The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-01
MISSION PARK QUESTION.
The Improvement Union Favors the
Cemeteries Site.

The Improvement Union Favors the
Cemeteries Site.
A meeting of the executive committee of the
Mission improvement Union was held yester-
day afternoon at the Office of judge F. w. Van
Reynegom, 26 Montgomery street, at which
was discussed the question OF a park for the
Mission.
A. P. Van Duzer stated he was heartily in
favor of the proposition to have the City pur-
chase 1000 acres OF land for park and zoo
logical gardens anywhere out in the south
western section. But as this project would
not give the Mission people proper recrea-
tion ground for their wives and children
without the necessity OF paying carfare he
favored the purchasing of the cemeteries, as
described in The CALL OF last Sunday.
This site, he said, was already laid out, and
all that necessary was to sow seed and
plant such shrubbery and roseoushes as would
beautiiy the pace.
The project of the larger park was so remote
that 1t would take from twenty-five to thirty
years to get it into anything like park shape.
Besides, 81 900, 600 would have TO be ex-
pended upon ii, which he considered the pc O.
pie OF this City could not afford at the present
time.
George Vale conceded with the views OF
Van DuZer, but thought the Mission was en-
titled to park OF less gigantic proportl
than the one spoken about, which would,
when established be more in the line OF q
State or coast undertaking. as the geological
collection itself would become National.
selection of plants the proposed two-block
park which lies in front of the High School
could be used as a botanical school Tor the
students attending that institution. There
are fifteen acres of land there, upon which
quite number of plants could be planted.
Judge Van Reynegom favored this view and
added that no place about San Francisco was
so we'll adapted by climatic influence for the
growth OF exotic plants as the locality men
toned. He favored the greater park, but
agreed with Van Duzer as to the time and ex-
pense it would take TO bring the project to
maturity
Young expressed themselves as being in har-
mony with the previous speakers.
On motion the committee was instructed to
call a general meeting of the Miss ion Improve
ment Union for Saturday evening, May 8, at
Mission Improvement Hall, Twentieth ard
Guerrero streets, at which Professor George
Hansen, q landscape architect from Berkeley
University. and DR.. Miller OF the Mission
would be present to denver addresses upon the
park question.
The Mission people are unanimous in their
opinion that they are entitled to public
park-just one sufficiently large where their
wives and children can enter and inhale the
fresh air without the necessity OF going tour
miles to Golden Gate Park.
They also claim that they have been
neglected sadly by the early City authorities
when surveying and laying out the Mission.
that no provision had been made for public
squares. The Western Addition, which was
settled and built on long after the Mission
had been improved, has numerous parks, with
the additional one OF the Golden Gate at con-
yenient distance. The entire Eleventh Ward
has only two or three unimproved lots at a
remote distance from the settled center.
Another convincing argument 10 be made
by those who will urge the park question is
the amount OF taxable property lying adjacent
TO where the people want park. To this must
be added the tact of the large voting popula-
ton of the Mission.