The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-08
WHERE THE CITY is BEHIND
Indianapolis Has No Parks That Have
Any Claim to Be Called Such.
Will Not Work and Warnings I" Keep Off
the Grass"-0thers Too Far Away.

at is really too bad" remarked a gentle
man the other day, that Indianapolis has
no parks worthy of the name. We have,
when it Is completed. a viaduct that is q
masterpiece of workmanship and conven-
ience. a State-hOnse that is almost faultless
in it's architectural beauty. and a court
house that was once the pride of the city.
before Its frescoes began to crack and it's
hand painted statues took upon them the
indignant frown wrought out by q series
of Democratic Administrations. In time
we will have a monument that will be the
attraction of the middle States, but we
have no parks"
Parks are necessary to the life of city
people. Green grass and fresh air are
good, but they are not enough. A park is
not a park until 1t has Q little statusry and
a~rustic bridge in it. A p ark lOoses half it's
parkishness when it contains none. Flow
ers should grow In 1t, and there should be
no lack of vines. If a park is so void OF
natural attractions that the birds desert 1t
it is hardly the incest place In the world
for people to spend an afternoon in. A
country atmosphere should hover over IL.
and hosts of seats should welcome weary
people to its shady rep0se.
~ y y " Va W
people call their parks are supplied with
pumps. A pump 10 the most inartistic and
unsatisfactory mechanical conception hat
could be placed In a park. The pump in
arm raised. In the center of the square. sur
founded with keep oil the grass" signs.
People crowd around it and wait for
their respective. opportunity to insert
their noses in the single iron
disk with which 1t is equipped.
This nnnnn af fIma4 ffka anma of Onr Dan-
ocratic city dignitarles, seems. Dy force OF
its office. to get an exaggerated opinion OF
its Importance. end becomes corresponding
ly impertinent. and often groans out against
dIscharging those functions for which IL
was elected. The city has money to spend
on everything except parks. 1t goes ont
on q bright day with its Council. buys
everything 1t sees. paints the town red"
and a big head, but with nary a
park" The Military Park is near the
canal, and could be easily made beautiful
with fountains of water through the long
summer, that would gladden. the hearts of
those who dare not tug their babies out to
Fairview Park AMI take their chances on
the marmalade process of the hog chute"
The nearest approaches to statuary in the
Military Park are the water plugs at the
corners, fit only for the home-returnlng
serenader TO sit upon BY the silver light of
the moon and twang hIs midnight either to
the tune of the last mule bell down Ten
nessee street.
What is a park without trees or wateri
These necessities demand the attention
OF the people directed toward them. After
sober reflection, the fact that there Is not
one available park In this city remains.
Where can the children 60 on their half
holidays for q rompi They must not go
too far from home and they must not
be in University. Blind Asylum or
Military Park. and Fairview and
Garfield parks are too far away.
There shOuld be an abundance of trees IL
lum Park. Just north OK the Institution for
the Blind. is about as much of a park as the
vacant lot where McGinty's children tease
their goat and beard him In his den. II ID
simply q vacant lot, with an aristocratic
pump in IL that won't work. The only re-
deeming feature OF this park 10 it's stretch
of vacant sward, where q few of the city'l
pretty girls take advantage of the exhibit.
ton offered by an occasional game of tennis.
These palpable deficiencies ere endured
by a city full of people who might and
should have n few beautiful resorts. where
the tired wife or the beliigerent nursery
could go and enjoy their holiday with
ont buying a railroad ticket.
If the Citizens Street-railroad CON-
pany would condescend to run an
electric line to this beautiful place the
park problem would be partially solved,
There are no hills there for children to tum.
bic down and no canal for them To fall into;
there Is enough acreage In IL 10 accommo-
date great numbers without any crowded
feeling that Is SO often felt in the smaller
parks down town. The heart Of q city
needs a tender spot. Just the same as that
of a man. This city has those spots. and
while they may not be as large rs is desired
they could be made exceedingly service
able were they improved and beautified.