The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-13
PARADE GROUNDS STATUS.
park AND TREE COMMISSION WILL
NOW HAVE CONTROL.


Weeks Ago, of Which the Commits
sIOners Were I'm Ignorance.
The Morning News criticism Of the
park and tree commission for the condi-
ton of the park extension and the walks
around Forsyth park and the extension
had a prompt and desirable result.
There is no longer any doubt as TO who
has control Of the park extension, or mil
itary parade ground, for purposes Of pub
lie improvement This authority rests
with the park and tree commission, al
though the members Of that commission
should be given credit for being in .gnor-
ance of this fact through no fault of their
own. Otherwise, they say, the extension
would have received their attention long
ago. This ignorance was due to a mis-
understanding between Chairman Stone
of the commission, City Attorney Adams
and Mayor Myers The sharp rap given
the commission by the Morning News has
cleared up matters and resulted in giving
the members of the commission a clearer
idea of their powers than they heretofore
have had.
When Chairman Stone read the criti-
cism he promptly notified the Morning
News that the park and tree commission
was not at fault in the matter.
THE park extension is not in the care
of the commission" he said; the city
attorney having decided that the commits
sion had no jurisdiction over 1t. Unless
some understanding is reached between
the military and the city, the extension
It'll al sa1, ff,gt IF
better
Mr.. Adams was seen at the city exchange
and was informed Of this statement of
Dr Stone. He seemed surprised. DIR.
Stone is certainly mistaken" he said,
about my giving suck an opinion. l did
give an opinion some time ago which
might have misled him in this respect, but
explained it in a subsequent letter to the
mayor in which I expressed my opinion
more fully. My remembrance is that the
park and tree commission wished to plant
some trees in the extension. l was re-
quested by the mayor to give an opinion
and replied that the commission had no
jurisdiction in the matter. My intention
was that they had no authority to plant
trees, or otherwise change the appearances
of the parade ground without the consent
of the military. Some time afterwards In
looking over my letter press l came across
this opinion and, after reading it over,
concluded that IL was entirely too broad
and liable to mislead. l accordingly wrote
Mayor Myers, shortly before going off on
my vacation, calling his attention to the
matter and expressing my opinion more
fully"
The letter referred to was of date of
July "a, and Mr.. Adams expresses himself
as follows:
Il have recently looked over a letter
press copy of my letter to you about the
Il. no, frnI Of mi
itary. The letter was, l think invoked by
the purpose of the park and tree commits
sion to plant trees there. My idea was
that the commission could not interfere
with the place as a parade ground or the
rights of the military therein. But my
letter is too broad. The city has, OF
course, perfect right to keep II in proper
condition, clean it up, and look after it
generally. 1t is set apart as a parade
ground and this use cannot be interfered
with The military can not sell II or en-
close 1t without the permission of the
city or use it except as parade. The
city has full jurisdiction for all police pur-
poses. which is a broad term, embracing
sanitation, health, good order, etc"
THE expression police purposes, In
legal phraseology, includes a great DEAL"
said Mr.. Adams. 1T includes public care
of the condition and appearance, as we'll
as the preservation of order"
In your opinion, Inent ne was aSkeu,
''has the park and tree commission juris-
5iction over the parade ground the same
as over other parks and squares in the
CITY,"
THAT is my opinion" he replied.
Mayor Myers, when spoken to about the
matter, was surprised at Dr. Stones po-
eition, and was positive that he had in
formed DIR. Stone of Mr.. Adams opinion
as to the status of the extension.
Dr. Stone was equally positive when seen
in the afternoon, that he had never been
notified of this opinion. He was equally
positive that Mr.. Adams had rendered a
clear and decided opinion that the park
and tree commission had no jurisdiction
whatever in the Park extension, and that
this was the only opinion Of this matter
which the commission had received from
the city attorney. Mr.. w. w. Gordon, Jr.,
the secretary of the commission, was Of
the same mind as DIR. Stone. Mr.. Gordon
looked over his records and produced a
COPY of a letter from Mr.. Adams to Mayor
Myers on the subject. The letter was in
answer to one from Mr.. Gordon to the
mayor, requesting the opinion of the city
attorney as tc the authority or jurlsdic-
ton of the park and tree commission over
the Park extension. Mr.. Adams reply,
made through Mayor Myers, is as fol-
lows:
IT beg to say that, in my opinion, this
commission cannot exercise any of its
powers and functions over the parade
ground without the consent Of the mill
tary of Savannah, who, think own the
property"
THAT opinion" said DR.. Stone, was suf-
ficiently positive for us, and we relin-
pushed all idea of doing anything for the
Park extension. We went ahead and laid
our plans for the expenditure of our APP
Precipitation in other directions, and we
have no more than sufficient now to carry
on our regular work for the balance or
the year. The park and tree commits
sion is entirely willing to undertake the
care of the Park extension, but we have
no money to put in Improvements there
now"
at is my opinion" continued DR.. Stone.
shat whatever plan of improvement is
adopted for Forsyth park should also in
clude the extension. The park walk should
extend around the entire place. The ma
terial Of which the walks have been made
heretofore is entirely worthless. II is a
sort Of composition of gas house lime.
ebert and gravel screenings. 1t does not
unite in a solid mass, the ebert forms into
Jumps and the walks wash with every
rain. As / have stated before It is the in
tention of the commission to give its spec