The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-16
EVENTS OF DAY In
WEST SCRANTON
INTERESTING MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF TRADE.
Lackawanna Iron and Coal Company
Is willing to Sell Large Plot
on the West Mountain for Park
Purposes at a Reasonable Price.
Some Social Events That Are to
Take Place Tonight-Mrs. Rebecca
Colby Had Two Ribs Broken.

Though last evenings my,t'.% Of
the West Side board of ira vas
postponed onI the attendai was
quite large. IL. d. Jones pr. i,.d i in
the absence of President Holmes and
Vice President Struppler. The Park
question was the main topic of dia-
cusslon and Secretary Oliver, who Is
common councilman from the Fifteenth
ward. made short but interesting
explanation OF how this important mat
ter was being treated in the proposed
bond ordinance.
Other matters which received some
consideration We're a branch public Ii
brary on this side, the viaduct and
the opening Of Division street, from
Seventeenth to Twenty street.
No particular business was trans
acted after the board was called to
order until the report of the commit
tee on parks was reached. William
Farrell then asked for some informa-
tion in reference to this question as
covered by the bond ordinance. Sec
retarv Oliver stated that the clause
giving ''$25,00O toward the purchase OF
a tract Of land for park purposes from
;
pany in the Twenty-first ward was
in9terted upon the recommendation of
Park Commissioner Andrew Bedford
Commissioner Bedford had approach
ed the officials here of the Delaware
Lackawanna and Western company for
the purpose of securing land for park
purpose, but had met with positive
refusal along this line. He then tried
h.A I.lC nd
pany and had better success. The
company's agent. c. G. Mates. point
! ed out a tract of land which the COM
pany would sell, but only for the stip-
ulated purpose of using 1t for park.
This tract lies north Of Kevscr ave-
! nue. and is hound on the west by Jack
! son street north by Newton turnpike.
| east by the Richards farm. 1t is
| eighty-seven and one half acres in
| extent. One half, facing on jackson
! street. is being plotted for building
/ lots. This portion they will sell for
/ $500 or the whole piece for $4,000.
! If selling to a land developing COM
! pany for building purposes they would
ask $4,000. Figuring five lots to the
acre at the general price of 5000 Il lot,
/ this would be a moderate price. SO it
seems that the price asked of the city
! is not eXorbitant. The tract has about
five acres of a grove a large pond and
very substantial farm house, with
out buildings. A good stone wall sur
rounds part of il. 1t is good land
| and could in a short time be turned
! into a most beautiful park at little cost
| 1T VIII be remembered that shis
very site was recommended by the
| West Side board and it is through
the efforts of its park committee that
Commissioner Bedford made his inspec-
| tion. IT. Fellows Mason moved an en-
! dorsement of the committees work
| and a tender of the boards support
| in the matter. The motion carried.
| d. ID. Evans suggested that some
steps be taken by the board toward
securing a branch of the Albright Pub
| lie library located on this side. Sec
retary oliver stated that such a move
| ment was on foot already. Judge
II. NJ. Edwards, Benjamin Hughes and
| James A. Evans, trustees of the Welsh
Philosophical society, have been con-
| ferring with Librarian Carr toward
having the society's rooms made into
a branch library. AS will be seen by
! reference to an item in another column
the branch library is an assured fact
| Concerning the opening of Division
street. from Seventeenth street to
| Twenty-second street, City Engineer
Phillips stated that Common Council
man Walker. of the Fifth ward. had
| introduced an ordinance at the last
session of common council directing the
city engineer to give lines and the
street commissioner to remove all OBJ
structions. The hitch lies in the fact
that this proposed opening runs direct
ly through the Washhurn street cem-
etery's western boundary.
The discussion concerning the via
duct matter was general and as the
board has already put themselves or
record no positive action grew out OF
the discussion.