The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-26
IT IS A GOOD STARTER
To Reopen Columbia Gardens as
a Public Park.
THE MATTER DISCUSSED
II the Street Railway Company VIII
Lease the Gardens the City OF
Butte Will Furnish Police
Protection.

A meeting was held at the city hall
last evening at which a start was made
toward r~eopening the Columbia gardens
as a public park. There were present
the mayor and Aldermen Pascoe. Medin
and Page. representing the city; Mr..
Wharton, representing the street rail-
road company, and Messrs. II. L. Frank
and VIII Lewis. the owners.
The mayor stated the object Of the
conference and read the resolution pass
ed at the last council meeting in regard
to turning the gardens into a public
park under police protection.
''Thi beautiful park" said the mayor,
has been a popular resort for a num-
Der of years and people feel very deeply
the loss of the place this summer. l
would like to hear from Mr.. Wharton
as to his reasons Tor abandoning the lne
to the gardens.
simply because the line did not pay"
said Mr.. Wharton. There was no
money in running out there. If the city
owned the park il could be run so that
the street car company could make
money, but | doubt If any private park
can be run so that both the railroad
and the owners of the park
can make money. For the owners to
ilIdNt ItbAAtN RA' h"N hANF ~
a beer garden. and there is no money
for the street railroad company when
that is done. There should be some
place for the women and children so
that they can see the grass and trees
and the running water without going
to a beer garden. Almost every city in
the country has a public park, and this
city, above all others. ought to have n
because there is hardly a spear of grass
i'm the city. The owners have leased
the gardens from year to year and the
idea of the leasers has been to make all
the money they can and spend as little
as they can. As a consequences the gar
dens have been deteriorating from year
to year. Last year ii was a tough old
hole. The latter part OF the season two
thirds of the women who went there
were prostitutes and they advertised
their calling. The best solution of this
whole thing is for the city to buy the
gardens and run them properly"
The mayor said il was too bad to let
the gardens remain idle. Many people
had spoken TO him in regard To the mat
ter. Lyndale is too far off and railroad
fares are too high to visit Gregson, Ana
conda or Short Line park very often.
There should be a respectable place Tor
the people TO visit. 1t is pretty late to
open the gardens this summer, but
something might be done towards get
ting the gardens in shape for next sea-
son.
II would like mighty well to see the
gardens made a popular resort" said
Mr.. Frank. I'VE rented the place to
various parties with the idea of making
IL a respectable and popular place for
the ladies and children of the town. h
people who leased il from us made all
sorts of promises and then ran 1t to suit
themselves. II was a very beautiful
49,. x-har Acct naannh Enpnf "a 600
to fit IL up in the first place. Every year
1t has deteriorated. IL it were once re-
paired and kept in repair ii could be
run at small expense. l would be very
much pleased TO enter into some agree
ment by which the gardens could be
leased to the city for a term of years.
With the amount | have invested there
/ feel that | am entitled to some return
from il or else donate it to the city. /
can tell you, gentlemen, that the own
ers will meet you half way
What offer can you make?' asked
the mayor.
Il don't know hat | am prepared to
make an offer just now. ! have not
consulted with MIR. Lewis. L don't
suppose the city could buy ii, but If II
desires to lease it we are ready TO ac-
cept any reasonable proposition. 1t
seems 10 me, however. that the best
proposition is for the street railway
company to buy the gardens. If the
city buys the gardens they will be a
constant source of expense to the city
and the street railway company will
be the only party to make money. As
the is to make money IL seems
to me they should buy the gardens and
run them. hey could see that there
was police protection and that they
were properly conducted"
1T would cost US s25 900 to put in the
line said Mr.. Wharton.
Il did not think II would cost that
much"
Yes. il would" repeated Mr.. whar-
ton. 1--WE would have To rebuild the
entire line. The roadbed would have
to be changed. | would never dare run
again as we did last summer. We
must have a double track. A single
track line is not safe on the grade"
The gardens" continued Mr.. Frank,
ARE only valuable as a park. l woul !
never expect to make anything else of
II. There might be some quartz there
but the mineral could be reserved in
the sale or lease
That would ruin the gardens" said
Mr.. Wharton. 1t would kill every
tree"
Il think not said Mr.. Frank. "As
long as the mining was not carried IN
too close to the surface the vegetation
would not be interefered with"
"A mine would drain of all the
water" said Mr.. Wharton. Il have
found that that is always the case"
Alderman Pascoe thought the rail-
road company should lease the gar
lens inc then the city could give them
police protection.
1T is better for the city TO take TIN
gardens than for the company" said
Mr.. Wharton.
But the city can derive no revenue
and the company can" said Mr.. Frank
on the suggestion of Alderman Pas.
coe 1t was decided that Mr.. Wharton
should lay the matter before the own
ers Of the street railway company and
see II they would not lease the garden.
for a term Of years.
"WiIl the city furnish police protec,
tion ?" asked Mr.. Wharton.
w.. liz % ranlLaA The rnanar ..NN.