Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-08-08
FOOT LAKE IMPROVEMENTS

FOOT LAX improvements
4 Long Neglected Spot That Could be
Made an Attractive Place for
i Our People.
Our attention has been called at diff
terent times to the question of trans
forming Foot Lake and it's shores
from It's present unattractive appear
ance to one of beauty, and to make it
not only q spot that would be quite
inviting to the people of our city but
also, to outsiders. So much has been
said In disfavor of ever inaugurating
a movement of this kind, as the ex-
pense is so great, and it has even
been doubted it. that part of our city
could ever be transformed into the
ideal place that It should be.
The writer is of the opinion that
while it may not be feasible to at
tempt complete. Transformation, yet
there are some parts that could be
transformed into beauty spots with
comparatively little trouble. One
serious drawback to the fine appear
ance OF the lake itself was expert
enced after the establishment of the
sewerage system In the city and up to
the time that cesspool was estab-
lished. For some time considerable
refuse was emptied into the lake from
the sewers, which now finds it's way
into the cesspool, where all sedimen.
tary or superhuous matter is dumped
through the drainage system. It was
also customary, and is yet, to some
extent, for parties to dump refuse
there from other sources, but this
could be easily stopped if any effort
were made towards the Improvement
OF the lake. All this has been, espec-
ially noticeable on the city side of the
lake, In the vicinity OF where the cess
pool Is located. There is not the dan
ger'at present of the water becoming
contaminated so much as was the case
before the cesspool was established.
Ugly looking weeds were allowed to
grow up and that part of the lake
ESPECIALLY was anything but attract.
I've, but of late there is slight im-
provement quite noticeable.
The writer can we'll remember the
time. some years ago, when the lake
possessed very sandy bottom for
quite a distance along it's shores, and
it was quite contrast with the pres
entsconditions. Even yet, there are
many redeeming features along the
shores, but years of neglect will even
tuSSsasy spoil any body OF water. That
part of the lake along the Sperry ad-
dition to Willmar, is perhaps at pres
ent about as attractive q point as
there is, and the same may also be
said about the west end of the lake.
While years ago there were many sail
and row boats ON the lake, now we
find only few small row boats, and
these very little used. Parties who
formerly owned large boats on Foot
Lake now make Green and Eagle
Lakes their favorite resorts, where
they have cottages and spend large
part of their summer outings. While
it is not to be expected that Foot Lake
could ever equal either of these lakes,
yet it could be made so attractive that
that part of our population which
finds it inconvenient to go out to
those lakes as often as they would
like to, would take much comfort
nearer home.
One of the lake shore spots that is
becoming quite popular for picnic
parties is the sperry grove, and in
this vicinity the lake is also quite
pretty for boating. The grove covers
quite q strip of land and as is we'll
known is located in what's called Sper-
RVS addition to Willmar. The Will
mar Land and Improvement Company
owns nearly all the tract of land in
this part of the city and much in the
way of improvement has been accom-
plished here, so today the grove is a
very attractive spot. Many Of the
trees were those planted only q few
years ago and they now afford con-
siderable shade. There is to be q
move inaugurated in the near, future,
we understand, whereby more i'm
provements will be made in that vicin-
ity by the company, and at q meeting
to be held soon matters will be pre-
sented which will result in transform
ing tho Sperry grove into a fine
park. About four acres will be used
for this purpose. There is a
splendid opportunity here for &C.
complishing much in this direc-
tion, and we see no reason why it
could not be made into a very attract
i've resort where manv 1T 0nr naon1a