The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-09
WEST SIDE BOARD
OF TRADE MEETING
MATTER OF PARKS CONSIDERED
AT LENGTH.
There Was a General Sentiment in
Favor Of the Purchase of the Round
Woods for Public Park and q
General Agreement That the Price
Asked for 1t Is Too High-Resolu-
tions on Councils Action with Ref
erence to the Telephone Franchise.

ht NtSl Golue DOtiTu OF trade met
last evening and discussed the pur-
chase of the Round woods for a pub
lie park The subject was thoroughly
discussed as will be seen by the ac-
companying comments and after much
debate was finally referred to the
parks committee with power to act.
The telephone ordinance was also re-
ferred to, AND some pointed resolu-
tions adopted regarding the report of
the select council committee.
President Charles f. Daniels called
the meeting to order at $50 o'clock
with the following members in attend
ance: Joseph oliver, T. Fellows
Mason, b. G. Morgan. John II. Eel
lows, Hector Campbell Common
Councilman Charles Godshall, City
Engineer Joseph Phillips, Common
Councilman Thomas NJ. Watkins, II.
u. Jones, II. II. Bamford, Andrew b.
Holmes and William Farrell
The report of the parks committee
relative to the visitation made bv
several members to the Round woods
with w. w. Watson, with a view to
ascertaining the amount asked for
the woods for park purposes, was
made the special order of business,
and after Mr.. Mason had stated the
action taken at that time. the ques-
tion was discussed at length by the
following gentlemen. whose opinions
are herewith presented:
OPINIONS IMPRESSED.
John II. Felows.-I am as much in
favor of public parks as any one,
but I am of the opinion that the pur-
chaser of the Round woods tract does
not show a spirit of liberalttY in de-
demanding a thousand dollars or more
an acre for the woodland.
T. Fellows Mason.-"I believe the
people want the Round woods for a
public park, and if a popular vote was
taken it would be unanimous. 1t is
situated on Cne Of the highest points
between Carbondale and Nanticoke,
and if an observatory was built there
a view Of the entire valley could be
secured"
Hector Campbell.-I think the tract
should be donated to the city. In
Jersey City and Brooklyn land can
be purchased at very reasonable
prices. and the price asked for the
Round woods is entirely too high"
B. G. Morgan-"I think a committee
should be appointed to meet the pur-
chaser and confer with him relative
to the price to be paid for the land
and report at the next meeting. 1t
seems to me that if the land was pub
chased by the city it would enhance
the value of the building lots sur
rounding it,"
A. II. HolmCs-"There is no spirit OF
liberality shown in demanding twice
and a half as much for the Round
woods as was paid for 1t. The West
mountain is all right for a park, but
We want the Round woods. and I
think 100000 is sufficient to pay for it,"
William Farrell-"I believe $4,000
would be sufficient to pay for the land,
but You must expect that the pur-
chaser Of the plot is not selling that
ground for nothing. You can't expect
him to let it go without a profit on it.
l believe committee from the board
of trade should be appointed to con-
fer with Mr.. Watson regarding the
price"
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE.
The matter was finally referred to
the parks committee, who will confer
with the owner and report at the next
meeting. Chairman Farr, of the COM
mittee on legislation, was absent, but
sent word that the matters referred to
him will be reported on at the next
meeting.
The question of the location of silk
mills was again brought up, and Mr..
| Farrell stated that several operators
wanted TO locate here, and that the
| available land should be advertised.
President Daniels wanted to know how
| the available sites could be advertised
when land spectators We're gobbling
them up. Mr. Farrell replied that the
land wanted by industries was not the
land purchased by the real estate men.
Mr. Fellows enlightened the board at
this juncture on that subject and said
that he had met the silk mill promoters
and offered free sites for the location
of such industries, but the Duffy
| Brothers and others did not keep ap-
pointments with him. They were look
| ing at land already sold by the Della
ware. Lackawanna and Western COM
| pany, and even wanted to secure lots
| sold by Mr.. Fellows to individuals. In
| order to accommodate thenH the eX-
| mayor says he approached the parties
| who had purchased the lots wanted and
| tried to get them to surrender their
| contracts by Offering them $l00
They could have purchased a desir-
able site on Division street from the
! Delaware, LackawannaNand Western
| company through Superintendent
Loomis, for 5000, and Mr.. Fellows
| further stated that he offered them a
| whole block on which to erect their
factories, but they did not want any
| of the land without sewers.
Mr.. Farrell could not understand how
the mills in Petersburg, South Scran-
| ton and Taylor were operated without
| sewer facilities, but was informed that
| the Lackawanna river was accessible
| and that ended the industrial question.
Mr.. Holmes, for the streets and
| bridges committee, reported having
| seen Councilman Godshall about the
| laying of sidewalks in the Fourteenth
ward, and the latter stated that he had
called the attention of Councilman
| Wcnzel to the matter.
HYDE PARK AVENUE PAVE.
II. ID. Jones reported that the Hyde
| Park avenue pave, between Jackson
and Lafayette streets, is about ready
| to be cemented, and Mr. Farrell re-
| ported that a circular was being pre-
! pared by the committee on membership
| to increase the interest in the board S
work. The special committee appoint
| ed at the last meeting TO wait on the
| mayor regarding the Franklin engine
was discharged, having performed their
| duty.
The setback which the petition sent
| by the board received in councils rela-
| tive to their endorsement Of the ordl-
nance was referred to, and the fol-
| lowing resolutions introduced: