Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-07-30
Committee Will Present Reso"
luton to Council Asking
City Land For Park
WILL REQUEST TAX LEVY
Municipal Property in Northwest
Part Of City Selected and Will E'e
Asked For-Two Mill Tax For I'm
provements For Three Years Will
Also Be Requested.

AS a result of the meeting Of COM
mittees from the various organized
library Wednesday night to consider
the matter of a city park, was
the selection of a general committee
which will draw UP a resolution ask
ing that the council grant for use az;
public park the city's fourteen acres of
land in the northwest part of town, and
that a special election pc called TO Sc
cure a vote of the people as to whether
or not tax levy OF mills, Tor three
years, for the purchase of adjoining
land and the improvement of the same,
shall be made. 1t is very likely the
resolution will be presented to the
council at its next regular meeting.
Those who were present at the meet
ing were Mrs. II. j. Howe and Mrs. NJ.
L. Meickley, of the City Federation of
Women's Clubs: E. r. Austin, Joseph
Mohr and John A. Talman, of the
Y.
Mcbride. o. L. Ingledue Snd ID. S. Good,
of the city council. The Commercial
Club was not represented, owing to a
misunderstanding over the date. 1t WAS
the sense of the meeting after the site
situation had been discussed that the
city property, with the adjoining acres
belonging to j. G. Trotter and Charles
Duffield, with the donation of lots from
Charles W. Hughes, was by fa. the
best and in fact the only feasible loca-
ton for a park The committee from
the Trades and Labor Assembly, which
has spent considerable time looking
over the Boardtnan forty acres on
South Sixth street. and property west
of the Soldiers Home. decided that, all
things considered. it was not a1yisa-
BILE to attempt to locate park in either
place. To facilitate the deliberations of
the gathering E. T. Austin was made
temporary chairman and Mrs. NJ. L..
Meickley temporary secretary. Mr..
Austin explained in detail regarding
the park movement which the Trades
and Labor Assembly had started. He
told of the possibilities of the city
property site WIFI the river adjoining
IT on the north and with the shallow
ponds, which could be transformed into
lakes and the thick growth OF small
timber near them which could be
Trimmed out and thus furnish trees
which could be transplanted elsewhere
about the grounds at a comparatively
small cost. With the city land and that
Of Mr.. Trotter and Mr. Dutfield, which
it is proposed to purchase, and tina;
which Mr.. Hughes has agreed to do
nate. the site will comprise about thir-
ty acres. 1t has been estimated that
With a levy OF a 2-mill tax for three
years. which will aggregate about Sl2,-
600. the additional land can be pur-
chased and improvement made which
would put the property in excellent
condition. After that time 1t is thought
that a levy of l mill per year for i'm
provements would be sufficient to keep
the property in shape and make the
necessary Improvements from time to
time. The detention hospital would
have to be moved. but as was expressed
at the meeting, it would be much cas-
Ter to find another location for the hos
pital than one for park.
The committee appointed to present
the resolution to the council is COM
posed of President of the City Fed
Grafton of 'Womens Clubs, Mrs. A.
Janney, E. T. Austin. of the Trades and
Labor Assembly, and G. +. Kirby, Of
the Commercial Club. To any one who
has at any time visited the ground
the site opens up an almost endless
list of possibilities which would make
the spot most beautiful one. Four
entrances could easily be made. One
by North Fifth street, another along
the draw leading from near the Fer
neau home on North Fourth street,
which adjoins the Trotter property, an
other thru the alleyway between the
blessing and Males properties, and still
another leading from Center street,
around the bluff at the foot of the mill
hill. skirting the pond. Beautiful drives
could also easily be made winding
around the edge of the lake and follow
ing the course of the river a little far
Their to the north and west The fiat
ground west Of the detention hospital
would make an admirable place for
ball ground. tennis courts, ETC., while
the rising ground which slopes away
from the ponds on the east and south
Will a ilttie SdTueUlllS, COulO
be made lovely spots from which a
view of the entire park could be OBJ
tanned. BY the erection of dixie, for
probably three or four hundred yards
along the low banks of the river near
the ponds. the danger of high water
could be done away with. The commit
tee does not expect or anticipate that
any portion of this work would be done
this fall. All that it will ask is that
the city council set aside the land fo:
park purposes. and call a special
election to consider the special tax
levy. There is thought to be not the
slightest doubt but that the council
viii act in accordance with the COM
mittee's wish, and there is every rea-
son to believe that If it comes to a
vote the special levy will without doubt
carry.