St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-07
If THE OWNERS WILL DONATE
THE MARSH WHICH AD-
JOINS 1T.
PHALEN ssPARK EXTENSION
coNsIDEREp BY THE PARK BOARD
LAST NIGHh WITH THAT DE-
oIsIoN.
PARK Place Is SURRENDERED.
Board Did Nbtcln.iaer 1t a Public
Park in the True Sense-Water
WorIcs Kick.

At the meeting of the board of park COM
missioners last night President Wheeock, re-
porting for the committee appointed at the
previous meeting to look into the advisability
of having the board OF. county commissioners
secure the land on the north side of Lake
Phalen and turn 1t over to the city to be used
for park purposes said that County Attorney
Butler had expressed the opinion that such
an arrangement might be made without violat-
Ing the law Mr.. Wheelock then presented a
resolution recommending that the county COM
mlssloners purchase the dry ground between
Lake Phalen and Round lake, provided the
| owners agree to donate the swamp land on
the lake shore to be used for the building of
driveway thereon, the price to be paid for
that purchased not to exceed a figure that
| snail be 800 per acre less than the rate to be
paid by the city for lot 8, section 21, of town
snip ~ and range %, now in process of con-
demnation. The resolution was adopted
letter from Harvey Officer to William Daw-
son, protesting against the neglect of the
park dedicated to the city in Park Place addi-
tion, having been referred 90 the board, was
read The communication went on to say that
no improvements had ever been made on the
park by the city, and that the fence that was
around 1t had been removed; that the writer
had been informed this fence was used around
! the private property of member of the city
| council The lamps, about the park were
practically useless, no police protection had
ever been given the park, and teams had been
driven over it, so that all the sod had been de-
stroyed
Mr.. Wheelock did not consider this public
park, for the reason that it was of no public
oenent. Its establishment would simply be
private benefit to those having adjacent
property; therefore, they should bear the ex-
pense of improving it, and he offered reso-
luton to the effect that 1t was not desirable
to burden the park board with the cost of
maintaining this park at the present time,
except to replace such trees as may have
! been killed. The resolution was adopted
Supt. Nussbaumer explained that the fence
had not been used for the benefit of a mem
Der OF the city council, but had been placed
| on another park.
In connection with this subject, the ques-
| t1on arose as to whether the park board was
| not bound to improve parks dedicated to
| public use in plats accepted by the city coun-
| Gil. 1t was the opinion of the board that the
| acceptance Of all such dedications should be
passed upon by the board before the plat is
accepted by the city council, and resolution
| requesting the council to refer all such plats
| to the board in the future was adopted
| Mr.. Wheelock called to the attention of the
board letter from. Secretary Caulfeld, of
! the water board, in which he claimed the
| park board owed 81, 100 back water rent and
threatened to shut off the water supply from
the parks unless the same was paid. Mr.
Wheelock said he had answered this very
1 -faAx
the park board, and suggesting that the ac-
tion threatened by the water board would
prove disastrous to the parks.
Following this Mr.. Caulfield had written an
| other letter in which he said that he would
| not sell the park board the water pipe it
wanted to buy unless it would pay its bills,
4 intimating that 1t would probably refuse to
pay for the pipe also. Mr.. Wheelock showed
| the members of the board copy of a letter
! he had sent Mr.. Caulield in answer to this
but he did not want 1t published. 1t was evi-
dent from the way the members smiled as each
4 in turn read it that it carried dart to Mr..
| Carlfeld's heart.
| The board then adopted a resolution to the
effect that water bills of this character are to
be paid for out of the general fund, accord
ing to the provisions of the city charter
| Another resolution to the effect that the water
rates for this Kind Of service are too high
| anyway, and that If they were reduced to a
reasonable figure: the board would recommend
that the city COUNCIL pay the debt. was also
adopted.
A protest on the part Of the Northern Paci-
| f1c against the widening Of Como avenue
across its right Of way was not acted upon.
Supt. Nussbaumer was authorized to pur-
chase 1000 elmf'treesl; to be planted in the
parks, and he was also authorized to proceed
with the work of embellishing the grounds Of
the city hall and court house in accordance
with the action of the joint city hall and
court house commission by which 500 was ap-
propriated for the work.
| The secretary was Instructed to answer a
communication from Mrs. Mary Haggerty rel
ative to the purchase for park purposes of the
/ little triangle at the corner of Banfl and
| West Seventh streets. Mrs. Haggerty is to
be informed that the board is not prepared
to purchase any property.
A resolution requesting the council to pass
the ordinance providing regulations for the
control Of parks was adopted.
Supt. Nussbaumer presented plan of the
proposed bicycle path on Summit avenue be-
yond Lexington avenue to the bluff. 1t called
for no action on the part Of the board as yet,
as the bicycle people have not yet completed
their plans The drawing was just for the
ediflcation Of the board.
The March pay roll, amounting to 81, 200 and
bills to the amount of 1,060 were allowed.
All the members of the board were present
| at the meeting.