The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-19
NO RIVER BALL PARK
aIAGNATE LENNON REJECTS DIR.
OHAGE'S OFFER OF A
SITE
HARRIET ISLAND WILL NOT DO
Many Reasons for Refusing Offer
Advanced by President of st.
Paul Team-tSite Sugges-
tiOns Are Invited.

President Lennon, Of the st. Paul team,
will decline DR.. Ohage's offer to locate a
baseball park on Harriet Island. The
owner of the ST. Paul American associa-
tior franchise arrived at this decision
yesterday afternoon after a personal in
spection of the location.
''I am sorry" said Lennon, "but I will
have to decline the generous offer Of Har-
riet Island made by DR.. Ohage. 1 have
inspected the proposed site and l find
that it will not do at all for our purposes.
/ want a down town park and think
that the fans know that I do, but, If
cannot secure permission to play on the
grounds near Central park, will have TO
continue my search, for the Harriet Is
land site will not do.
II would like to locate a ball park on
Harriet Island and help DR.. Ohage out
with his plan to make that island beau
tiful river park, but there are many rea-
sons for my refusal to accept his offer.
1.-The island would be a fine baseball
park site but for two reasons. To begin
with the island park would be too difficult
of access. 1t is nearer the heart of the
city than is Lexington park, but if you
Investigate you will agree with me when
/ say that it is far more difficult to get
to Harriet Island than it is to make the
street car trip to Lexington park The
trouble with the island site is that it is
too far off for the enthusiasts who de-
sire to walk to the games and not quite
far enough to convince a man that he is
getting the value of the money pal,4 for a
street car ride.
''Then more trouble is encountered
when the fans leave the end of the
bridge. 1t is a real long trudge to get
to the avenues to the island, and 1 am
afraid that interest in the home games
would die out after three or four walks
to the proposed site.
t.Au this is but the beginning of the
explanation Of my refusal to accept DIR.
Ohage's offer. I will go on and point out
the chances I would have to take when
the spring thaws started to send the
rixer up toward the high water mark. If
l should take the park would be COM
PEELED to do considerable dredging be-
fore I could erect a fence and grand
stand. I would have to start this work
at once and how do I know that the
waters would not begin to come down
before the work was half way completed.
''To finish off I will call your atten-
ton to another point which figures ma
terially when I consider a down town
bah park If I erect a down town park,
I will invest from $1,000 to $4,000 in
fences and stands. To get that money
back must have the crowds and have
them inside the park. With the crowds
watching the games from outside the
fence, go through losing season, and
I am afraid that the Harriet island loca-
ton would keep the crowds down to the
small attendance rating.
''The island is located. between the
Wabasha street bridge and the high
bridge, and there is nothing to prevent
the ones who desire to save their money
from watching the games played on the
island from these two bridges. True the
park would be located a, considerable dis
tance from either bridge, but not far
enough to prevent a view of the game.
LAS I have said before. the st. Paul
Baseball club wants to play ball near the
business district this season, but we have
still to find the suitable site for down
town park. I am willing to receive and
consider suggestions, and I want all the
baseball enthusiasts to point out sites.
will inspect every site suggested and II
I find one suitable for our purposes, why
I assure you that T h G 10 e will be
able to announce that Lennon is build
ing a down town park, and that baseball
will be played in the business district. "