The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1903-04-16
CITY PARKS.

| The Herald in advocating the estab.
llshing Of a park for the city of Oska-
locsa seems to have touched popu-
lar chord not only among the citizens
lof Oskalcosa but also among those
who are occasional visitors within our
gates Sidney Al Foster of Des
Moines, known to many residents as a
staunch friend Of Oskaloosa has ad-
ldressed the following communication
to the Herald touching the park ques-
tion, The letter will be read with in
tterest by all those who have the park
lprcblem at heart The letter is time
ly and to the point. Those who have
oeen urging the question of the pub
lie park will find qualification in such
endorsement as this.
| Des Moines, April IA, 1908.
Editors The Herald: Reading the
Herald tonight | find editorial refer
ence urging that Oskaloosa shall pro-
vide for itself a convenient and suit
able public park. trust you may be
entirely successful in this. Your city,
beautiful as it is, prosperous without
question, growing without extraordin-
ary effort can within the next year Sc
cure better bargains in the purchase
of park property than ever again in
its history OF this l have no doubt.
| 1t is not so much the need of park
today that should urge you to make
warm the agitation, but it is the needs
of twenty, fifty and hundred years
to come. The people of your city are
struggling, investing, working to leave
personal estates to their children hop
ing they-the next generation-may
continue to be wise and prosperous
even beyond the present citizens; but
all the old and young of Oskaloosa to-
day must finally leave, and If it is
wise to leave personal estates, is it
not as wise to leave rich provision for
those that must come after, by max
ing provision for public parks and
play grounds, as q benefcient legacy
to the generations that must occupy,
work, struggle, and we all hope,
enjoy Oskaloosa centuries hence.
Had the original founders of this
and all other Iowa cities been thought
full and dedicated even forty acres Of
land to their city and have planted
elms and naples, even a small num-
Der, today such an Improvement would
be beyond price, and the original cost
would not have been more than one
hundred dollars Nothing compounds
in Results to the help extended as the
planting of trees and shrubs.
The wooded square in your city was
but a few years ago tract of ground
with scrubby saplings The song birds
could find no friendly shade in it and
the old wondered if it would 'eyer
amount to anything" 1t has been a
pleasure in the past to all your people
but you have outgrown it; you need
something more-a park; a good large
tract; place the title in the city and
make a few improvements each year,
and ten years from now it viii be a
proud placea place your city will
need and can well afford to provide.
If Oskaloosa is never to grow any
larger, if Mahaska county is at the
limit Of population, then buy accord
ingly, but as long as time endures
Oskaloosa will be a factor; Mahaska
county will be gathering population
and those who make provision now
will be gratefully remembered.
Pardon my assuming to urge this
matter in such length.
Yours very sincerely. ~.
Sidney "a, Foster.