Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1894-12-28

70, 1894.
out the city limits, and the statements of
Mr. Williams to the contrary are entire
ly without foundation and are intended |
to prejudice the taxpayers against pur-
chasing lands for parks.
improvements Of city parks are al
most invariably gradual. The townsite
company donated to this city, about four
years ago, nearly 100 acres of land in
the heart of the town for park purposes.
AS an evidence that the city has never
contemplated extensive improvements
upon these lands at once, l have only
to state that the entire expense for park
improvements since the work was begun,
including tree-plantlng on the avenues
OF the city and the caring for and water
ing the same, does not exceed 5000 a
year. In the light of these facts it is not
candid on the part of Aid. Williams or
anybody else to convey the impression
that an expenditure Of 5000 or any
large sum is contemplated at the present
time or until the population and
wealth of our city will warrant it. The
theory upon which the advocates of park
purchases in Great Falls, under the re-
cent bond issue, have proceeded has
been that for a comparatively small sum
of money large tracts of land adjacent to
the present city limits could be pur-
chased for future parks. This has GER
talnly been my position from the start,
and | have based my views, not only
upon my W experience, but upon the
advice of other men in progressive west
ern cities. These being secured, the
gradual evolution of beautifully arranged
and highly cultivated modern parks be-
$4,000 this city has purchased 375 acres
of land we'll situated. near the city Inn
its of today, the largest tract having a
river frontage of about one and a half
miles. Now suppose the city council
had invested this money in blocks of
land within the city limits, as proposed
bv Mr.. Williams, how many acres could
they have purchased? Probably about
%, for land between the Sisters hospital
and the Boston addition can hardly be
bought for less than $1,000 to $500
an acre. Alderman Williams thinks IF
two or three blocks for parks could be
obtained at reasonable prices within the
city limits and at an easy distance from
the public schools they would be q valu-
able acquisition" and here he drops this
important matter Of public parks. Is
there anything from the beginning to
the close of his letter that shows the
least interest on his part in this subject
80 important to the welfare and happi-
ness, not only of the people now living
here, but of succeeding generations? I
. believe we should not only have parks
for school children but for the people as
we'll. Rapid transit has revolutionized
the whole theory Of public parks. In
fifteen or twenty minutes a family living
4 in the center Of a crowded city car go
t by the electric railway to the suburban
4 or rural park and at a cost of but q few
cents. Is it of no advantage to have
!, such parks within the reach of every
4 body, rich or poor? Is there anything
t more healthful physically or morally FOR
9 the masses than beautiful parks located
beyond the hustle and business of the
city? Great Falls was laid out by it's
! founders on a broad scale, because they
8 believed then as they now believe that
y it is to become one Of the greatest indus
/ trial centers in the country. Its loca-
ton at the cataracts of the Missouri
D speaks for itself, but being in the midst
n of a semi-arid territory, to make it at.
tractive and healthful money and the
combined effort of it's people must be
employed from this time forward. On
J, this treeless townsite parks and boule.
Yards mean vastly more than in eastern
cities where the rainfall is greater and
4 where trees and shrubs grow spontane-
" ously. The public spirited citizens of
Denver caught this idea long g and
have made that city a veritable GASES ir
Y the desert, attractive to travellers anc
o home seekers. Nothing will draw to
this city investors and settlers more thar
d improvements such as l have named
Already the steps taken by our people
for the creation of parks are attracting
a much attention among eastern men who
have investments here, and l have YET
to learn of the first man among then
d who has objected to our park plans. The
n fact that the city treasurer's bondsmer
have not as yet made good any deficiency
of park money for which they are liable
Is a very lame argument in favor Of repu
dating the park purchases. If these
t purchases are invalid let them be made
Il good ny the proper legislation, and thus
securd to our city forever these valuable
lands. If the park purchases we're with
d out warrant on the ground that the
lands bought are outside of the city
limits, and il such a defect cannot be
cured by legislation that OF course vii
. end the matter, and these purchases will,
fall; but if defects in the purchases can
Z be remedied l submit it is a gross in.
justice to Mr.. Dunn and the other sellers
of lands to our city not to allow them tc
obtain the necessary remedy from the
y legislature which is about to convene.
This city has today for public parks
d including land donated by the townsitt
company, AIS acres, costing nominally
$4,000 but really costing nothing, as the
400 lots donated by the sellers of thu
Highland Park land can easily be solo
within the next two years for a sun
equal to the purchase money of the en-
tire park system, including interest fol
two years. PARIS gibson.