Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-06-12
OUR PUBLIC PARKS.
some suggestions as TO Providing for
Their Beauty the Seasons Round---
spencer and Franklin Squares and


Their Beauty the Seasons ROund---
Spencer aud Franklin Squares and
the Slough.
Editor of the ARGUS:
Rock ISLAND, June 10-Would it not
be good idea for some progressive
minded citizen inclined to contribute to-
wards the identifying of Spencer square
to assume the expense of planting row
| of evergreens around the square say eight
feet back of the first row of trees. 1t
seems to me this would produce a sirik-
ing effect on strangers coming into the
city on the c., B. & Q, c. NJ. & st. p
| and r. |. & p. railroads, and the beauti,
| fuI green shades that would attract the
eye would not be confined to summer.
| In the dreary winter time they would
lend to good mother nature an
| appearance in delightful contrast with
the dead and white appearance of other
| things. Though the lands far aud wide
| are dry and sandy. in the high west the
railroads know how to invite the stran-
ger by keeping one spot an oasis around
the depot rich in green profusion of
grasses and evergreen, which makes an
| impression, and has lasting effect
Wouldn't it be good idea instead of go>
ing to the expense of cutting down
Franklin square and then filling it up
with heavier soil again so that common
house trees would grow better, 10 set it
out with evergreens and enough others
will grow to relieve and produce pro-
per effect? II seems to me that catalpas
will grow and flourish in light sandy and
gravelly soil, and most certainly the ever
greens will. together with such others as
are growing there now.
Instead of filling up the slough lands
with the soil from franklin square, they
could be turned into lakes with adjacent
drives and parks from the soil of the
diggings thus improving the city won
derfully. enhance property all around
there and forever solve the slough prob.
lem. What has Chicago done with her
low lands? Turned them into parks
with lakes in them. Private individuals
have turned low lands into lakes fed by
springs to cut ice from and other pur-
poses. Ii would not he too big an under-
taking for this CITY. The more parks we
have. the more beautiful the city, or will
we have to wait for the law of evolution
to I'LL it up with its growth and decay of
bul!rushes snd slough lilies. aided by the
ever active mound-building craw(Dfish.
while the chitter and chatter Tended by
MIR. Goose and the duck will relieve the
cycle of ages by day. and Mr.. Bullfrog
may with harmonious sway, fill in the
cycle by night with q kick and chuckle
and dive in The mud midst the bullrushes
ana slough lilies, water and spray.
IDEA.
While the correspondent offers some
sensible suggestions. it is not in keeping
with the ARGUS taste to say that the
evergreens would improve the appear.
ances of Spencer square The plan
already pursued there is too far advanced
to admit of any such changes However
the idea might be applied to Franklin
square, and the proposition as to con.
verting the slough into park is a splen-
did one.
With regard to Spencer square, it is in
teresting TO state that Commissioner
jackson. has received an elegant vase
seven feet three and one half inches in
height. the gift of Mrs. Elizabeth
Harper. 1t will be magnificent Or
nament and will cost $3.50. Other
donations equally as appreciative are
a lawn seat from DIR. J. W. Cowden,
lawn seat from Mr.. August Huesing, a
lawn chair from DIR. s. e. P.ummer, a
vase from Mr.. Geo. Schneider, a vase
from Mr.. III. B. Sudlow, while Mrs. Gil
pin Moore has also expressed desire to
make contribution to the besutifying
of the park.
The matter of lighting the square is
now being agitated and several good sug>
gestions have been made. The arc light
on the band pavilion will illuminate the
centre of the square, while one PROPOSE.
ton is to erect at each of the four en-
frances two ornamental poles with an
electric light on the top of each.