The herald., 1897-01-29
THE PARK boulevard
Preliminary Steps Taken
by Commissioners
4 GREAT IMPROVEMENT INITIATED
Elysian and Griffith Parks to Be
Joined by a Driveway
THE PLANS TO BE PREPARED
Mr. Wiltshire Before the Board on His
" Boulevard Lawn Proposition
The Proposition Did Not Meet With Favor Of
the Commissioners
Weekly Meeting of the Sewer Commit
tee-Full Street Force to Be Put to
Work On Monday--An Impor.
THE PLANS TO BE PREPARED
Mr.. Wiltshire Before the Board on His
" Boulevard Lawn Proposition
The Proposition Did Not Meet With Favor Of
the Commissioners
Weekly Meeting of the Sewer Commit
tee-Full Street Force to Be Put to
Work en- Monday--An Impor.
tant Move

The park commissioners met In the
mayors Office yesterday morning, with
all of the members present A short ex-
ecutive session was held in his honor $
private Office, after which the members
came outside in the regular meeting
room and gathered about the long green
baize table for the regular proceedings.
Superintendent Carey reported to the
board that 4S0 yards of muslin would be
required for covering the greenhouses
in the East Side park; also that 800 feet
of water pipe was needed for conveying
water to the recently constructed cot
tage. The superintendent also called at
tention of the commission to te danger
of closing up East Side park in the way
that it is now closed up-by chains. The
chain is invisible at night and drivers,
not seing the obstruction, are apt to and
frequently do injure their horses and
break the chains, He recommended that
white gates be built at the five entrances.
The matter went over until the next
meeting to enable exact estimates of the
cost to be prepared.
Charles Ellis offered a deed of prop
erty for a public street from Twenty
third street into st. James park, which
deed was accepted and a vote of thanks
extended to the donor. The street is to
be graded, graveled, curbed and side
walked.
Mr.. Wiltshire. one of the owners of the
Wiltshire tract, appeared before the board
and asked the commissioners to approve
the ordinance providing for the park de-
partment assuming the care of the
lawns along the sidewalks of the newly
opened Wiltshire boulevard for snort
distance west cf West.ake park. Mr..
Wiltshire frankly admitted that the prin-
cipal objection of Mayor RAIDER to the
ordinance was this provision. but he
thought that he should be relieved from
the care of this Improvement for the rea :
son that the boulevard was a free Gift
to the city. He pointed out the beau
ties of these lawns, and said that he
thought that the city should assume the
care of them, as individual property
owners were apt to become careless
about the lawns in front Of their prem
ises and thus the beauty of the bouie-
ward would be destroyed. 1t was COM
paratively small matter and the expense
entailed would be trivial.
Mr.. Wilshires remarks did not appar-
emily meet with favor by the board and
all of the members went on record
against the proposition. While admit
ting that the work would undoubtedly
be attended to more systematically un-
der the direction of the park superin-
tendent, they were unanimous in the
opinion that 1t would be dangerous
precedent for the commissioners to es-
tablish in assuming the care of public
strips in front of private property, and
was liable to cause serious trouble. 1t
was more than likely that all of the
abutting lots would be built upon in the
nf nd beU m oh n \
the mater of caring for the lawns could
be safely left with the property own
ers, whose pride in their section would
make them give the matter the atten-
tion 1t deserved.
After some further talk, on motion Of
Commissioner Stewart the whole mat
ter was dropped without action and re =
ferred to the council without recommen-
dation.
On motion of Commissioner Workman n.
the following resolution was adopted,
and the board adjourned:
Whereas, From the number of appli-
carts for work in the city parks there ap-
pears to be many worthy, deserving res
ldents and citizens out of employment
at this time; and. whereas. one of the
first things to be considered by this
board to open up the new Griffith park
recently donated to the city by G. j. Grif-
nth Is the construction of driveway or
boulevard between Elysian park and said
Griffith park on the most feasible route;
therefore be 1t
Resolved, That the park commission
request the honorable council to instruct
the city engineer, in conjunction with
the board, to select and lay out one of
the three or more routes offered by the
property owners Gree right of way to be
donated) to the city; also request said
honorable council to devise some means
whereby employment may be given to
worthy citizens. heads of families pre-
ferred. upon the construction of said
work under competent authority Said
means may be partly raised by donations
from wealthy, public-spirted citizens
and by such appropriation of the public
funds as the honorable council NAV de-
termine.
The superintendent was authorized ia
purchase seventy-five pounds of grass
seeds and $40 worth of spraying material
The Elite orchestra of eighteen pieces
addressed communication to the com
missioners offering to give concerts dur
ing the next three months at the parks of
the city each afternoon, with Central
park as the principal one Itwas agreed
by the commission that such a plan
would be highly attractive one for the
parks. and was referred to council for
action.
HAS CAIIEEn LTCLp