The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-01-28
BIG PARK
SYSTEM FOR
PROVIDENCE.

Tn Unitarian club had an interesting
meeting In the rooms OF the University
club on Benefit street. last night. an In
formal reception being held from $50 TO
In the lower rooms. About 1880 the
members and guests numbering about 75
sat down 20 the excellent dinner, Rev.
N. McArlin conducting the brief de-
votional exercises.
After dinner a season OF speechmaking
was in order. when the cigars were light
Cd and the president Mr.. r. y. Homer,
spoke in an interesting manner Of parks
IN general. In Europe and I'm this country.
referring particularly 70 the Metropolitan
Dark system and then introduced Mr..
William B. de las Casar. chairman OF the
Metropolitan park commission OF Boston.
He referred 10 the beginnings OF the
park system in Boston and spoke or
Charles Eliott's work In connection with
the landscape gardening. Of the trans
ferring OF waste places into places OF
recreation and rest for the people of the
crowded cities.
Massachusetts, was not the first state.
and Boston was not the first city where
public parks were established, but at the
present time Boston and Massachusetts,
stand foremost I'm the ranks OF those hav
ing park systems.
The speaker referred to the ideas
brought over from the old country, the
Latins remembering the plazas. and the
other races the parks OF their former
home, and the beginning OF the parks
came when the settlements became larger
and the houses clustered thickly to-
gether.
EXPENDED s11,oooooo.
Mr. de las Casar quoted statistics to
q considerable extent, ~and stated that
ths Metropolitan system, by expending
some sl1 600 900 had succeeded In reclaim
ing waste land OF about 10000 acres OF
land and eight miles of seashore front.
as we'll as a great amount OF wooded
land.
The land for about 12 miles about Bos-
ton was likened to a large bowl. with
Boston at the centre, and the speaker re-
lated the incident that led TO the appli-
cation of the title, Hub of the Universe"
to Boston, stating IL was because OF It's
location In the middle OF the rim Of hills.
He spoke also OF the foresight which
caused the land about Boston for large
radius to be as all one division for a Met
ropolitan park system.
The beginning was slow, he said and
though there was some indignation at
first when the people found that a section
OF Woodland short way out or the city
at that time move the people to raise
money. That came In time though, and
subscription was secured to care for
gift section until the plan OF loans by
the state was adopted, and already some
$14.000000 has been made available. The
money is being now repaid by the towns.
each being taxed a proportionate share,
without finding the burden very great:
he then showed In very comprehensive
manner the magnificent park system
which Massachusetts now has.
SYSTEM FOR PROVIDENCE.
Secretary Henry r. Barker OF the
Providence Park association who was
portunites In the line of park improve
Inent, saying In part:
Within distance of from two to four
miles Of the city hall Is a rich girdle
OF natural gems that still remain unspoil-
ed, though not unharmed, because these
are the places where buildings and busi-
ness are most out OF place. and where
the very qualities that make them most
valuable as public reservations, by vir-
tue OF their rocky hillsides or spreading
waters, have kept them In something OF
their natural glory until the present day.
The crowding population OF the greater
Providence has pushed its outposts far
beyond. and 30 the time has come when
the least desirable elements will overruu
them also, and SO their picturesqueness
will become degradation.
"Our lovely state house Is an object OF
art. an example of architecture typical
Of the dignity of the state, an incentive
to patriotism, a delight TO the eye. a
noble and dignified evidence to the world
that we possess some public tastes. Most
OF these make, in some more or less di-
rect way. for the material prosperity of
the city, though most OF them are not
directly demonstrahle- Then again, IL
u an attraction for tourists and an ad-
vertisement for the city. and even II the
actual business OF the state could have
m a hrildinR
$500 600 or $4OO, 600, most of us will gladly
pay out rs cents year. or whatever II
comes to, for interest on the bonds. as a
matter OF pride and aesthetic inspiration.
LEGISLATION REQUIRED.
' A plan is as necessary for park de-
velopment as II is for sewers, or for the
construction of great exposition. We
cannot even extend Roger Williams park
or acquire the most necessary part Of
Neutaconkanut Hill, or make a reserva-
ton along the Pawtuxet river until we
follow the Massachusetts, example and
ask the legislature TO create a park dis
trict including the suburban towns. There
ts no problem before us now. II has been
settled In Boston. No possible question
has, been asked that has not been an
swered there. No argument that can bo
made. for or against. has not been made.
and no opposition that has not already
given way 10 enthusiastic approval The
Metropolitan Park system is about the
most popular institution in Massachusetts,.
but II Boston might only have acquired
its land when II was the size OF the pres
ent Providence, how many many mil
lions would have been saved!'
Maps showing the proposed Metropoli-
tan Park system for Providence were dis
tributed during the course Of the address
and proved very interesting.
The officers OF the Unitarian club are as
follows: Y. h. Homer, president; Henry
y. Sharpe vice president: Victor Frazee,
secretary; Augustus r. Pierce. treasurer.
with Howard X. Hilton Roy s. Barker
and william f. Lythgoe as the executive
committee.