The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-16
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
Regarding Mlnnel,aha Park Refeotory.

tIIedQDdTc puzzle ABOUT the IOX, tNe |
goose and the corn which the man tried |
to get across the river? Did the fox eat |
up the goose. or the goose eat up the
corn while the man was solving the prob |
lem?
Nothing more beautiful has nature laid
at the door of any American city than
Minnehaha Falls, the windings Of the little |
creek, Longfellow glen, the bluffs and
the literal bower Of trees with interlacing |
boughs along down the stream.
Nothing more beautiful is written in
history and poetry than the "sweet story
of Hiawatha and Indian life as once lived
III it's simplicity where now the hand Of
civilization and industry has reared homes
for the people who have succeeded the
aborigines of our land.
Nothing more far-famed has any city
within its limits than Minnehaha. The-l
world knows Of it through the story that
has been translated into nearly every
language. Minneapolitans seem to know
little and care less about this treasure,
but the world knows.
The world goes whirling out and back
to and from Acknowledgements from
every land and nationality. 'Whirling''
happened to be very appropriate term
right there as any one knows who gets
out there without being "chucked'' from
one end OF the car to another Perhaps
if the world were as familiar with the
Twin City Rapid Transit company service,
VI IlOli-SeIVlCc, DIS Ml1IedpOlltdnS dTe tney
| might sacrifice the pleasure rather than
| incur the risk of riding over the toughest
| road and in the shakiest old cars run on
any line In the city, notwithstanding it is
! admitted to be one Of, if not the best,
paying lines of the whole town.
Regardless Of this beauty, this fame and
this worldwide patronage the goose has
eaten the corn and the fox has eaten the
goose, and while Minneapolis has been
| Indifferent and the park board have been
'discussing," the little hamlet Desbaras
on Lake Superior has corraled the fox
and is winning the game. -.-.-
| In that little town the Indians put on the
play of Longfellow's Hiawatha, on an out
door stage every afternoon and evening
| (except Sunday Of July and August, the
coming season being the fourth. A re-
port Of it says it promises to become the
mecca for the lovers of Longfellow's in
comparable poem and every steamer and
train drops tourists who are anxious to
! see the story and the country made fam
| GUS by the poet Indeed! Where do the
Falls of Minnehaha come in? To see the
play In that country foreign to the loca-
tion of the story must be some like Ham
let with Hamlet left out It goes Oh to
say: THE Hiawatha play Is to Ameri-
cans what the passion play is to the peo-
pie Of Oberammergau.' 1t might be were
1t played in a locality true to the story
but being played up there on the Canadian
boundary line, rather takes the sentiment
out Of America for Americans Canada
will yet eat ''the fox
That little town has hotel, Hiawatha
lodge built and furnished by the Indians
/ themselves with accommodations for fifty
guests, besides real tepees for travellers
who want to be real Injuns.''
Il There could not be more appropriate
and charming spot for that play and those
!; surroundings than right at Minnehaha
: park. For instance, the land where the
5 much discussed "pavilions'' are now To-
Gated runni ,g back to Forty-second ave-
nue-a pretty rise of ground, prettily
wooded.
| There could not be a drawing card insti-
tuted with greater financial returns for
Minneapolis than could the play of IIia :
, watha be out on the banks of Minnehaha
II the world goes whirling'' out there in
it's present condition, how much more OF
, It's family would go along If the play were
: there?
Here is a chance for fame and shekels
Why does not some liberal-hearted party
or parties advance the wherewithal to dc
that thing, buying up. the land and in
q stituting the play and hotels, turning the
! surplus into the park board funds until II
, finally enabled the board TO get possession
- Of it and then run it for a. continual an.
:, nual income to enlarge and beautlfy thu
>, park? Every inch of ground from thu
rty-eighth street boulevard to Fiftieti
= = street along the Milwaukee railroad bacl
= = to Forty second avenue and in som,
. places following the creek back to Thirty
- ninth avenue ought to be park propert,
if justice is ever done to the park systen
q Of Minneapolis. Where is our "ever-pres
). ent-help-in-every-tim -of-need" CONNER
a a cial club? Can it not put a shoulder t,
&c this wheel that will redeem the fox, tn
: goose and the corn to plant a crop Of Ia I'M
:, and finance here on native ground
- Where the Falls Of Minnchaha
II Flash and gleam among the oak trees
r Laugh and leap into the valley
- that would spread
IS To the doorways of the West-wind,
Is To the portals of the Sunset
l. To the earth's remotest border
al "A Reader.