St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-18

and who had afterwards been secretary
Of the United States legation in Russia,
SAID not long since, after complete
survey OF the different view points
around ST. Paul. i have been in every
principal city of Europe and America
and in some of the cities of the Orient.
and in my opinion st. Paul shares with
Edinburgh the distinction of being the
most beautiful city in the world 1t
will be ouI own fault II this proud dis
tinction be lost, end will be because we
have ignored the opportunities and re-
fused the advantages which nature has
so lavishly bestowed.
at seems all ungracious task to al
ways be comparing ones own city
with another, OftentimeS TO her diSad
vantage; but the fact remains that Min
neapolis not only has the most magnif-
icent park system of any city Of lis size
in America, but one Of the most liberal
and beautiful systems Of any city IN the
world. This result has been accom-
pliShed by combination Of efficiency
Oh the part Of its park board and OF
public spirit and far-sighted liberality
on the part OF its citizens. And 1t has
been accomplished, too, with not half
the natural advantage i'll the physical
surroundings which are possessed by
ourselves. 1t is not considered map
proprlate in the other Twin City
| to dedicate park and to
assess literally for its benefits
| because the neighborhood is to be chiefly
an Industrial one and because the prop
erty Is not of the highest class and so
sure to be used for splendid residences.
Witness what is known as the Sandy
| Lake park lately set up by those
interested in promoting the late manu-
featuring scheme of which the old
farm of Thomas Lowry is to the center
and upon which the first new enterprise
to be located is rolling mill. Work
men in such shops are not supposed
most to appreciate the aesthetic beauty
or their surroundings. but, none the
less, they will be benefited, and thelI
humble residence property will be
Made More Valuable
by this magnificent appropriation of a
large tract of ground for park purposes
in their immediate neighborhoOd.
zone other fact to the devotion OF
property to park purposes should be
kept steadily in mind. Nature does moi
always tramsmute by some mysterious
alchemy the beauties with which she
delights us into commercial value, but
it has been the invarabe experience
that the cost of property taken fol
parks, no matter in which CITY, has
been returned many fold by the increase
of property values adjacent and the IN
crement therefore to its taXpaylne
power. It's fair question whether al
values are not made more firm anC
even heightened ia Il city by The
possession of lib roi AM rcl distrib-
uted park system; but ii ihLt still re
main a question there is no longer any
doubt but that the property immediately
surrounding is definitely benefited in {
well aScertaihed ratio dependent upoI
the distance from the park itself.
Let this board then consistently ad
vocate the acquisition of bOulevards anC
parks in all reasonable measures. unit
tho natural beauties of our hills anC
lakes are not only forever secured
against mutilatiOn and destruction, bu
are preserved instead for our posterity
and the queenly crown of beauty KEEP
upon the brow of our fair city.
ut NAV look sometimes like burden
to assess surrounding property forsucl
improvements, but when owners clearly
understand that the land will not only
iegitimately bear such burden, but vii
retrieve it in increased value i'll Shor
iime, objections will vanish.
'Let US favor this park in the cas-
end of the city, because it is wei
located and preserves for US the shores
of one Of our most beautiful lakes, anc
gives all the people easy access thereto
for all time to come: but let us not be
content until other parts of the city as
I we'll are provided with like attractions
and benefits. and until st. Paul will
her wonderful natural beauty Shall
have increased and preserved 1t by {
park system altogether worthy of her.
Neither is it true that for this we
can longer afford to wait; when prop
erty again becomes active, as it surely
will, large holdings will soon be dlssi-
pated, and chances which now exist
both in the size and eligible tracts anc
the prices at which they can be OBJ
tanned, will he forever gone"
Capt. SumbardO followed Mr.. Coch-
ran in favor of parks. He said parks
were for the masses. In Chicago every
mau, woman and child loved Chicago
aud talked Chicago because the city hat
| done something for them in the way OF
parks.
On motion of Mr.. Candy. the courte-
sizes of the exchange were extended tt
the Minneapolis real estate board.