Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-14
SURE OF THEIR PARK.
Lawrenceville People Say They Will
Get It Despite Objections.
CONGRESSMAN DALzELL QUITS.
He Thinks Committee Should Be Sent to
Washington About 1t.
WHAT THE PROGENIToRs SAY OF IT

The promoters Of the Arsenal Park scheme
are apparently undsunted by the opposition
manifested at Washington. Secretary of
War Proctor has taken an opposing posi-
tion to the proposed improvements, claim
ing that tine whole arsenal grounds are es-
sential to the protection OF the community
where trouble may possibly arise at any
time. The citizens who signed the petition,
which Chief Bigelow took to Washington
and had Congressman Dalzell introduce be-
fore the House, started the matter with re-
newed vigor.
A meeting of the signers to the petition
will be called within q few days, and COM
mittee will be appointed to proceed to Wash
ington to impress upon Secretary Proctor
the fact that the arsenal property is much
larger than the necessity demands and to
try and convince him that the arsenal
proper, which is on the lower side Of Butler
street, Is wholly adequate for the demand
and that the opening Of the park will not
interfere in any way with the operations of
the War Department.
DALzELL CIV Es IT UP.
Congressman Dalzell is of the opinion
that such thing as park is altogether i'm
probable now, as the matter rests with
committee, and there is no possibility of its
ever being reported to Congress on account
of the War Department so strongly opposing
the project. The citizens OF Lawrenceville
say they will not allow the matter to lie
dormant, however, and they propose taking
steps at once to definitely decide whether it
can be accomplished or not. Mr.. j. s. Sea-
man, who was prime mover in the first at
tempt to secure the property for park pur-
poses said yesterday:
81 don't believe that il has been the policy
Of the Government to give property outright
for park purposes, but know Of instances
where the War Department has permitted
the use of arsenal grounds for park, and 1
think it possible that the grounds now oc-
cupied by the magazine could be secured.
There is ample room, I think, upon the
lower ground to meet the requirements of
the army. There are 36 acres in the two
pieces of land, and over half of this could
be dispensed with by the department, with
out putting them to any great inconveni-
ence.
CARNEGIE LIBRARY SITE.
''This ground was the site selected by the
Citizens Committee of Lawrenceville as a
very desirable place for the Carnegie branch
library, if such an institution is to be built
The library would be placed upon the upper
arsenal property, now occupied by few
buildings which are crumbling with age
and growing unsightly from neglect. All
the work the Government expects to do
could be done on the other grounds,
which are spacious enough to ac-
commodate every branch of work in
the arsenal. I am heartily in favor
of making these Improvements to give the
vast number of workingmen of Lawrence
vile breathing spot. A public park in
this locality is essential to the public health,
and have not the least doubt but we will
be successful. All the scheme requires is
the concentrated action OF the citizens, and
I think we will then be able to contend
against the opposition of the Secretary of
War"
Mr.. R. c. Patterson, another member of |
the Citizens Library Committee, talked of |
the projectlas If it was already an assured |
thing. He thought a massmeeting of the |
people should be called, to show the officials |
at Washington that Pittsburgers were |
earnest about their request for the property,