Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-24
MUSIC HATH CHARMS
To Draw Thousands of Tired
Toilers to the City
Parks if Some One
WILL PAY THE PIPERS.
Rapid Transit Roads Promise to
Furnish Some of the Melody.
PARK CONCERTS IN THE EVENING
Are Believed by Mayor Gourley to Be Quite
the Proper Thing.
CHIEF BIGELOw IND0RSES THE PLAN

The popularity of the summer night con-
certs at Highland Park last summer was so
great that there seems to be a general de-
mand for more of them this year. Now
that the balmy season is approaching,
thoughts of summer amusements are promi-
nent in the public mind.
Thousands of people in this city are un-
able to e1pend money for seashore vaca-
tions or for that matter, any other kind,
and to these the evening spent in the park
is the only relaxation possible during the
hot weather, when those more favorably
situated are laving in the waters of the At
lantic or inhaling the cooling breezes of
the distant mountain tops. Then there are
many others who, from reasons of business
or necessity, are compelled to mingle with
their poorer neighbors and are unable to
get away in the hot weather, to say nothing
of the thousands of children all over the
city who live in a constant environment of
brick and stone walls, and who never see
sprig of green or budding flower except in
q florists window or lady's bosom.
An Important Question to Thousands.
To all of these the question of little
recreation is an important thing. The
parks are delight to them, but even these
can only be fully enjoyed in the light of
dav when the great majority of work people
are bending over their daily tasks and can
not spare the time to enjoy them. When
their days work is done, the mass of the peo-
pie want rest and recreation combined.
This is to be secured through concerts at
the parks in the pleasant summer evenings,
as a number of prominent men, who have
been interviewed on the subject, agree.
The statements of several gentlemen
quoted below cover all the ground and show
the Importance of making the city parks
attractive to the masses who support them.
Mayor Gourley, who takes a lively inter-
est in the welfare of the people, says: 'eNow
that Pittsburg has parks, there should be
some effort made to make them the magnets
for the people that parks are in other cities.
The embellishments that have been pro-
jected to add to the at.ractiveness and COM
fort of the public breathing places meet
with general approval, but there is de-
mand for more than this
No Time Except in the Evening.
"The mass of the people cannot afford the
time to visit and enjoy the parks during the
day. In the evening, after a hard days
work, they have no desire to 60 rambling
through them. To very many people the
only recreation possible is quiet evening
spent in some such place, breathing in the
pure air and enjoying the works of nature
about them, and watching those who come
and 60 in the same pursuit of rest and hap
piness
'To induce people to go to the parks in
the evenings, believe music should be pro-
vided Pleasant evening concerts to which
all could 60 without further expense than
street car fare, and which rich and poor
could enjoy together. / am in favor of any
thing that will afford pleasure and enjoy
ment for the people. Music hss an educat-
ing influence and tends to elevate the mind.
We have few opportunities for enjoying it
in this city as compared with others, but I
believe there is a development in thought
and sentiment here which will demand more
music.
Rest for overworked Brains and Limbs.
Nothing could be more satisfactory to |
tired, overworked man or woman than to |
sit in the park at the close of a warm day |
and listen to the strains of good orchestra |
1t has an educating influence, rests the body |
and mind and lifts up the soul to a point |
that makes one feel that life Is worth the |
living. Enjoyment and recreation of this
kind is what the people, young and old,
need and want, and in making it possible |
for the people it makes them better, its in
fuence at the same time keeping many
away from saloons and other places where
the influence is bad.
ITO take practical view of it, concerts
at the parks would be a pecuniary benefit
TO the traction roads, and I believe they
could and should bear the expense. If they
would display some liberality in this respect
have little doubt but that some of our
public spirited men would help the move
ment along with substantial financial aid,
for the love of benefting their fellows
But, by all means let us have the music"