The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-28
PARK QUESTION.
To the Editor of the Eagle.

Some DAYS ago there appeared an article
in the local columns of the EAGLE ques-
tioning the wisdom of the park committee
of the council in acting favorably upon
proposition of certain citizens to donate in
mart and in part sell TO the city tracts of
timbered lands to be improved for city
parks.
Asa rule the EAGLE means TO reflect the
sentiments OF its readers and in all cases it
means to be right For this honesty of
purpose this principle-for it is a principle
rather than a policy, all fair minded men
of all parties and creeds admire.
Feeling this confidence in the good in
tentions of the EAGLE and knowing its
loyalty TO the interests of Wichita. we re-
luctaptlv urge measure which it OPP
poses. We should state first that the EAGLE
has heretofore advocated the establishing
of a suitable park and is now friendly
to such plan but thinks the present Is
not the time TO increase the public debt.
II is TO discuss the wisdom OF tins move
and at this time that we ask space in the
EAGLE. 1t is not necessary TO consume
| time to prove the desirablllty OF public |
parks. The class of persons who will read |
| this and who will bear the greatest part OF
| the burden of the tax which parks Will |
| impose, do not need TO be told /
| that TO make clty-to give |
value TO property there needs TO |
/ be added to the primitive and rural condl- |
ton of the village, drainage, sidewalks, !
street paving, lights, public water and |
public parks. You cannot assume the |
! character of a city without all these. and |
| they all cost money, and this means debt. |
! When you can show me the town that |
waited until she had the money in hand 10
make these improvements, or could raise
the amount by direct taxation. l will show
YOU a town still crawling in the baby |
| clothes of an old fogy country village, |
without trade or commerce, its people |
without enterprise and its property with
out value.
1t is said by the opponents of this meas
ure that we are grooming under pubic
debt incurred for sewerage, street paving
and public buildings Would any one OF /
these groaners relinqulsh one OF these
blessings if his tax could thereby be remit
tedy Would any citizen of Wichita have
the pavement in front of his property
taken up to save his paving tax? Would
/ any citizen of Wichita, TO save MS sewer
tax 90 back TO the old sinking, fostering
cesspool? And if we had a beautiful
| park say at a cost of 100000, would any
citizen be mean enough TO deprive himself
and family of the pleasure and pride OF
riding and driving IN such park 10 save
the tax OF say 50 a year / say If we had
park such as we may have at a cost OF
100000 the man who would advocate sell
ing it at 81 900 900 and using the money
for other purposes, would be universally
condemned. There is not city IN the
United States of any value that mas not
PASSED through the labor pains which are
now upon Wichita, and not one OF these
great cities that has not been ruined
and bankrupted over and over again &C
cording to the croakers at the time Bill
Tweed died in the penitentiary for pecula-
tion but he left Central park as blessed
heritage TO the poor of New York. we DO
not mean tosay that Tweed should not have
been punished for stealing, but we do mean
to say that adding the 20,0OOOO0 which
the Tammany ring stole the improve
ments thus made were a bless
ing to the taxpayer Boss Shep-
pard left Washington in dlSgace
though a poor man for the eXtrvagant use
of money spent to improve and benefit
| that city.
After twenty years absence he returned.
When Sheppard left Washington none
50 mean as to do him reverence" and when
he returned none were too high from the
president and supreme court judges down,
to bow and almost worship the man who
; had made what is by far the most
beautiful city IN this country
Chicgo was robbed by the Cook county
ring, by the city ring, by the Democrats
and Republicans alike, until all her I'M
DrOvements cost five times as much as they
should. and yet the tax payers would not
sell them today if they could get nve times
their cost. | do not say these improve
ments could not be made without stealing
and should be made on principles OF Ihe
stricteSt honesty and economy, butt DO say
with all the waste, all public improvements
have proved in time TO be worth many
times their cost in the enhancement OF the
value of property and IN the promotion OF
prosperity.
Now. a word as to the present being the
time Mr.. Davidson has offered 10 give
! twenty acres of his natural park, provided
. Mr.. Greffenstein will sell forty acres OF
his park for $4,000 and, as these two prop
ositions 90 together it is sixty acres Tor
$4,000 Now, there i no fair minded
man, who knows anything OF the
value of property in Wichita, VINO
will not say this property Is
5 worth much more than is asked for 1t, and
those who are well informed on the sub
iect know that the gift of Mr.. DAVIDSON
like the low price Of Mr.. Grlitensun ;
property has been made for the puoilc
/ good. Just as those two citizens gave Ireely
81 for every industry which has been brought
e here by subsidies. There J. some opposl-
| ton to this park Improvement from a
To- source which should be noticed and con-
demned There is a scheme 10 sell property
in addition to that mention above
TO the city at more than Its value
with an open threat that if this property
were not added the whole scheme would
be defeated | say, without fear OF contra
diction by intelligent, fair minded men,
e that Greiffenstein has got the only natural
1 | park Of any great valuO contiguous 10 the
CITY. Parks can be made, but II takes
time and money, and IL would take lVg
wears TO grow such trees as are now offered
= in this natural park. 1t does not take
, very long TO grow cottonwood trees ana
l. when grown they should be cut down and
cast into the fire. But the oaks
: and eIms and walnuts and sycamores
: ! which may now he secured cannot be
b, grown during the life time Of our young
est children. While Mr.. Davidson PARK
7 has a good many cOttOuwOods, II has also
:. / some OF the finest elm and black walnut
l. trees in the county and taken IN con
q nection with the Grieffensteln timber the
| whole can be made most beautlIul parh
at a very small cost Aside from
the small amount required for tpe
| purchase Of the land there
need be but little money used at
present The Improvements can ~ maze
a from time 70 time As the city may feel abr
b. and wha ever Is done viii be improving bY
, age All our other Improvements are
periShable This viii last and grow better
a. our children grow older and the rich
= and poor alike Will bless the city govern
p ment which took the first - cps 90 e--ao
lish park in Wichita. \ TAX PAY El.
ORGANIZATION or c. l. = c.