The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-01-18
THAT PARK donation
Select Councilman ConnOlI the Only Member
Of The Committee Present.
ITS ADVANTAGE AND OBJECTIONS
Description of Wood Lawn Park.
Conditions Under Which II Is to Be
Accepted-one Item for Grading to
Be Stricken OfT-Mr. Connell Is OPP
posed TO Its Acceptance Says 1t Is
Land Speculation.

Select Councilman A. T. Connell
called meeting Of the park committee,
of which he is chairman. for yester-
day afternoon, but no other member of
the committee appeared. In company
with the gentlemen interested in Wood
Lawn park, Mr. Connell visited the site
intended for city park. and TRIBUNE
reporter was also member OF the
party After tour of inspection Mr..
Connell informed the reporter that he
did not look with favor on the project,
although he would not try to influence
the action Of the committee in the
matter
An ordinance has passed the lower
branch Of the city government direct
ing the mayor to draw up the neces
sary documents Of acceptance, the par
ties to the second part being u. W, S.
w. and NJ. w. Finn, q. B. Clark and
Hanson Carpenter.
WHAT THEY WILL GIVE.
The latter gentlemen own a tract of
land bsyond Arlington Heights In the
Thirteenth ward. The tract COM
feet in width extending from the
Boulevard to Washington avenue.
The land intended to be donated for
park purposes is right in thu confer of
this tract 1t 10 in three parts. each
being elliptical in form. The total
area is given as.two acres.
Each strip Of land is fitty.six feet
in width and the intersections are
Capouse and Wyoming avenues. On
either side. extending tue entire
length, is driveway twenty four feet
in width. The proprietors in their
| offer to councils asked that the city
bear half the expense of grading,
which they assumed would be 81, 500
Yesterday the gentlemen informsd Mr..
Connell that il the city would accapt
the park they would bear the entire
expsnse Of grading the boulevard
ADVANTAGES AND OBJECTIONS.
The proprietors of Wood Lawn park
argue that the proposed park is moth
ing new. Chicago has its Drextl park
built ou similar lines, while other Cit
les in the union have the same advan
tages. They argue that it will be re.
sort and breathing spot for residents Of
the North End They point to many
large trees that form Il natural park in
themselves and the tract possesses two
springs Of good water, one Of whicn has
never known to bs dry, even in tine
greatest drought. The water they in
tend to bring to the surface and form a
fountain in the park.
The first objection Mr.. Connell found
was tie item of ST. 500 for grading ths
boulevard. He contendsd that it was
a land speculation pure and simple, and
all expense should be borne by those
interested. This the projectors de.
cided to strike out. The second objsc.
tion was the item OF $500 for SIDE
walks. His contention Is that property
owners have to flag in front of their
properties III other portions of the city
and no exception should 0s made in
this case, Mr. Conusll's last objection
is annual appropriation of $3.50 for
maintaining the park. He holds that
the park is too Insignificant to be for all
time burden on the city, and while he
favors the purchase of parks he will not
favor the one that he inspected yester-
| day