The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-20
Kansas City Man Responsible
for Gage Park Plans.
He 1t Is Who Would Destroy
These Landmarks.
REINISCH EXPLAINS.
Says He Was Simply Working
Under Orders.
Not Too Late to Prevent Pro-
posed Outrage.

A. Reinisch, who is in charge Of the
work of Improving Cages park under
direction Of the park commissioners
makes the following statement relative
to the appeal which has been fled with
the city council by Mrs. G. c. Gage:
The first part Of Mrs Cages letter
does not in any way refer to me or my
work. I do not have anything to do
with the appointment Of the park COM
In.ssioners.
Neither did have anything to do
with making the plans for the improve
ment Of Cages park. When I was en-
ployed by the park commissioners the
plans were put into my hands. and /
was told to 90 ahead and work them
out The plans were drawn by George
f. Kessler. landscape engineer and sec
rotary Of the Kansas City park board,
and they are very good plans
1t IS true that transplanted a great
many evergreens two years ago, anu
that about half of them were killed by
the extremely hot summer of 1901 Had
It been an ordinary summer every one
+ Of those trees would have lived They
were taken I'D with the greatest care
and moved on a sled with a large mass
OF earth. They were well watered and
mulched. It was necessary that those.
trees be moved to carry out the plan
placed in my hands The sooner they
could be moved, the better chance they
would have to live
II Rave set out thousands of trees in
cages park since taking charge all OF
when are growing we'll I established
stocked think I am familiar with
what Kansas needs. as [ have been in
the state for thirty years
nave set out a great variety of
trees and shrubs and If anyone thinks
thar the varieties which / have selected
are not hardy in Kansas, 1 viii simply
refer him to the good success which
n. a. Low is having in raising the
same Things I set out all Of NJ A.
Low shrubs at his place near Central
park. Among other kinds of trees and
SHRUBS which we now have growing at
cages park I might mention hack
berry boXeider, green ash. cedar. lom-
hardy poplar, bladdernut wild nillu
wild red cherry. wild black cherry
black locust, catalpa, aralia linden,
birch, tree of heaven, coffee bean, hick-
DRY, walnut, swamp cypress. mulberry.
lilac and spiraea
There is no one who has more love
for growing tree, or appreciates its
value more than ]. It might be posi-
bic to modify the plans so that the
straight avenue planned by Mr.. Gage
will be allowed to remain, and certain
winding roads built out from it, SO
that il viii be unnecessary to make the
changes to which Mrs. Gage objects. I
believe that it would be better to pre-
F 81 fF tA4C 4AAtC eAI AalE trees WHICH axe
now in the park, and confne the inn
provements to such as viii not inter
fere with the good work which has al
ready been done at the park by Mr.
Gage"
MRS. GAGE TALKS.
Mrs. Louisa H. Gage whose husband.
o. G. Gage. gave the beautiful park to
the city. said today
The article in last evenings State
/ Journal ought to do much good. be-
+ commissioners propose to do out there
I at Cages park, they will see to it that
the plans are changed. I do not want
anyone to take offense at my letter to
the mayor and council, but it seemed
TO me that something ought TO be done
TO bring the matter before the public
Il do not want my letter to be con
strued as criticism Of Mr. Reinisch.
I TIE gardener IS no is now in charge Of
the park. I believe that Mr.. Reiniseh
is simply working upon plans prepared
by some other man. If Mr. Reinisch
had his way, / think he would modify
those plans, and save the old trees. It
seems to me that it is the park commits
sioners who are responsible for what
has been done at the park.
Il might have said a good deal more
in my letter than ] did but I do not
want to uniustlv criticise anyone. and
so my communica ton did not 90 very
much into detail I hope that the coun-
ell viii be able to do something to save
the park.
+ Some Of the members Of the council
/ in speaking upon Mrs. Cages letter,
laid all the blame on Mr.. Reinisch, the
gardener 1t seems from what Mr..
/ Reinisch says. and in which statement
he is confirmed by Mrs Gage. that the
fault is with the man who made the
plan for improving the park, and with
the park commissioners is trying to
carry out that plan.
Another Cornell Typhoid Victim
Utica. n. 2. March 20.-A- Purdie
Lord. student of Cornell university, who
was i'll with typhoid fever is dead