The morning call., 1895-02-12
DEVOTED TO THE PARK
His Influence There Was Grat and
Lasting

Lasting.
Mr.. Slows one public interes from a
purely unselfish standpoint was in Golden
Gate Park. The pride and the ambition of
the man of the world that transcribed his
home and the political and business labors
of practical life found there a wothy place
for concentration. No citizen ofSan Fran
cisco was more proud of the greet pleasure
ground; none had greater dreams of its
future and none were more kesnly inter
ested in its development. 1t nIrtured his
better nature. AS one of his trends said
yesterday, He beautiied the park and
the park beautified him." 1t vas as Park
Commissioner that he largely won his
claim on the public for hoaorable and
kindly remembrance.
Much of the present beauty of Golden
Gate Park is due to his connection with it
since September Is, 1899, when he received
his first appointment. Much of the liberal
support it has received, the progressive
policy that has marked its management
and the large plans for its future that have
been outlined are also to be credited to
him.
While he has. been concerned with all
Park measures, there hlye been some
things in which he has been especially in
terested and which MY be mainly
the result of his ideas andh efforts. The
improvement of Strawberry Hill, with its
Huntington waterfall, Stow Lake and the
roads, bridges, boats and other things that
have wonderfully beautifed what was re-
Gently waste, are especially monuments
to Mr.. Stow. 1t wa: because Com
missioner Stow had been dreaming of what
the naked hill and its sndy surroundings
might be that C. P. Huntington gave
$780, 900 for the falls three years ago. While
the magnate was here on one of his trips
Mr.. Stow managed to take Mr.. and Mrs.
Huntington out to tie park for drive,
and when out there the Commissioner de-
scribed enthusiastically the beauty that
might be, and in the middle of his picture
was the cataract which'the board could not
hope to build with their own resources.
The result was that c. fP. Huntington gave
the $25, 600 that StoFIwanted, and in time
the cataract began to pour It's waters over
rocks and past tangled vines.
Stow Lake was one of his park dreams
that the deceased saw realized. He wanted
a large and picturesque lake to surround
the hill, and the raising of a bed for it fifty
feet in air and its subsequent adornment
were the result of Slows engineering.
business and artistic ideas. The speed
track and other things that make driving
in the park so keen pleasure to so many
were matters that Mr.. Stow paid especial
attention to- The new music-stand NAV
be mentioned as another thing to which he
gave very large share of his interest and
attention
But the forestry of the park inspired Mr..
Slows brightest dreams. His interest in
that was tireless, and he ransacked the
world for practical information with which
to regulate his dreams. The plan of max
ing the southern and western portions of
park forest was his own. 1t was mainly
due to his efforts that the project of bring
ing trainloads of soil to the sand dunes
was fairly started recently, and each live
oak which is dug up by the roots in San
Mateo County and transplanted in the
park will be monument to him. The
idea that many young live oaks should be
brought to the park to- grow old. in their
picturesque beauty and add a touch of
characteristic California landscape to the
scene was one of his latest and brightest
dreams
For years the deceased had been to the
park almost daily. He was lover of fine
horses and his enjoyment of the drives was
heightened by the pride he took in every
acre of the park.
Golden Gate Park was his chief pride
and pleasure, said Frank McCoppin yes
terday. He loved it better every day, and
while he beautified the park it beautified
him. He did much for the park. He edu-
Gated the public to what they needed and
wanted without their knowing it. The
last few years of his life were practically
dedicated to it, and I consider him one of
the greatest Park Commissioners the city