The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-21
Is IT A JOB?
Sensational Charges Made by
Warren Leland.
A Daring Scheme TO Appropriate Lake
Front Park, Chicago.
IntimatiOn That the City Council and Illinois
Central Road kre Interested
In the Plot.
Special Dispatches to THE MORNING CALL.

CHICAGO, June 20.-A sensational charge
is attributed to Warren Leland, the propri-
etor of the Leland Hotel in all interview
published in an evening paper. The own
ership of Lake Front Park, which is 1000
feet wide and nearly one mile long, between
Michigan avenue and the lake shore, has
long been in dispute. The riparian right is
the bone of contention and claim is laid to
it by the State of Illinois, the city OF Chi
cago and the Illinois Central Railroad Com
pany. Leland, as owner OF property abut-
ting on the park, has been fighting all en-
croach ments thereon and has declared his
intention to fight the location Of the Worlds
Fair upon it, negotiations to which end
have been in progress between the Dlrec-
tors and the Illinois Central Railroad.
In the interview to-day Leland is quoted
as saying that year ago bribe of S1,000,-
600 was offered him to cease his warfare in
behalf of the preservation of Lake Front
Park. "And yet" he added, there are
those who believe that | am fighting ii
phantom, and who ridieule the idea of there
being steal on foot. Why, there has been
steal on foot beside which the operations
Of the Tweed ring pale into insigniicance. :"
''If the steal we're of such gigantic pro-
portions year age. before the proposition
to extend the park 1Oo0 feet more into the
lake was made, of what size do you think it
now? 1t is over 500, ,000, GOO"
"Who is back of the steal? Is it the III
inois Central Railroad or the City Council?"
= ie nc
the other-perhaps both. stretch of
Imagination may enable one to believe it is
neither; but as such steal could not be ac-
complished without the consent of the City
Council, and as the Illinois Central Rail-
road is commercially more greatly inter-
ested in the disposition of the property
than any one else, the belief that neither is
interested can be of but short life"
Leland is quoted in detail as to his ef-
forts to maintain the lake front free from
buildings, including the present Exposition
Building, and the opposition he has met
| from successive city governments for nine
years past intimating there was none
| tary influences back of their opposition.
Leland refused to give the name of the
man who came to him. He said it was
well-known citizen who came as the repre-
sentative of the other parties, and said
- Leland, if you will simply bother your
self no more about Lake Front Park, but
remain passive to what is done, L can let
you in on deal so you will get million
dollars"
The matter bids fair to create a tremen-
dOus sensation.
The Directors of the Worlds Fair form
ally declared preference for the lake
front site this afternoon, there being only
one dissenting voice. A resolution was
then adopted nstructing the Committee on
Grounds 10 enter into negotiations with the
city of Chicago, the Illinois Central Rail-
road and all other interested parties, to Sc
cure an area of the lake front of not less
than $50 acres, to be bounded on the north
by Monroe street. The Directors are to
hold another meeting on June 23d, which is
just prior to the gathering of the National