St. Paul daily globe., 1893-08-27
PLAIN TALK ON PARKS.
COL. DAVIDSON TO THE B0ARD or
PARK c0MMiSS SSi0NERS.
THEY ARE FAR TOO PRoDIGl PRoDIGlaL.


Hundreds of Frugal. but Poor
HOusehoiders RuinOus In
terest Exacted-Au Open let
ter.
ST. PAUL. Mimi, Aug. 26. 1S93.--To
the Board of Park Commissioners of
the City of st. Paul Gentlemen:
1 am in receipt of notice in the usual
form from the board of public works
notifying me that all assessment has
been levied on several lots. of which
am the owner. and that 1.-The interest at
the rate of per cent per month. as pro.
vIded for by law. will commence on
Sept. 26, 1885," and that this sasSess4
ment is lien against the property"
This is in the matter OF Indian Mound
park" l had supposed that after the
various hearings and discussions which
have taken place before your board
and the board Of public works relative
to parks that the policy OF purchasing.
park property would be changed,
and that no more property would
be acquired for park purposes
until the hard times which are so dis
tressing upon all classes of citizens
should be changed. This, however,
now seems hopeless under the present
park board, as in the face OF the most
trying financial crisis that the present
generation has known you have gone
OH III the face of protests from those who
are to be assessed for Indian Mound
park, and also OF those who OWN the
propeety, to condemn it and assess the
cost thereof against property owners.
In what have to say | desire to ba fair
to these gentlemen who compose this
board. 1 believe the members to be
honest,patriotic and loyal to the city. .and
somehow to ohaYe reached the conclusion
that they were doing public service in
completing the condemnation of land
for Indian Mound park, and causing 1t
to go tU the board of public works for
final action. If | was the only property
owner outraged and Wtonged by this
purchase of park. would bear my
wrongs i'll Sflen"e, but write you be-
cause thousands OF OiherS-and | be
lieve almost the whole population OF ST.
Paul with ouiy all enthusiastically small
mInority)-3re in the same situation
that L am. / deny myself all luxury.
and economics al every possible point
that | may lie able Ia meet actual living
expenses, and now the pari, beard saws
it is for the public good that Indian
Mounn park be bought, and in the face
of cry Of actual WANT from thousands
of our own citizens and OF distress from
all classes they say substantially: You
need the luxury (for parks are a luxury
of Indian M0.nt park, and we Uuder
thn lns ~ Is, i,ia
be exceedingly arbitrary and drspo;fc)
will proceed 40 buy it and to borrow
money FOR you at Il per cent per
month" and costs and make il q first
lien On my real estate. i-E
GentieMeH, | cannot Gf my credit
was good afford 10 borrow money at
over Is per ceHt to invest III luXuries.
You caunot afford it yourselves. and
yet you have taken me by tie thrbat
(under an arbitrary law) and bought
this luxury for me. and intend to make
me payfGrfit tnIy small pr0pofton) and
Interest al run0uS rate. The iaborefS
who live i'll the whole eastern part of
tbs clty-poor men wl,o are now out OF
work, and are looking ahead to proba-
bly, the hardest struggle OF their lives
TO get through the coming wtntrr-are
forced tO accent Indian AIuiInd park
anu see Their little homes sold Oh special
assessments which Will draw Interest at
II per cent till paid. Those idle thou
sands are now clalnoring for honest
employment ef any kind that they may
earn bread, and yOu purchase Il luxury
for them. assess it against their iioincS
and compel them To pay IL per cent or
lose the little accumuIat!onS OF years.
Tie land embraced III Indian Mound
park has remained unOccupied for over
* ND .I.fs IL
to the enjoyment of the public as much
how as it will be when paid for 10y the
thousands whom you now rob through
forms OF law for the benefit OF the few
owners, all of whom protest against
having their land taken at prices al
lowed. The buyers, forced to become
buyers through the board OF public
works, oppose it: the owners also op-
pose it, but The board of park colnnis-
Sloners, assuming to be wiser tiian all
their constituents, 20 on, irrespective OF
hard times, without regard TO suspended
industries. closed banks and Il general
paralysis, and say we must have parks,
and the people must and shall pay for
them. -
Crown Hill park was abandoned be-
cause public sentiment in that part OF
the city had reached such heat of in
dtguation that II was absolutely danger
Gus to go Oh. Indian MOuud PARK and
Phalen park, believe, are 10 be con
sunmated, and Ridge wood park is only
held III abeyance until the present eX-
element dies out a little. when, with
out doubt, you Will order The necessary
steps taken To fix it irrevocabiy as a
burden ola the property in that part OF
the city. AS YOU must KNOW the great
distress Which prevails, aud as having
some rpUaru for tho at
l beg you tn deSiSt from this policy OF
forcing parks upon the taxpayers till
better times. Be advised 10y your fel-
| low citizens as To what they want and
what they can pay for
Every dollar now III the park Iund Gf
1t could lawfully be diverle;D ought 10
be held for tie use of the board of con-
troi thlS wluter TO relieve the distressed,
the SICK, the old and intirm. You prob
| ably have but little idea OF the suppos-
| edly ''well-tO-dO people, who are al
ready In great distress. Ii YOU will
advise with MIR. Hutchins, agent of the
relief society; with the board OF control.
with Rev. David Morgan. OF the Bethel.
Of with the relief committees of all the
] secret orders in the city, you can get
/ some idea OF present distress, and form
| an opinion OF what may be expected in
January, February aud March of iiext
| year, OF for some time to come.
The people are already asking for
bread, and you give them a park. |
always believe in and advise modera-
ton, and my voice Will always be con
the conservative side" but if the out
RACES perpetrated already, and those
contemplated by the present board OF
public works i'll buying park sites are
! continued, the people will be heard from
by the park board more loudly and
| polntedly in the future than i'll the past.
] address you this open letter (and uiav
write you again. and often). becaus Sc
you need palmer talk than il woSId be
polite to give when speaker addresses
you at board meeting. where he is
heard by the courtesy of the board
Yours respectfully. as
| JAMES II. DAVIDSON.
Two Grand Concerts at Como park
today-2:S0 and 7:3o p. m.