St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-05
PRESIDENT LORING is OUT
THE FATHER or THE PARK SYS-
TEN RESIGNS.
HIS REASONS FOR so DOING.

Au CAcFctIloi SGSStcii
of the Park Board Yesterday
Afternoon Mr.. Loring's Re-
port Is Read, and 1t Proves
an Instructive and Able Doc
ument-The River Boulevard.
The most interesting meeting of tn e
park board for many a month was held
yesterday afternoon. 1t was interesting,
because 1t developed a surprise. PreSi-
dent Z. NJ. Loring resigned from the
board. Not a member of the board. so
far as is known, expected the resigna-
ton. After all the routine business of
the meeting had been disposed OF,
PRESIDENT Lorlng arose and read his
annual report. which is always prepared
at this time in order to enable the secre-
tary to incorporate in the annual report
of the park board. At the conclusion
OF the report Mr.. Loring said:
"Gentlemen, it is with sincere regret
that L AVE to announce to you my in
tention OF severing my connection with
this board. Circumstances have placed
me In a position in which my action as a
park commissioner might be construed
as favoring my personal interests.
Words cannot express how keenly L feel
the necessity for this action, which
takes me away from the work in which
l take so much pride and pleasure. But
L shall not lose my interest in your
work, and l shall watch its DEVELOPMENT
with as much pride as if l we're one of
the workers. l wish to express to you
my thanks for the kindness and courte-
sizes you have eve extended to me, and
the assurance that | shall always take
the Warmest interest in your personal
welfare. as well as 70 ur public work.
President Loring had scarcely taken
his seat bsfore Commissioner Rand
moved that q. 1000 copies of the presi-
dents report be printed. and that $1,000
copies he placed with the superintend-
ent of schools for distribution among
the pupils. The motion was carried
unanimously. Then the board adj
journed.
President Loring's report was in
structive and interesting. 1t was adj
mlrablY prepared and full of valuable
information and sound suggestions. 1t
Impressed the members of the board as
the work OF a nan who has made parks
a life study and founded his knowledge
of them upon extensive observation at
home and abroad.
MI. Loring's report reviewed the his
tory of the Minneapolis parks, and told
what improvement the. park board has
made during the past year. 1t also con-
tanned some valuable recommendations,
the most important of which was
that the park board should Sc
cure the west bank of the Missis-
sippi river to M%innehaha falls for
boulevard purposes and obtain
a government grant of the river bank
from the falls to F ort Smelling. The
board should then exert its influence to
induce st. Paul to acquire the river
banks up to Fort Smelling, and thus
the two cities would possess a match
less driveway. Mr.. Loring dwelt in
this connection upon the necessity of
a city in its younger days providing
itself with breathing places.
"Cities, as we'll as animals, must have
ungs. By securing the banks of our
lakes, river, and Minnehaha creek we
are building up lungs and bronchial
tubes for supplying pure blood to our
children. Your duty is not done until
you ecure the west bank of the river
and induce st. Paul to do the same.''
In answer TO the argument that the
river banks are needed by manufacture
ing and commercial purposes, Mr.. Eor-
ing said that this question could be set
tied when the demand came, and that
the park board would not stand in the
way of business Institutions, OF drive
them away by eXorbitant demands. Mr..
Loring congratulated the park board
for its economy, and furnished
some interesting comparisons with
other cities in the matter of
the proportionate cost of parks.
Mr.. Loring said that Minneapolis had
secured a greater area of parks for a
much smaller amount of money than
any other city. He cited statistics
showing that Boston's ten parks, num-
bering l,SSS acres. had cost her S10,-
359.5O2, while Minneapolis had paid for
forty-three parks, with 1.664 acres, only
S ,250. 555. Chicago. Baltimore and st.
Louis all suffered by comparison. The
reason for this was to be found
in the generosity of the citi-
zeus of Minneapolis, who have
donated land and money and otherwise
assisted the park board in acquiring
lands %cheaply. To these citizens MIR.
Loring paid a high compliment. He
also spoke of the time 80 years ago when
a town meeting was held with a view to
obtaining some land for a park in the
vicinity of Grant street.
There were present at that meeting
besides myself" said Mr.. Loring, .Coi.
W. S. King. Dorilus Morrison, George
A. Bracket and two other zen
tlemen. These last two opposed
the purchase of the land, claim
ing that it would not be needed, as
the town was all park. and would prob
ably never get as far up as Tenth