Cañon City record., 1897-07-08
a WORD ABOUT THE PARK.

En- Permit me to say a
few words relative to the park ques-
ton n,x before the citizens of the
proposed district for consideration.
Al the outset IL mag be observed that
it is entirely III accord with the aiufi
mite variety" of human nature To find
advocates for and against any question
OF public improvement, however much
of merit or demerit IT may possess. II
makes not the least difference whether
there exists an urgent public necessity
for such proposed improvement or
whether IL would be public calamity,
the proposition would have its yotaries
and its foes. The same contrariety of
opinion exists in the present PROPOSE
tion to establish and maintain a park,
thus providing the city with some
place of public comfort.
Mr.. Editor. we believe it is generally
conceded, even by the opponents of the
present undertaking. that no more i'm
perative need could be supplied than
the establishment of suitable park in
our city. We should have provided one
TIVE dozen years or more ago. when we
first commenced inviting tine pleasure
and bealtn-seeker to onr hospitable
cline. We still keep sending out our
invitations. but persistently refuse to
provide any comfortable place for our
guests when they arrive IL is aimos,
universally true that visitors to our
city, and especially the invalid class.
express both surprise and disappoint-
ment over the fact that there is not
grove or park In the city where they
can rest and inhale the sought for
blessing of our pure mountain air.
That Is the chief object OF their com
ing. hence 1t is quite natural that they
should feel disappointed. There is not
"a pleasure or health resort in the world
which cannot attribute more than half
its reputation and prestige to its parks
and similar places of public comfort.
Pick up any advertising pamphlet
describing the attractions of these
places and almost the first thing that
greets the eye is line half-tone engrav-
ing of park or grove provided with
seats aud other conveniences II is the
same with railway time schedules
which are distributed for the benefit of
tourist travel.
hut whenever such an improvement
is undertaken for our city some of us
get out our pencils and scratch paper
and figure out that it will cost too
much. True. it will cost something to
purchase, improve aud maintain
respectable sized park, but why can't
we permit our mathematics to be elias.
tic enough to figure In the correspond.
ing benefits and increase in valuation
which would accrue by reason OF the
increase of tourist travel and the addi-
tion of permanent residentsg Under
the statute the purchase of the ground
and Improvement of the proposed park
would be paid for in bonds Of the city
payable in fifteen years and redeemable
In ten years. and what learned rheban
among us can successfully maintain
that the benefits accruing and the in.
crease In populution during that period
will not more than compensate the
slight addition to our tax levy.
As to the location of the proposed
site we believe It is the best and most
desirable place that could be selected
at the present day. Had the PROPOSE.
tion been submitted years ago we could
easily have done better, but we have
slept on oar opportunities too long to
waste so much energy quarreling about
= more desirable location The chief
point in favor Of the present site is its
close proximity to the mineral springs.
This is about the tirst place sought by
visitors. In fact, they constitute TO-
day the chief point OF attraction Of our
city, and the establishment of the pro.
posed park would certainly add
charm" to these already renowned
springs.
We believe our citizens viii make
| grisvous mistake IL they fail TO carry
| sAe election In favor of the park. A
few more opportunities fritter,d away
Or killed by active opposition and we
Al