Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-07-10
DRIVES AND PARKS,
A Good Scheme That Was MOI
Quick Enough.
HOW WE NAY attain IT YET


HOW We NAY ATTAIN IT YET.
Pleasure Phases In Reoria Whsre They
Know What rhsy Ars-An Oppess1nity
the Twh-Citsss Props6e - AVIAN 1Aem-
selves a Before Long.
MONG the improvements which
N it was hoped the council
IL would provide for before July
q !. to be completed under the
system Of special assessment which
the recent Legislature made no longer
practicable in cities the size of Rock
Island, was one for the paving of
First avenue west from Sixteenth to
Tenth street and then from First to
Second avenue with the new ma
cadam adopted ON some of the other
streets. An enterprising First ave.
nue. citizen who originated this
scheme had in mind q new river
front joining that planned by the
city east Of Sixteenth street. 1t was
a most commendsble proposition, but
the protector need not be diseour-
aged. With the adoption of the
park and boulevard system contem-
plated in Rock Island and Moline the
new lower First avenue may readily
become part of the great endless
thoroughfHre which is to link and
join all the pretty drives in the twin
cities and Immediately surrounding
townships. The people of Rock
Island and Moline perhaps do not re-
alize the benefits and advantages to
come under the plan it is proposed to
adopt when the proper time comes.
w. 4. Whiting, citizen of Peoria.
who has been identified with the
park and boulevard system there,
writes to The ARGUS of the benefits
as follows:
Peoria, June 15.--Editor of TEE
ARGUs-Every man, woman aud child
in this city and park district is proud
OF our parks. We know that Peoria
has put on a new suit of clothes since
We organized our park district. The
park system has been of great i'd
vantsge to our citizens in many ways
since its organization in 1894. Real
estate values have increased, and
many beautiful residences have been
built in the vicinity of the parks.
The steady value of real estate is
owing to the improvements made ia
our park district.
We think our citizens enjoy
great advantage from the many ex.
cursions coming TO our city since
We have completed and opened ore
of our parks to the public. Nearly
every week during the summer and
fall we have two or three excursions
to our city from the ueighboriny
towns. On June 5we had fold
day for our school children. and
there were 2,976 children, under The
age OF IA years, in line upon the
playground in Glen Oak park. There
were also excursions from the sur
rounding towns on that day, and
10000 people were in the park look
ing at the picture presented by the
school children. Our merchants
claim that it was their best day for
trade in many months. 1t was es-
timated that on that day over 1000
people from out of town were shop.
ping at one time in our stores. Elk
cursionists every week are n King US
to set apart day for tn. II in our
parks.
Mast Have Parks.
We have come to the conclusion
that city must be q very sleepy
place that has no park system. The
people enjoy the park. and never
seem to tire in waking around and
looking at the flowers. Hundreds of
men, women and children are found
in the PARK every pleasant day
from early morn until late
at night. 1 have been in
the parks on cold days late in the
fall and was surprised to see the
crowds of people there. Since the
establishment OF our parks a new
electric street car line has been built,
passing the entrance of the park and
extending beyond, where a new dis
trict is being built up with factor
les and residences. The building Of
our park system has been q paying
investment. We have the experi-
ence OF other cities who have a park
system to prove that investments in
parks have been very profitable. 1
trust you will soon have your park
system organized, and SIS soon rs
you have park ready to open to the
public let US know, and l think l, 900
OF our people will come over and see
you dedicate it.
have been attorney for our park
system since its organization, and
am satisfied that the law in relation
to pleasure driveways and park dis
tricts, under which we are organized
and under which you contemplate
organizing. is the best law in rela-
ton to parks on our statute books.
Taxation under that law cannot ex-
coed 6 mills on the dollar, and there
fore the burden of taxes is very
light,
Trusting that the people Of the
twfn-cities will see that 1t is to their
00 VANTAGE IN q y,ucuu;sru NAV 20 o.