Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-23

foresaw that the railroad company had been
given a grant of inestimable value. The fire
swept for seven miles across thecity, and LETT
behind five square miles of smoking ruins.
When the new city arose from its desola-
ton, the crumbled and fre-scarIed debris
was thrown into the lake. One day the
Illinois Central found itself on terra 6rma-
For over a mile north of Twelfth street the
lake had been filled in an average width of
600 feet. The waves no longer Tapped the
shore at Michigan boulevard. The railroad
company built more tracks and would
doubtless have monopolized the entire tract
had not the city called halt By act of
the Legislature the new-made land was
made a park. The railroad company
opened hostilities by erecting barbed wire
fence and warning people off their tracks.
For several years the new park was made
the dumping ground of the city. Then the
Exposition Company was formed and
ERECTED THE MoNsTRosITY.
which now defaces the lake front, and
which is an ever present horror to Warren
Leland, whose hotel faces in that direction.
Two militia companies then obtained permits
sion to erect quarters, and did SO. For
many wears the League baseball grounds
were located north of the Exposition build
ing, but they were forced to move. The
north end is now occupied by circus COM
panies and small boys who play ball under
police supervision. Several years ago the
city undertook the task of beautifying the
south end of the narrow elongated strip.
Walks were laid out and shade trees plant
ed, but the park did not become popular.
The noise and smoke from hundreds of pass
ing trains, mingled with the dust and roar
from Michigan boulevard and other streets.
II 81. D.
an attractive resort. At night the humble
tramp slumbered on its surface with the skv
for blanket and mosquitoes for company.
1t remained tor the Anarchists in 1856 to
put the Lake Front to some use. They
started the Sunday afternoon meetings and
made bowling success out of them. Here
Parsons, Spies, Fielden, Schwab and others
preached to excited thousands the doctrines
which were to obtain after the expected and
longed for revolution. If was on the Lake
Front that Carter Harrison was welcomed
on his return from Europe. The tents OF
the knight Templars on their General Con-
clave were pitched on the Lake Front The
entire tract has been a prolific source of
litigation. The steady encroachments of the
Illinois Central Railroad have prevented
the city from making of the strip anything
but an eyesore to citizens and visitors. This
to utilize as a portion of the site.
NOT LARGE ENOUGH.
The Lake Front site is being pushed by the
downtown merchants and as energetically
opposed by their competitors, the smaller
dealers on the outlying streets. The local
papers have not indicated the existence of
any considerable feeling on the subject, but
it prevails nevertheless. The opposition is
gradually centering on jackson Park, and
A pril will probably witness the elimination
of the fight. As it now stands the Lake
Front includes about 100 acres. The most
radical advocate of this strip as a site does
not claim that the area is sufficient to ac-
commodate the buildings or the expected
crowd. OF the many plans proposed BY
which the Lake Front can be utilized that
designed by Messrs. Burnham and Gookins
is probably the most comprehensive. Their
suggestions, as recently embodied in PAM
phlet, have been generally adopted by the
advocates of this site. The following is
fair statement of their plan:
The lake is to be filled in to a point ]. $50
feet from Michigan boulevard and the rail
road tracks to be moved to the east and cov-
ered by terrace 300 feet wide and mile
long. The new lake park will then be ex-
tended TO the west line of the new right of
way ana raised to the grade of Michigan
boulevard. An ornamental wall or terrace
will be built along the east line of the
grounds. The park when thus completed
will be l, $50 feet wide and a little over a
mile long, total area of 230 acres. In the
minds of its advocates this location is un-
surpassed. They declare that buildings
can be constructed on it in due season, COW
ering
UPWARDS OF oNR HUNDRED ACRES.
or over 20 acres more than any Worlds