Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1894-12-28
PARKS.
The History of Other Cities Indicates
That Lands Should Be Purchased
While Thew Are CheaD.

The History of Other Cities Indicates
That Lands Should BE Purchased
While They Are Cheap.
To the Editor of The Tribune:
Fifteen years ago the public spirited
citizens Of Minneapolis awoke to the fact
that no lands had been secured for parks.
The city at that time had $4,000 or $1,000
people, having doubled it's population in
a very short time. The Importance of
public parks was earnestly discussed by
Mr.. G. M. Loring and others for some
time, when the city commenced issuing
it's bonds for the purchase of park lands.
During six years-from 1883 to 1889-the
city had issued twenty-year bonds for
s6t3,OOO for the purchase of park lands,
these lands being in addition to $40 acres
already donated to the city. Since 1889
that city has kept on acquiring lands,
until today it is practically surrounded
by a chain of parks and boulevards.
Six years ago the park commissioners of
Minneapolis, after having acquired all
the lands referred to, made the following
statement: considering the rapid
growth of the city, the accommodation
now provided will in a few years
be found to BE- limited, and we
believe will justify the continuance
Of the policy Of acquiring park lands in
the newer sections, leaving the improve
ments to be made as the exegencies
Of the future demand" They further
state "the conclusion will readily be
drawn that the needs of the future great
city which we all confidently believe will
here exist are yet unprovided for" and
the question is asked, "Shall they make
these purchases while lands are cheap or
follow the example Of other cities that
by delaying purchases have paid fabu-
lous prices for their park lands?"
The reader will please bear in mind
that during the time referred to in these
discussions there was no electric railway
system or rapid transit in that city and
outside parks were not accessible to the
masses of the people as they now are.
The park history of Minneapolis is
practically the same in other progressive
western cities, and we have only to in
vestigate their work in this respect to
enable us to outline the park policy OF
this city. Great Falls is fast approach
ing the time when it's real estate values
will advance rapidly. Industrial
enterprises OF great magnitude
are soon to be added to those already es-
tablished here, and these cannot fail to
give a great impulse to the growth of
our city. With great and rapid growth
near at hand, would it be the part OF
wisdom or economy to cancel the recent
purchase Of 1915 acres of park lands il it
were possible to do so. In view of the
certainty that a great city will soon be
built around these falls, is the purchase
of two or three blocks of land within
an easy distance of the shoots" all that
is required? The people OF Great Falls
voted $4,000 for the purcha.e of park
lands. and the lands have been bought,
now let them see to it that every dollar
of this money is used for the purpose
for which it was raised, whether the
present purchases are valid or not. 1t
matters not, so far as this question ie
concerned, whether the city indebted
ness is large or small, this money was
raised to purchase park lands, and il
must not and, l believe, it cannot bt
used for any other purpose.
PARIS GIBSON.