Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-08-31
THE PARK QUESTION.
Public Hearing by Com
mittee on Finance.
MANY VIEWS ARE AIRED.
The Dunnell Homestead Has MANY
Warm Admirers.

question, Chairman Delany presiding,
There was fair attendance and II was
agreed that the speakers be confined to
fifteen minutes each.
William r. Ssyles was the first one to
address the chair, and after few pre-
liminary remarks said that everyb body
had seen the Dunnell estatel while people
had only heard OF the Daggett farm and
had never seen Il.
There was no way to get there as 1t was
In sequestered place and not at all to be
compared with the Dunnell estate In that
respect. Therefore, he asked for delay
that people might have chance to see the
Daggett farm.
Henry A. Burlingame was the next
speaker. As a citizen of Pawtucket he
was interested in this park matter and
wanted 1t located at the most advanta-
geous point.
IL there was beautiful place that
would not be healthy II would not be
suitable. He said the Dunnell estate has
the sewage OF the city on one side of ii
and that II Is a duty to point out any OBJ
lection.
With Hammond's pond on one side and
the Blackstone on the other he did not
think 1t healthy place, besides 1t Grip
pies Pawtucket's chances of wharf extern
sion. No one wanted to do that.
The river should not be obstructed. IL
the Dunnell estate was located where the
Daggett farm is II would be worth five
times as much and cost much less. A
park should be away from the business
pressure.
That is what people want to get away
from.
There are 2s5 acres in the Dsggett farm
and 81 In the Dunnell estate, yet the lat
ter place would cost eleven times as much.
He was In favor of small breathing places
In the center OF the city, but when an
elaborate park is to be laid out II should
be away from the confusion of the city.
The Ten Mile river would never be pol
luted while along the Blackstone is
sewage, gas, etc. Therefore the Daggett
farm was the best location.
A. 7. Atherton was the next speaker
and he said the signers of the petition
were not opposed to the Dunnell site or
any other site, but wanted delay 80 that
the people could investigate. He was In
favor OF a park In every ward. II the city
should buy the Dunnell estate 1t could not
afford to buy small parks while IL the
Daggett farm was bought they could buy
other breathing places. When they
signed the petition 1t was done for the
best interest OF the city In their opinion.
He was not an agent to sell the Daggett
farm.
Judge Robinson spoke in favor of the
Daggett farm. lie was In favor OF the
Slack's hill site for 80 years, but when he
saw the Daggett farm he changed his
mind and said he was first and last In
favor Of the 0aggett farm.
This ended the discussion for delay and
Robert Sherman then arose and said the
Dunnell heirs were not there as mendi-
cants; they never asked the city to pur-
chase the property. They did not care to
sell.
The Daggett farm is taxed for a, 900 and
they offered to sell 1t for s25,OOO. The
IL
Is offered for sale with lot OF personal
property for s1s0,0OO.
1t had been said that The Blackstone Is a
plague spot yet II was not long ago that a
party OF gentlemen were taken down the
river to be shown the beauties OF the
river. The time had expired under the
will to sell the estate and the heirs wanted
to know as soon as possible what the
committee was going to do. Nobody's
feelings would be hurt.
IL the city did not buy II the heirs knew
what to do with It.. He was not there to
champion the Dunnell estate.
1t would take 80 years and half million
OF dollars to make the Daggett farm as
beautiful place as the Dunnell estate is
today. The people had said they want a
park and tho committee was to decide.
1.-THE city got bankrupt the Dunnell
estate could be cut mp into the house lots
and sold for three times the cost. He
asked the committee to do its duty and
the trustees OF the Dunnell estate would
to satisfied.
Claude J. Farnsworth said the park
question was the most important one
since the establishment OF the water
works or the permanent fire department.
The park should not be put I'm any
particular ward to satisfy clique OF men
and the committee should not be In
fuenced by anyone. Although Mr.. Ather-
ton said he was not the agent OF any man
or men, yet he made an offer supplement-
ary to the Dsggett farm to the City Coun.
ell.
Mr.. Atherton objected and said the
offer he made was to donate land OF his
own ana the Daggett heirs knew nothing
OF his offer.
Mr.. Farnswortb went on to say the
signers of the petition all owned land in
the vicinity Of the Daggett farm and the
whole Idea was to enhance the value OF
that land by getting an 80. foot street
through at cost OF s26,Ooo. The Daggctt
farm was sandy and partly covered with
scrub pines.
There are two ponds on 1t which are
nothing more than swamps. The Dunnell
est ate cannot be duplicsted I'm New Enc.