The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-09
MEETINGS OF BOARDS.
The Park Commissioners Organ
ize for Business.
PROPOSED TRADERS LICENSE.
Meeting of the Board Of Public Work.
Occupations to BE Covered by
Special License.

The first meeting OF the board of park
commits >ioners vas held in the city haii
Yesterday with all the members present.
The board consists of Messrs. Daniel Jones.
chairman, w. Z. Bailey, Aoram Barker,
". Z. Burgess and c. n. Evans
Mr. Daniel Jones made short address to
the board. He said:
public parks are lungs for great cities. places
for recr alton and for rest No city Is iuiy
equipped with ut some grounds Tor puoiic TO
SOFT Every vii age aud hamlet should nave
some free spot which al have right 10 ENJOY.
II we have faith IN the future greatness oil our
CITY, we must use all our efforts to secure VIM
we may suen lands AZ will be adequate TO the
wants of a large city We must not fail to Sc
cure lands bscouse it seems too costly Lor ne
cause they are out OF proportion 10 our present
needs.
We must look forward TO twenty or thirty
years, when the Green City of Puget sound WIZ
have a population of 100000 or more. ana
think what will be her wants. Tney Will tnen
have wealth 10 buy what money can buy, OUT
they can't buy lost opportunity. Tne sui jet
OF public improvement in the form Of pnoic
parks usually meets with opposition. In the
minds OF many people it means an immediate
outlay # very large sum OF money. Their
minds are fill with apprehension OF heavy
taxation. They imagine the whole scheme Is
devised 10 benefit the rich at the expense OF the
poor.
The absurdity of this is proved by the re-
peated experiences OF other CT les In this coun-
try as well as in Europe. In ten years succeed
ing the commencement OF work on Central
park, New York, the Increased valuation OF tax
able property in the warts immediately sar-
round ny IL was no less tnan $54 coo 90. an lrd-
ing a surplus after payiag int r,st on ali the
city bonds Issued for the purchase and construc-
ton of the park costing So, 100000
Ii is but a few years since the country was ring
ing with denunciation OF the ex ravagauee Of the
authorities at Wa Ellington In the system OF i'm
provemens which was in progress. We hear
nothing OF IL now, aud instead OF filthy, SLOW
emily town, they have a city whose msgnifcence
Ia attracting a wealthy class OF residents VINO
can afford 20 build houses In keeping with
the surroundings. The expenditures which
were denounced yesterday have prov
the best investment that uld possibly have
been made. We shall indeed be wise II we take
warning from other cities flor example, New
York; and securr lands that are needed before
they become so occupied or acquire suth value
as TO place them beyond our reach. Having
secured the land, We may take our time for be-
ginning its Improvement aud spend money
upon it only as il is warranted by the means
which the growth of the city will sff ,rd. The
first ana most important thing to do, in my
judgment, is to employ thorous hly competent
landscape gardener TO examine the lay of the
land ip and arou d our city to desien certain
available lands best adapted for PARK purposes,
as well as certain streets for drives and boue-
wards connecting these lands TO afford opportun-
ity for pleasure riding
No time should be lost in laying plans for the
general arrangement OF parks and parkways for
the city, so that he amount and character OF each
years work may be predetermined and kept in
progress with the certainty that every step we
take, and every dollar we expend is toward the
ult mate obj ct. and that the unity OF design
may be preserved throughout.
Mr.. Bailey moved that the chair appoint
a committee of two members, of whom the
chair should be one. TO confer with the
county commissioners in regard to the
school lands surrounding the city, and to
find out at what figure the same are likely
to be sold.
The chair appointed Mr.. Bailey to act
with them.
Mr.. Townsley. clerk of the board. was in
structed 20 send for copies of the regula-
tons governing parks in other cities, and
also laws relating to commissioners.
The board adjourned until Thursday
night.