Omaha daily bee., 1890-12-14
THEY ARE ALLIES OF NATURE.
How the Park Commission Has Improved
our Local Woodlands
THE TRANSF oRMATION OF HANSC0M.
History of the Board and the Money
1t Has Expended In Public Inn
prOvements Since 1t Came
Into Existence.

Years ago, the city obtained title to the
beautiful tract of woodland, situated in the
southwestern part Of the city, known as
Hanscom park This tract containing 57.1
acres was laid out after fashion, but as
parks were looked after by committee ap-
pointed by the city council Hanscom received
but little attention. Instead of becoming a
pleasure resort, 1T grew up wild wood
land, covered with underbrush, thOrnS and
thiStes
In 1888 the citizens realizing the import
ance of parks and of having them cared for,
went before the Legislature and asked for a
commission and the passage ofa law giving
the members thereof authority to purchase
lands eXpend money and make Improve
ments The law was passed, substantially
the same as that in force in Minnesota.
A short time afterwards, the commission,
consisting of DIR, George l.. Miller, George
B. Lake, Alfred Millard, Agustas Pratt and
G. w. Lininger was appointed. AT the first
meeting Dr. Miller was elected chairman,
Guy II. Doane, secretary, and w. II. Adams,
superintendent
The commission found itself without funds,
so that for six months nothing could be done.
The law, however, creating the commission,
provided for three-mill levy, available June
J., 1889. With this amount, s55, 1852. "a in
sight the commission went to work.
Hanscom park as before stated, was In a
Sutl C0uuluOn- Inc driveway y III SOnlc IllhCcS
were deep cuts while in other places they
were entirely washed out by the waters that
had flowed down the ravines In some
places they were so steep as to be dangerous
and again they were so narrow that II was
imposs ble for carriages to pass They did
not lead to points where the natural beauties
of the park could be seen TO advantage.
There were no walks, though paths led
everywhere and ended nowhere, giving the
tract the appearan ce Of badly kept common.
hn,,N lA.Na dad NlnNrs
landscape artist, and Mr.. Cleveland of Mime
apois was selected to fill this position.
Upon arriving in the city he paid visit to
Hanscom park and after looking it over con-
cluded that it could be made one of the most
attractive pleasure resorts in the west.
lie at once proposed and submitted plans,
which were accepted and the commission
went to work. The drives Were laid out and
graded, the underorush was cleared away
trees were felled and the banks sloped.
Since that time two and quarter miles OF
drives have been laid out and graded, one and
a quarter miles of walks have been estab
lshed graded and curbed Along with this
tlere has been the cutting down to grade OF
the streets on the east, south and west side OF
the park and the filling OF numerous gullies
giving an additional stretch of lawn.
In the southeast corner of the park an ex
cavaion of three acres has been made which
will be filled with water thus forming {
beautiful artificial lake which will be stocked
with fish. At the lower end of this lake 1
dam of solid masonry six feet wide and 33C
feet long has been constructed for the pur
pose of retaining the water aud affording 1
promenade where the beauties of the lake
may be seen.
A short dis tauce from the lake, at point
where the old cree bed finds its way into
the lake, dam ninety feet long has beer
constru cted. This work has been done by
Ed, T. Bremen and in a most substantial
manner. Above this the ravine will be flleC
with water which will flow over the dam
forming cascade Of about ten feet, Thii
water will flow down through gravel rock
paved ditch and will pass into the lake.
EARLY last summer the commission coR