Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-08-29
GARNSEY SQUARE.
Last Nights Meeting to Consider its
Advancement
Remarks by Mayor McConoehip. PARK
Commissioners Buncher and Jack.
son and OiheIs-Rs SO Iutfons
and Committees

of the city up town. Park Commissioner
Buncher. of Garnsey square, called the
meeting to order and proposed E. B.
Mcknown for chairman. The motion
prevailed unanimously. After few re.
marks by Mr.. McKown in assuming the
chair in which the Importance of the pro.
posed improvement was CONNIE nted upop.
5. W. Searle was elected secretary.
Commissioner Buncher was then called
for, and in replying he explained
the condition of affairs at the square and
with reference to it. The city reall7 had
no contract with Dir. Huber to excavate it,
but he had undertaken the job with the
understanding that lie was to wait for
his pay and had left il when only about
half completed. Mr.. Buncher believed
the council had ALWAYS been willing to
aid the project and had done so as far as
possible. He then called for remarks
from Mayor McConochie. The mayor
stated that there ha6 been no contract
with Mr.. Huber, but he had undertaken
the work last fall with the understanding
that he was TO receive his paw this
spring. The city had expended SIS $40
in the improvement his year and that
was ali it could stand. He believed,
however. that Mr.. Htber would 90 on
with the work OF excavation this fall, as
soon as his teams could be spared and
finish it. waiting for his pay for next years
appropriations. The city tax levy, the
mayor said, had shrunk considerably in
the last three or foar years, the amount
to be levied by the council at the next
meeting to be $685. 600, whereas the levy
in 1887 was $50. 600. and on this occount
the city would have to move slowly and
act iudiciouslY in the matter of public
expenditures. The mayor stated that he
was not at all hostile to the Sunset park
idea, but he thought that Garnsey square
ought to be completed first.
Aid. Bladel remarked that as far as he
Was able to learn the views of the alder.
men, they were not in sympathy with the
Sunset park project. They wanted to see
G4rnsey square completed first.
Thomas Smart, Marin Prick, Robert
Bennett, j D. Warn ock. W. B. Petit
and Aid. Johnson spoze in favor OF the
improvement of G lrnssy square. Z
The views of Commissioner William
Jackson. of Spencer square, were solicited
and be spoke first of the square as pubs
lie park. 1t could not BE- otherwise than
such. as it was so intended by oequest
aud could not be used for any other pur-
pose "a long as this is 4 city As far as
is mpletion is concerned, NJ. Jackson
telt as much interested as he dId in Spsn-
Ger square. The people all over the city
take an interest in i'm provementa of this
kind and will contribute to their success
He called up an incident in come tlon
with the advantages the city had attained
through the identifying Of Spencer
square, and said that two ladies resid>
ing in Boston had visited the
square yesterday morning and had
stated that they heard of it in New
York city. 1t was good investment no
matter how it was figured. He spoke of
the gift of Hon. B. T. Gable of the 81
fountain as the start, and the Harper vase
as also lending encouragement to the plan
OF contributing ornamental designs. He
then submitted plan Of improvement of
Garnsey square which ad been prepared
by himself and Comm issioner Buncher.
The square which is not exactly squsIe in
dimensions, being $50 feet one way by
$50 the other, is laid out in a manner en-
tirely different from Spencer square
though on the same general principle
Instead Of having the cross walks diagonal
from corner to corner hey enter on the
four sides and proceed through circle
from which diYerge various circular
walks to the common center, where there
is so foot square, about a space for
fountain. The band stand is located to-
WdIu tue SOulu slIc. WI. JOCK
son offered valuable suggestions IS to
the characterization of the band stand and
urged the importance of doing the
work in trst-class shape and doing it this
fall. He counseled against a plan of do
ing it cheaply. He wanted the people
down there to make up heir minds they
would haveit first-class and they would get
it. He suggested that fair this fall. in
which all could contribute and in that wsy
at least 90, 600 could be secured to start
park fund. he would not like to see any
waiting. but would like to see it started
at once SO that it could be completed next
spring in time for the Columbian celebra-
ton next summer. He complimented
Steve O'Connor on the grade of Spencer
square and urged the i'm portance of hsv-
L. al