The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-11-06

will look the best it maintained In It's
virgin purity, touched as little as pos
sible by the hand of man.
Mr.. Willard agrees to leave all of the
trees and shrubbery on the ground just
as it is now, except such as Park Super
intendent Blake thinks best to take out
such as dead or broken trees, ETC., which
Mr.. Willard will remove. He will also
specify in the deed of gift that certain
roads and walks shall be built in order
to make the gift available to all of ou
citizens, but these will be only such as
the city would in any event construct
and will be very inexpensive. He does
not require that these shall be put in at
once, but over term of several years
All that he asks to be done this fall is
to grade road up one of the side IA.
vines on the north, which Mr.. Blake esti
mates can be done for $50. The driveway
along the top of the bluff will cost little
or nothing, as the ground is very level
Engineer Haynes has already done the
surveying, and the roadway, fifty feet
wide, has already been staked out.
Mr.. Willard believes that he can Sc
sure additions to the gift from the John
A. Willard estate, that owns little of
the bluffs, and it is thought likely that
nr,f he do H.,
Mericle for a little more, where it is
by the park superintendent to
erect beaver dam and stock the pond
with trout, constant supply of water
to be furnished from well.
Mr.. Blake is enthusiastic over the
gift, and has had number of
with Mr.. Willard in regard
to the location of the driveways, picnic
ground, etc. The committee of the Civic
league is also very enthu-
siastic, and no one could fail to be SO
if he will take the trouble to 60 over
the ground.
There is another feature to the matter
that should be taken into consideration,
and that is the danger of the bluffs pass
ing into the possession of people who
have no eye for beauty, but who will
desecrate them by erecting small shanties
upon them, with pig pens and barns,
making the bluffs in time an eyesore in
stead of thing of beauty. 1t would
be pity to allow them to pass to such
uses, for lack of public spirit enough
to preserve them.
Every beautiful spot around the city
should be acquired by the city when op-
portunity offers. One opportunity is now
at hand, and it should not be allowed
to slip by. The whole city is interested,
for Glenwood avenue is one of the great
outlets of the city and has an immense
of travel.
Mr.. Willard has shown commendable
public spirit in this matter. He states
that he has had the gift to the city in
view for number of years, and is pre-
pared to fulfill his wishes in regard to
the matter. He is deserving of great
credit. If the owners of other bluffs and
ravines around the city would follow the
example set by Mr.. Willard, they would
leave an enduring monument and would
be blessed by all the future generations
for their thoughtfulness and public
spirit.
Besides the laying of the drives and
paths during the next few years, MIR.
Willard stipulates that any street rail
way company shall be given free right
of way along Glenwood avenue when it
so requests, and not be required to pay
damages for passing through park. The
city is to allow the laying of pipes un-
for sewer, water and gas, and
the stringing of wires across the side
hills, to accommodate future residents
along the bluff, so as not to shut them
off, and these residents are also to have
the right to cross the slopes to reach the
road by footpaths to be built by them
under the direction of the park suprin-
tendent. These provisions are simply in
tended to protect the rights of future
population on the bluffs, and would have
no particular meaning at the present
time. Finally, Mr.. Willard desires that
the donation be called Willard parkway,
and that he be given permission to erect
a tablet to the memory of his first wife.
All of these provisions are perfectly
proper and are such as can be readily
agreed to.
Highland park is at present of little
benefit, as there is little to see there,
but when connected by road with the
parkway beyond, it will be well patron
ICED and become a popular drive.
Mr.. Willard purchased the land year
and half ago in orded to present it to
the city, and as he has only moderate
means, he is not DESTROYS of holding it
any longer than necessary. In fact, the
gift, coming from one of moderate cir
cumstances, speaks more for the public
spirit of the donor than it would if it
came from the plenty of wealthy man.
who had his thousands to spare without
feeling it.
MEMORIAL TO FLANDRAU.
From Wednesdays Daily.
Tho Msnpocnfo H.cfor,oo1 con.ofxy will