councilman Nc
Gunnegle also was in favor of an open meet
ing, while Mr.. Carnahan, who, with dig
nifty BETTING the bearer Of so noble gift,
entered last, favored due publicity. The
members Of the committee, however, like
the elements of an experiment in chemical
affinity, changed their nature altogether
when they were mixed, and immediately
became secretive. The door was locked and
for three-quarters of an hour the proceed
ings were of an executive nature.
IN SOLEMN SESSION.
When the doors were thrown open the
committee was discovered within, Mr.. Keat-
ing presiding. Chief Bigelow opened the
proceedings by saying that too much could
not be said of Mr.. Carnahan's exertions in
behalf of the city, and that next to Mrs.
Schenley, he deserved the credit for obtain
ing the royal gift. Mr.. Bigelow continued
that the public had no idea of the amount of
opposition which had to be overcome, and
from people, he said, who were supposed to
have the good of the city more at heart. The
Journey which Mr.. Carnahan took, starting
at midnight on a few moments notice, in
order to be on hand and meet the opposition
face to face, before Mrs. Schenley, and the
firm stand he took and maintained in the
matter, were commended, and as they de-
served to be, were crowned with success.
MR.. CARNAHAN BLUSHED.
Mr.. Carnahan, with modest blush, dis
claimed any credit, saying he had only done
his duty in the matter, and then proceeded
to give at length the proceedings leading up
to the grant, He told of how, in 1872, Mrs,
Schenley had offered the city 1876 acres of
the tract for park, but she had received
no reply from the city, and always wondered
why. He supposed that it was because of
city had too many other matters to attend to
to think of the offer. Again in 1880 Mrs
Schenley had been spoken to in regard to
donating a park, and again she enthusi-
astically expressed her willingness and de-
sire to give the city enough land for park.
When the Park Committee was appointed
last July Mr.. Carnahan, as attorney for
Mrs. Schenley's estate, was asked if he
thought she would renew her offer of 1872
He said he thought she would, and the
matter was published in the morning papers
next,dav. Mr.. Carnahan sent her a copy of
a morning paper containing the meeting Of
the committee, and made no comments upon
It to her; but in August he got private let
ter from her, in which she spoke of the
Mt Airy park project as one very dear to
her, and said she would be very glad to
give at least part of the tract to the city for
park.
On answering this letter Mr.. Carnahan
sent Mrs. Schenley typographical map of
the tract, which had been prepared at the
expense of much time and trouble by Mr..
Bigelow and his employees, showing the
exact amount of land and its features. Ac-
companying the map Mr.. Carnahan sent a
letter showing the advantage of having the
whole tract included in the park, as the
ward in which it is located is the largest in
the city, and its area is equal to that of the
entire first fifteen wards of the city. Other
points were brought out in connection with
the matter, together with some legal advice
on what Mr.. Carnahan thought Mrs. Schen-
ley should do.
MORE THAN SHE COULD AFFORD.
In her reply Mrs. Schenley said. she
thought the 379 acres in the tract was more
than she could give, but left Mr.. Carnahan
to do as he thought best. The survey of the
land was very difhcult, owing to the disap-
pearance of the landmarks, and to this OBJ
stacle is due six or seven weeks delay in
getting the matter settled. After the survey
was completed, however, Mr.. Carnahan
made ont deed for 800 acres of the land,
and after writing letter to Mrs. Schenley
statingthe proposition he would advise, and
which was the one accepted by her, he mailed
it on October 10 for her approval and sigma
ture. But that night he was informed of
the efforts being made by the real estate syn
dictate here to defeat the plans of the city,
and he deemed it best to see the lady person
ally. He took the same train and the same
vessel that carried his communication to
London.
When he visited Mrs Schenley he found
her fully determined to keep to her purpose
of donating park to the city. She accorded
fully with his view of the matter, and de-
elined to listen to any discussion of it by
the ambassador of the anti-park syndicate in
this city.
THE DEED FORMALLY PRESENTED.
At the conclusion of his explanation Mr..
Carnahan, in the name of his client, Mrs.
Schenley, presented to the committee on
behalf of the city the deed to the 300 acres,
rrLi iab ha Thought tha.
more than less by ten acres. The deed was
signed and witnessed by John G. New,
Consul General of the United States at
London, and Oliver r. johnson. The read
ing of the deed, dated October 80, by George
Sheppard, City Clerk, followed.
Mr.. Carnahan after the reading called
attention to the clause which was inserted
naming the place Schenley Park. This he
said was his own, as Mrs. Schenley never
asked or desired such recognition. He
thought that it would be graceful act on
the part of the city to perpetuate the name
oil its benefactress by comforting 1t upon the
beautiful gilt.
R. p McGonnegle then moved that a
special meeting of Councils be called for to-
morrow (Fridav) afternoon at 2:3O to con-
slider the acceptance OF the park property
and for other purposes. This motion pre-
vailed, and the City Clerk at once gave in
structions for the notification of council
men.
The clerk then read the option placing
the remaining 100 acres of the Mt. Airey
property at the disposal of the city at the
rate Of 81 ,25O per acre, the whole, S125, 900,
to be paid within two years. The terms
were that 80 per cent of the amount should
be paid before May 1, 1890, and the remain
ing moiety before May 1, 1891, the option to
be exercised before March, 1890.
THE CITY AS A CUSTOMER.
Mr.. Canadian here explained that Mrs.
Schenley did not desire to sell this property