The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-12-07

sions has it's park. 1t is a never ending
of pleasure to the citizens and
one Of the first places of Importance
pointed out to strangers. It is unneces-
sary here to enlarge on it's many advan.
tages. The most of u western towns
were started by "townsite boomers who
cared more for laying out lots for sale
than providing for the future comfort of
the people. The consequence has been
that when our cities become large enough
to desire a park, they have been con-
fropted with two difficulties: First, to
get the money to buy u with, second,
to get a favorable location. Madison has
been go fortunate rs to have neither of
these difficulties to contend with. It
has a 20-acre park (much larger than Il
city of this size would think Of buying)
furnished free. Again, it is as convent
emily located as it could have been, had
the citizens selected it themselves.
While the title to this park ,s in the
state, it practically belongs to the city.
What a magnificent gifts! A gift that
should be greatly appreciated by the
people.
This park has been laid out for many
years. What has been done? What is
it's condition to-day? If the buildings
were all burned down and it's walks torn
up, no one would mistrust that it was
any more than raw prairie. Nothing
would inform a stranger that it did not
belong to the Indians, except as a COW
is occasionally picketed out on the
grounds that would suggest that the
abode of some white man was not far
distant. There is no evidence, whatever,
that a shovel, a hoe, a pick, a scythe or a
pruning knife have been on the premises
for years. Cut off the land on which
the buildings actually stand, and the
sidewalks leading to the buildings, and
the community would be the gamer SO
far as appearances 60, if some man
would squat on and improve the balance
and give it the appearance of c~iviliza.
ton.
That trees will grow and thrive there,
is beyond question. The many thrifty
groves in this county, Y where nc
more than half cared for, is proof posi-.
tive that with proper selection Of varie.
ties, proper planting, and then proper
care afterwards, q tiourishing grove car
be had all over those grounds IN a few
years. Some of the groves set out there
years ago, with no more care than a hill
of corn would have received if planted
on Egan avenue, entirely without cult.
walton, without mulching or pruning
and yet in defiance of this total neglect
have become quite siZeable trees. II
the limbs that have been allowed te
sprout out and grow from the ground
up had been cut off and the substance
allowed to 60 to the top, the tops WOULD
be twice as large as now. These trees
will not grow in this country. They are
living witnesses of the falsity of the as
s%ertion. They show what could be &C.
complished by proper effort. The city
waterworks have been extended into
the grounds, but unfortunately they vii
not work automatically.
The above is the present condition Of
affairs. Probably no one can be cen
sured. The state has been unable tt
furnish aid. Those employed about the
Normal are extremely busy with othe1
duties. The citizens have failed to ac'
through want of organization and co
operation. It has simply gone by de
fault. Shall this lethargy continue,
Our citizens are enterprising all know
Any public improvement that appeals t.
their judgment meets with hearty re
spouse. They are intensely interested
in the welfare of the Normal. The,
have stood back simply for the want o
organized directed effort. Nothing else
The hearty manner in which they en-
courage the present organization to i'm
prove the grounds proves this. Alread,
many have voluntarily offered to con
tribute trees, work and mouey. It tn
proper effort had been put forth durinI
the past ten years that twenty acre
would now be a beautiful shaded grow
instead of the barren waste it is.
If those grounds are improved, it
evident the citizens of Madison mus
improve them. This school, grand as i
is, is yet in it's infancy. The future will
develop it beyond the dreams of most O
US. When this state is densely popu
lated, as it surely will be, when it be
comes wealthy, as 1t surely will, whel
the 10000 acres of land given the Norma
by the general government is utilized
this institution will become a superbl
grand one. 1t will be the pride OF thi
city as we'll as the state. We certainl
can do nothing less than make it q beau
tiful spot for the thousands who are i
future to attend there. In order that q