Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-09-17
PRIDE OF THE CITY.
The Formal Opening of Spencer
Square.
OUR BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC PARK.
The Ceremonies Last Evening-COm.
missioner Jack SON Caned-Speeches
by Judge Drury, Mayor McConochie
and Others-The Cable Fountain
started-The PyrOtecnic Display.


triumphant occasion to the public spirited
citizen was that which attended the for.
NAL opening and dedication to the public
of Spencer square last evening. 1t was an
affair toward which Rock Island had
looked forward with pleasant anticipation
though the people had already begun to
enjoy the privileges and pleasures of a
handsome park and had accepted them in
g somewhat matter of fact manner On
the other hand no elaborate preparations
had been made. The exercises were all,
it may be said. informal and impromptu.
They were more OF that cordial, happy
hearted nature characteristic of great
family reunion or JOYOUS event,
when all are united by bond of
mutual sympathy and enthusiasm.
Commissioner Jackson. to whose untiring
efforts and incalculable labors is due the
state of perfection attained in the i'm.
provement of the square, had prepared
little programme including band con-
cert. q few speeches and turning on of
the Cable memorial fountain. But 1t was
the manner in which the public generally
testified TO its approval of the public
spirit shown by Mr.. Jackson. by the city
council and by the contributors to the
squares ornamentation that made the
of Loo .
the endesvors of Messrs. r. Champion
and Will r. Johnson. of the committee
designated by the Rock Island Citizens
Improvement association. brilliant dis
play OF firew orks had been provided, the
park Illuminated and it was due TO the
cooperation of Davis & Co. that an extra
number of arc electric lights had been
supplied. while the ladies had worked
faithfully sill the afternoon decorating the
vases and planting them with plants and
flowers
So 1t was a lovely scene indeed that
met the gaze of the assembling throng in
the evening. The entire four sides OF the
square were strung with japanese Lam
terms, and lines were also hung along the
main crosswalks, while two arc lights
cast bright ray over the fountain, and a
red and blue arc lamp hung on either
side of the band stand entrance. Mana,
ger Montrose, who yesterday TOOK pos
session of the Harper, showed his public
spirit by having the entire east side of the
house illuminated-a light appearing in
every window-snd the business houses
fronting on Second avenue and on TWEEN
tieth street were nicely illuminated, and
volcano of red IRE sent up pyrotechnic
display at intervals from the top OF
tricks livery stable building.
BY all odds the largest assemblage of
people-men, women and children-thai
has ever gathered in Rock Island at a
time. was wrapped in pleasure and adj
miration when the exercises opened in
the band sand pavilion with an overture
by Bleuer's band which had offered its
services gratuitously for the evenings
entertainment. The band then gave way
to the mayor and other city officers, board
of aldermen, President Hass and Others
OF the Citizens improvement association,
and number of other citizens who were
escorted to the pavilion by Commissioner
Jackson, together with number of young
ladies accompanying Miss Florence Dart
who was 20 perform the graceful act of
formally starting the fountain. The mul
titude having gathered about the stand
Commissioner Jackson introduced
JUDGE J. W. DRURY
as chairman of the evening. Approval of
the selection was manifested in a most
enthusiastic and complimentary manner.
In accepting the honor Judge Drury said
it afforded him great pleasure to meet so
many people of the town which for so
many years had been his real home. He
came here to make this his home fifty two
years ago. All of Rock Island was a park
then. II am very glad to witness the
progress Rock Island has made" said the
judge. 81 am very glad to be with you
on this gladstone occasion and shall al.
ways be glad to meet with you l desire
to congratulate you all in having such a
beautiful park. and to those who have
brought it TO such a beautiful state of per-
lection, let there be all honor and praise. :"
Commissioner Jackson expressed his
happiness at seeing so many people pres
ent. which he regarded as an evidence of
public interest and pride taken In the
beautiful square. He spoke briefly of the
WONDERFUL TRANSFORMATION
that had been made from frog pond to
place of pleasure. pride and rest He
traced the history of the movement which
had been attended by such gratifying re-,
suits first the action of last years coun-
Gil in ordering the filling and grading OF
the square, and the putting in of the
cross walks. 81 want to saw" the COM
missioner put in here. that that was a
grand old council, and every member
who sat in the municipal chamber during
its existence, has right to feel proud OF
his official association with that
body" He then also alluded to
securing of the first great ornament-the.
Gable fountain. He knew. he said that
a fountain was the first essential in an or
namental way. and when Mr.. Ben T. Ca
BILE returned from Europe. where he had
travelled extensively and where much at,
tention is paid to public grounds-the