, 1891-09-04
A PLACE OF RESORT.
1t is Badly Needed by the Public
of Cheyenne.
Further Expressions in Regard tc
Minnehaha Park.
Methods Proposed for Its lmmedi,
ate Improvement.
To the Editor of THE LEADER.

CHEYENNE, sept 0,-lne Otulnances
of the city prescribe that a certain tract,
containing of land and water surface
about thirty six acres, snail be reserved
for lake and park purposes, and shall be
designated by the name Of Lake Mime
haha park" Lake Minnehaha, the con-
trolling feature of the park, has had a
precarious existence, some years full to
the brim and others either dried up COM
pletely or evaporated into a Shiny and i'll
smelling pool filed with decaying vegeta-
BILE matter and dead fish.
Cleaning up aud grading the boulevard
has been resorted to several times but the
result was only = transient pleasure to its
promoters for the reason that so few can
use it, the per cent of citizens who can af-
ford to keep carriages being small here as
elsewhere. What Cheyenne needs, in
common with every growing city in the
arid regions of the Northwest, where
natural facilities for amusement are SO
rare, is a permanent park and picnic
ground, filed with shady groves and sup
piled with bathing and boating facilities
for summer pastimes and a skating rink
for winter sports.
Why not make such a place of Lake
Minnehaha park2
1t can be done, and done IN a manner
not only fattering to our pride as individ-
uals n as citizens, but also in a way
that will In a great measure satisfy our
hunger for a place set apart from the roll
ing arid plains which surround us. Capt.
tol park is a thing of beauty and an end
less source Of pride but it can never be
made a place of amusement, for natural
facilities are absolutely wanting there; but
in Lake Minnehaha park the opportunity
for filing a long felt want. a necessity, [
take it, is almost immeasurable. This
park at a comparatively small expense,
can be made a pleasure garden of which
Cheyenne can afford to boast. During
the past eight or nine years the city has
expended over sI5, 900 on Capitol park.
and | am satisfied we can make an Eden
out of Lake Minnehaha park with less
money, a pleasure resort for all, a place
for recreation and that physical profit
necessary to a reasonable enjoyment of
life.
How shall this be done2
The city is e~xpending about 1925, 0O0
on necessary Improvements and is not in q
financial condition to spend moneys for
constructing parks, although 1t can afford
to make annual appropriations sufficient
to maintain its parks when completed.
OF necessity, then, the park must be con-
structed by private subscription, and the
cause is worthy of the broad minded and
public-spirited citizen who calls Cheyenne
his home.
Let us improve the park by all means,
and let us begin at once. Necessary
grading should be done this fall in order
hat tree planting can be carried on in
the spring. Owing to natural conditions
any plan for the improvement of the park
will require the scraping out Of the lake
bed, in order, first, to deepen the water
so that plant lite will not thrive, and Sec
ond, to secure rich soil for the land por-
ton, thus killing two birds with one
stone.
Apropos of subscription for a park
improvement fund, an early and very
proper question which will occur to sub
scrihers is: I'm what manner and by
whom will the funds be disbursed?' This
could be satisfactorily accomplished in
many ways, and one would be for the
subscribers to select a citizen whose in
tegrity is unquestioned and who has the
necessary qualifications to superintend
the work, ask the council to appoint him
superintendent of the park construction
and if thought necessary, require him to
give a bond to the city for the faithful
performance of his duties. The money
subscribed could be paid into the city
treasury on account Of fund for Lake
Minnehaha park improvement" and
paid out only on warrants ordered by the
city council. No bill against the park
fund would be allowed by the council I'M
less the same were first approved by the
park superintendent Other and per.
haps similar methods will doubtless be
devised, which will not be quite SO cum,
brous as the above and perhaps just as
safe.
In this connection it might be well to
state that at the regular meeting of the
city council held Sept. 1, 1891, an
ordinance was passed adding to the park
eleven acres of land and water surface. so
that the park now contains about thirty
six acres in all.
| have prepared a plan for the re-
clamation of Lake Minpehaha park and
have placed it on exhibition in the office
of the city treasurer simply to call
attention to the natural possibilities which
exist within the park boundaries. Should
public sentiment warrant an effort being
made to carry out the design for the park
improvement every public spirited citizen
will be given an opportunity to help on
the good work. and early enough to insure
the necessary grading and filing before
the frost king takes possession for the
winter. FRANK BOND.
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