Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-07-17
PARKS AND PROFIT.

Pscuniary Benefit Attached to
Improvements.
1HULn OF DUUH KLTHRl1laED.
P1spssU lasss.sss u -vas.s 49, -
Dsalssae1sssA Pssas1ss esssaaD-oons
Rsaeaas.s Ass1as.ss So - -
- ARKS and boulsvards
- have proven Q profitable
3&Aw iAveotDeat .Whoro .
N0141A practical system end
scheme kas been
saoptad. The Peeuniary pro9t 70
surrounding property has slwsys
been clearly demonstrated. There
are ct Asnd some citations from the
report of the park missionsrs OF
Essex eouAty, y. j., which are po-
euliarly pertinent 10 he disoussfoa
which 10 going ON in Rock Islaad end
Moline st The present time. New
York City. for instance, with IL
magnificent Central park. 10 . good
|examPle. II the profit and practies-
bility Of park projects 10 properly
carried ont. In 1855 the asssssed
valuation Of the three wards I'D Join
ing the park Was go. Az. 666. In
1873 IL had increased 20 e336, 0el. SIS,
. gain in II years Of t2l5, 661. so.
Tho natural average increase Of
three other wards in the city, when
al the wards had besn averaged.
was t63. 000. 900, making the saraing
capacity Of the park for that period
elaS. o81. 6l5. In Brooklyn. In 1864.
when Prospect park. with ita 6l6
acres Of land, was acquired. the g.
sossed valuation Of the three neigh-
boring wards was e1s, s49. S95. and as
the end Of three years the valuation
bad risen 50 per cent. or over
q. 000.0 900. which. BY the way. wss
twioe the cost of the land which had
been parked.
The eleventh annual report of the
park commission Of Boston contains
. comprehensive and exhaustive OK.
hibit-of the increase Of valuation re.
sulting from the ..Back Bay" i'm.
provement. Il shows an increase Of
value from 1877 to 1885 Of I'll, $685..
449, and an Increase OF revenue Of
e162.77S. The value of new build
ings erected upon this territory in
the same period was %. 800. 900 from
which in 1885 the city derived an in
come Of els7. $50. making . total in
Creased revenue Of tsxes lead oerres-
ponding value of land) Of $3.50. 7Sl.
In Brookline, Mass. . town of $4,000
inhabitants. the peouniary advan.
tagss Of parks % hes BEEN spoken Of
By tie secretary of the park bosrd
in that town: Beacon street wal
widsned into parkway ct . cost Of
e616. 900. In six years the increase
in assessed values Of land on each
side Of the street. throughout its en-.
tire length, and for an approxima,l
distance Of only 500 bet from thu
side line. 10 q, $50. 400, With no al.
lowance for any Increase In personal
estate incidents thereto. The Bee.
con parkway 10. therefore, paying
for itself long before It's most sssloui
/ 80 'OSesOo soOokAS ~ WOuAos 8uV ~
striking proof that we'll cousid eret
plane for largo public improvement
OF this kind are profitable ventures.'
a Pscnsabss lsvsstnsss.
These facts are becoming more evi
dent every year. and his In late mes
sage to the Legislature. Gov. wsrts
OF New Jersey, thus ably cpitomixs,
them: The setting aside of trsct
Of land for public parks - placer
for public recreation, rest and enjoy
ment. has come to be regarded %
necessity rather than . mere con
venience. They oonduce to the pub
lie health. promote the gsnsra
happiness and encourage eitisenship
A. public investments they are 70
munerative and profitable. Expert
ence has proved that the inereaset
valuation in the Vicinity Of Q vel
regulated park will sooa more thar
pay cost Of the original Investment
This subject has already receivs'
considerable attention in this stats
The last legislature passed severe
scts recognising the value Of publi
parks and providing for their origin
al creation OF extension whore Il
ready existing"
DooS step hin.