St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-17
ONE MORE rs WILLING.
ANOTHER PROPERTY OWNER VINO
FAV0RS RiDeEW00D PARK.
WOULD NOT BE BEHIND.
Thinks the Times Are All Right
for Parks--Condemns the Hill
Celebration, and Feels Ridge
wood Territory Should Come
to the Front.

Celebration, and Feels Ridge
wood Territory Should Come
to the Front.
AT the recent meeting of the board of
public works to confirm the assessments
for Ridgewood park the attendant
crowd of assesses was, with one eXcep-
ton, unanimously opposed to the park.
The solitary exception found he was
fair way to becoming disliked, so
he had little to say, and confined him
self to thinking. But it appears there
is another taxed property owner who
braves the storm and persists in think
ing the park at RIdgewOod is a good
thing, and the assessment will not
break up any of its victims, and the
GLOBE this morning makes room for
what he has to write OH the subject.
He signs himself lone of the Assessed"
ana says:
As property owner in the Ridge
WOOD Park district, kindly grant me
space for few statements on the SUBJ
Ject of Ridgewood Park proper.
The park board has been legally con-
stltuted, and the gentlemen who COM
hands. They are. empowered with full
and complete authority to select parks.
For nearly five years it has been ap-
parent to me that the park board
has been conscientiously engaged
III considering propositions for
parks. Every argument has been
listened to for and against Ridge
wood, both as to its suitability
and as to the price asked for it. After
carefully weighing all these things.
among them the recommendation of the
city landscape artist, Mr.. Cleveland,
and the fact that previous park board
had accepted Ridgewood for park, the
present board decided the property was
a bargain and desirable, ANA accepted it.
In the face of this it comes with very
poor grace for any of US to utter pro-
test at this late hour against the action
OF the board or against our assessments
for this park.
The cry has been raised that we
should not be assessed for this park be-
cause of the hard times; that cyclone
OF hard times is devastating this country
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Let us
not be hoodwinked by any such talk. 1t
has no real bearing Oh this assessment.
1t is meant only to paralyZe us with fear
and defeat the action of the board. We
money market, but it affects principally
the moneyed men, the rich men. 1t is
rich mans panic. They nearly all ap-
pear to be financially insane. No doubt
they suffer mental anguish, and
they have my heartfelt SYM
pathy, but the financial mist is
clearing away. There is just as much
money as there ever was, but these
wealthy men are afraid to let go of
dollar. We have had no famine, no
scourge, no cholera. Flour. potatoes
and meat are as plentiful ana as cheap
as ever. Clothing is cheaper. We la
boring men, as class, are more pros
porous today than we have ever been.
The statement that an assessment of
$3.50, or $40, or $50, is going to cause us
to lose our homes is sheer nonsense. l
am laboring man, have been working
III ST. Paul for the last twenty years.
In addition to the money | have invest
ed Ill RIdgeWOod property,I have some
ready money, and | wish to say if
there is any man or any woman
or any dozen such who can show me
that they are unable to pay this as
sessment. will gladly advance them
the amount and ask no security but
receipt and promise to pay when able.
want this park. | am in favor of it,
my property.
The statement was made to the board
OF public works that the city could not
afford to spend dollar for parks these
hard times. In connection with this,
let me say l have the greatest admra-
ton for that eminent citizen James j.
Hill, and would not detract jot, not an
iota, from the great honOrS bestowed
upon him by this city June and s, but
1t should be borne in mind that on that
occasion the city spent $4,000 for two
days pleasure; therefore, why should
we haggle over the $4,000 for park
which will be monument to the honor
and glory of this city forever?
Some have said this RidgewOOd land
is pot suitable for park. | beg To diff
fer from that opinion. In my Judgment
ment, which is also the opinion of the
city landscape artist, Mr.. Cleveland and
many other, the land is more than Ordi-
narily attractive. But suppose for the
sake of argument it were the worst mud
hole that could be imagined, and were
reclaimed and made into a beautiful
park, what a splendid addition it would
be to that portion OF our city. The time
to do thing is when you have it i'll
hand. Let US finish the business now
before it is too late, before it gets away
from US.
Let us remember it is not altogether
SO much what we do for ourselves; we
should think of our children ana those
who come after US. and of the future
growth of our city.
Are we people of the Ridgewood dis
triet going to sit quiet and idle, and see
other portions of the city beautified and
made lovely by parks and improvements
while our own district goes unadorned?
Are we going to let the moss and mould
and crust of decay gather over us and
have others say: Poor old Ridgewood,
she is no good. They are all dead over
there" Or are we going to have some
pride and stand up and be able to say
to the people in other parts of the city,
Come over TO Ridgewood and visit us.
Come and see what nice park we have
and what delightful portion of the city
we live in"