The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-17
PARKS BIGGEST DAY
Three Thousand Car Fares
Collected for Riverside
ON SUNDAY AT TERN00N
Some New and Unique Al
fractions Out There.

The summer has been a very warm one,
but despite that fact, Wicita people have
extent The opportunity for recreation in
Riverside park is mostly responsible for
this condition. Almost every evening
business men with their families and
friends can be seen spending few hours
| in Riverside, and more pleasant place
to spend an hour or two would be hard
to find
Nearly three thousand people used the
street cars last Sunday as 8 means OF
| transportation to Riverside park. This
| number is the largest number Of people
ever taken to the park by the present
street car company. Besides the num-
Der OF persons going by the cars, 1t
| would be hard to estimate the entire
number of visitors there during the day.
Some walked, rode bicycles. used car
riages, traps. buggies. etc. and yet every
one enjoyed the shade and the GOODNESS OF
the park.
The large number of visitors last Sun
day demonstrates that the beautiful park
| system is appreciated by the people Of
Wichita
To the citizen, who three years ago
viewed what is now Riverside park, the
transformation seems almost miraculous.
Three years ago the tract OF land now
| occupied by beds filled with fragrant
flowers, tropical shrubbery and blooming
plants, was used as a circus ground. No
h,1f haN 11f
of going there unless a circus or some
event of a similar nature was the attrac-
ton The trees were untrimmed, the I'M
derbrush was tangled and the weeds
grew high, presenting a desolate spot, to
the Spectator.
The visitor who enters Riverside park
today, even should he have been there
recently, will be struck by the beauty OF
its appearance. Entering by the Muir
dock avenue entrance there are drives
leading along the banks of the river on
either side Of him. To the front is what
is designated as the circle, and beautiful
flowers arranged in symetrical beds meets
the appreciation of the eye. On each side
of the drive leading to the west from the
Murdoch avenue bridge are placed bow
ers of running vines. There are cobeas.
moon flowers, day and night bloomers,
cypress. elephants ears, with a border
of old-fashioned lobelia.
AS one advances down the drive, the
view in front becomes clearer. On each
side of the drive are cement walks. After
the circle is reached there are walks
leading through it which contain many of
the principle flower beds of the park.
These flowers are the special pride of Mr..
George E. Harris the keeper of the park,
and to him much credit is due for the
pleasing appearance made.
There are many varieties of flowers and
all are arranged in beds. Mr.. Harris has
what he terms his tropical bed. 1t con-
tains Spanish daggers, crimum lilies, CEN
fury plants, tube lilies, etc. On the other
side Of it is a bed composed entirely of
geraniums. They are in bloom at differ
ent times OF the summer and always pre-
sent a fresh appearance to the visitor.
There is a flower bed arranged to repre-
sent a-swan. The likeness is very fine
and the effect Is given by red alternan-
theras. forget-me-nots, golden feather
and Iobelias.
In the center Of the circle is the largest
bed of all. Mr.. Harris has arranged this
bed from his own ideas. 1t is the
cynosure Of all eyes and it is certainly
one of the most charming features in the
park. There are many flowers in the bed
and the lines which compose the attrac-
tive features are splendidly made. There
are gold and green irsenas, century
plants, dusty millers, golden feather, St.
Helenas, red and gold alternantherss,
lobelias, sweet elysium, and the blending
of the colors is nearly perfect. To the
north and south of the large bed in the
circle are other well kept plants Of vari-
Gus kinds. To the west OF the center are
two evergreens trimmed in a very pecul- |
lar manner. On closer observation II !
can be found that one evergreen has the !
OF a hen sitting on the /
nest. Just on the other side Of the walk 4
is the egg which the hen IS supposed to ]
hare laid, in a nest formed by the trim /
ming Of another evergreen.
By going toward the north part OF the /
circle may be found other beds contain
ing flowers. There are the twin beds on
either side OF the walk containing ever
greens and Towering shrubs Farther on
IS an obIong bed having IN 4. ghost fow-
ers, which are white only at night sal
vies, caladiums. irensenias, etc. This bed
IS at the division OF the drive. one part
Of which leads 70 north part OF the park
and the other completes the circle.
Near the band stand. on the outside OF
he circle. By the river drive. IL a large
bed Of Canuas which is kept up BY the
Daughters Of the American Revolution
The bed f. 50 arranged that the letters
ienoting that order can be readily seen.
Near Il. OF the other side q the circle I
iriye are two lions. The representation
5 very good and IS made with different
,lants.
After going west along the drive by the
liver. the Grelfenstsln bridge f. reached.
A. the north end Of it IS a large flower
red which IS kept full % splendid fowe-s
Looking toward the vast from the
5reifensteia bridge - a pretty sceue
The river presents q broad exDanse az
water There IS vide drive along the s
liver ThleA leads one around TIRE loo2. 20
alisd because q its shape Or ne north ;
Z ths drive. inst after crossing ths
ridge. are excavations which a. tire
resent tine appear as though they vs-e
~ 50 by nature Pew peools really
now what caused thoss excavations. bu;
can b explained By the older citizens
Z the c-3y- TTezty-avs q more year,
-. Pat HsaIey owned a brick ksiu az ;
lat place ard THE cay gsee q ire max
~ q the hr5ck cane frs-n TIE srsf ;
-hs-e The exeAva;ions ara SIRE %
hem are vel Hlle8 -. bat Il tine. tAas
pot ~1Ii - ere q ere raaat p1etg-.ssas
cares 81 the PARK q
Fs-ths- wsa1 - re- SIC q Tie drive