Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-18
ARSENAL PARK WON.
Success Attends the Visit of Chief
BigelOw to Washington.
LAWRENCEvILLE PEOPLE HAPPY.
Surveys and Plans to be Forwarded to the
Secretary Of War.
POSTMASTER PATERsONs PROJECT

POShSOoAy Va W aAs
POSTMASTER 'PATERSONs PROJECT
Chief E. M. Bigelow, of the Department
of Public Works, returned home from
Washington at o'clock yesterday morning.
His return was as unexpected as his visit
there was brief. He spent only Thursday in
the capital. As already detailed in the
telegraphic columns of THE DISPATCH, Mr..
Bigelow called upon Congressman Dalzell
and asked his aid in securing from the Gov
ernment donation of c part of the arsenal
grounds in Lawrenceville for park pur-
poses.
Mr.. Bigelow was evidently very much
pleased with the result of his visit. He said
that Mr.. Dalzell had taken him to the Office
of the Secretary of War, and that be had
been permitted to occupy about an hour of
Mr.. Proctor's time. The ground which Mr..
Bigelow wants for park purposes is that
part of the arsenal tract which lies south of
Butler street, opposite the grounds occupied
by the arsenal buildings. The tract is
bounded by Butler, Thirty-ninth and For
tieth streets and Penn avenue, and contains
a little over q acres. Mr.. Bigelow repre-
sented, and was supported by Mr.. Dalzell,
that the ground was not needed by the Gov
ernment. All the property of the Govern
ment kept in the buildings on the southern
tract can be easily accommodated in the
large buildings on the north side of the
street. The needs of park in that section
of the city were presented. The Secretary
of War, after careful hearing, said that he
would be glad to give the project his ap-
proval, providing he could be satisfied that
the grounds were not needed by the arsenal.
A report from Major Mckee on that subject
will be awaited before the department will
transfer the land.
CONFIDENT OF M'KEE.
Mr.. Bigelow is confident that Major
McKee's recommendation will favor the
transfer of the ground. The Secretary of
War was doubtless Influenced in his deci-
sion BY the statement made to him By Mr..
Bigelow concerning the petition for the park
which has been circulated and numerously
signed in Lawrenceville. That petition has
appended to it nearly 5000 names. Andrew |
Carnegie being one of the most prominent |
signers. 1t was shown to Mr.. Bigelow be- |
stated its tenor and something about its sig |
natures to the Secretary.
Mr.. Bigelow said yesterday that he was |
convinced that the park would be secured. |
1t will not, he said, cost the taxpayers of |
this CITY a cent. It will be free donation |
from the Government. The plans for the |
remodeling of the buildings and the manner |
in which they are to be used, will be made |
up as soon as possible and sent to the War |
Department.
The plot of ground is now occupied by q |
large brick building, used as a storage |
house, and few smaller buildings. It is |
the intention of the Department of Public |
Works to use the large building as a museum |
Of curiosities. It is designed also to erect a /
band stand near the center of the grounds,
where there can be open-air concerts on sum-
mer evenings.
When the news of Secretary Proctor's ac-
tion in the Arsenal Park scheme became
known in LawrenceviIle last night, it
created quite furor. Everybody who was
approached in reference to the Secretary's
action in the matter spoke in the highest
terms of praise about the success of the pc
titioners. Mr.. Samuel Paterson received
many cordial words of commendation from
hundreds of people who had heard of Secre-
tary Proctor's Endorsement of the scheme.
An interview was sought with Major Nc
Kee, the commander of the arsenal, to see
what his views on the matter were. The
Major was away from home, but his views
are generally understood.
HE IS IN SYMPATHY.
The Major is in entire sympathy with any
movement in LawrenceVille which will be
for the elevation of the people. He over
and over again has shown that he approves
of opening the upper end of the arsenal for
park, because each year he has granted the
use of that portion for school picnics. When
ever the grounds have been thrown open the
public appreciation of them was noticed by
the thousands of people who visited it, glad
to get an opportunity to breathe pure air in
green fields. Major Mckee will cordially
consent and acquiesce in the proposal to
convert that portion of the arsenal into a
park, and will 50 recommend to the War
Secretary.
Mr.. Samuel Paterson was in a very happy
frame of mind at the success which his
scheme has met. He said:
II am exceedingly glad to learn the re-
suit of Mr.. Bigelow's Washington trip.
What Lawrenceville has SO long wanted
The upper end of the arsenal will
be one of the most convenient
and pleasant resorts in Pittsburz. The
ground is centrally located, and is easily
accessible. The cable cars run along the
upper and lower portions of the parks, and
can be reached by 100, 900 people. We have
in the district a number of wealthy citizens
who will contribute of their means to make
the place attractive. The grounds will be
ornamented by pretty floral beds and
miniature lakes. In the summer it is pro-
posed to erect a band stand in the center of
the ground and furnish q weekly concert.
Other attractions will also be provided,
such as a museum of curiosities and place
laid out for outdoor sports
"Real estate will take q jump now, and !
houses will be much more valuable. For
the last year the building has been very
brisk, but having park near will give the
building trade boom. Indeed, the whole
neighborhood. from the storekeeper to the
banker, receives benefit by the consumma-
tion OF the project
DR., Sands said: 81 am heartily glad the
arsenal scheme has been so favorably in
dorsed by the War Secretary. The health
of the neIghborhood is bound to be better.
This will in some measure initiate against
our profession, but we can stand this when
the community will gain so much. The good
that it will do to children cannot be over :
Also the grown men who toll 10 .
hours in our mile, sweating before hot fur :
naces, Will more than appreciate such a
place in their midst. Those who first initi-
ated the park scheme deserve the unstinted I
gratitude OF the people,