Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-03
A PUBLIC PARK.
Private Parks for Private People-P ublic
Parks for Ali the Peol lie.
Fort WORTH, TEX. April %, 1891.

FORT WORTH, TEX, April 90, 1891.
Editor Gazette.
At the risk of obtruding myself upon your
columns and upon your readers, l venture a
few suggestions upon what seems to be i
demand of our citY-a public park-a pleas
ure resort for the people. The ancients
the Greeks and the Romans had their
Olympia, their athletic games, and even
their luxurious baths, but these all were
for ''casses" of the people.
'Ho Demos of the Greek and "Populus"
of the Latin did not convey at all our idea
Of ''the people" We mean the sovereign
controlling element, not as class at all ::
hence our government ''of the
people, by the people and for the people, -
has become talismanic is really ''the shib-
boleth" of our republic
Public parks, pleasures unrestrained ex-
cept by the demands of society, are needed
by and for these people, our industrious,
enterprising and intelligent citizens.
On the continent we find that long before
any thought was given as to the wants of
the people, parks for dee. and other do
mesticated animals were provided. Acres,
square miles, were laid out, set aside
adorned and beautified for the chase, and
out of these came or grew consideration of
the rulers for their human subjects-their
people.
The park in America, where now so much
is done for the preparation and identifying
of these pleasure resorts, is of quite late
origin. 'whited sepulchres'
have supplied the place of the park,
mourning the place of mirth.
In 1S49 Mr.. a. j. Downing in the Horti-
culturist, began series of papers upon this
subject, and in 1853 preparations were be-
gun the result of which was the Central
park of New York.
While New York is a city, or was then,
orf N,-+v- two lac .ha
spare 100 acres. 1t has now 500 acres.
All the important cities have their parks,
Boston her Commons, Philadelphia her
Paramount, Baltimore her Druid hill, St.
Louis, Chicago, Buffalo, etc, theirs. The
Druid hill was projected. purchased and
opened by (eX-goveruor) Mayor Thomas B.
Swami of Baltimore in 1860. It contains
900 acres, is well located within few miles
of and overlooking the city.
Mayor Swami had great opposition, and
his enemies said it would be his political
grave. He had lived Tor died) to see it his
monument while alive.
Fort Worth needs park, and of not less
than 1000 acres-one that can be beautifed
and adorned as she shall grow in popula-
ton, prosperity and power, near enough to
be reached in few minutes by rapid tran
sit, or by moderate walk or
short drive; some place where all
the people can assemble in their own
good time and way
As TO location, have nothing to say.
Artesian wells will furnish all the water
needed for any purpose. Artificial lakes
ecan be provided as demanded.
Let it go forth that Fort Worth-the
people, the common council-have deter
mined TO have pleasure park for her toll
ing citizens, whether in the banking bust
ness, in the law Office, or IN the machine
shops, and it will be but the signal for her
sister cities to '.go and do likewise
Private parks for private people, but
public parks for all the people. More anon,
ALEX. HoGG.