The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-09
'HAHA COMFY
ISLAND TO STAY
GARDENERS GET NEW GRIP ON
4 CONDEMNED LAND.
Secure Lease Good Until 1917 on Tract
Sought by Park Board and Thought
to Have Been secured-Preparing
to Move and Enlarge Objectionable
Pavilion. aal

Minnehaha's Coney Island resort
across the railway tracks from the
park instead Of being eliminated has
secured new lease of life. After two
years of strenuous endeavor to have
this row of shacks cleaned out, ter
minating in condemnation proceed
ings and the supposed purchase OF the
property by the park board. the resi-
dents of this district have awakened
to find that, while they have been
working, the principal pavilion own
|ers, Irwin A. and A. l.. Gardner. have
secured new lease Of the property
which does not expire until 1917 and
are making elaborate plans to run all
kinds Of side-shoW entertainments
from this time on.
Condemnation proceedings were
commenced last December, "a ppraisals
made, and as an end Of the parleying
the park board voted the amount Of
the award to the respective owners of
the property. Warrants were drawn
and deeds to all but seven lots owned
by the Lincoln heirs and occupied by
the Gardner pavilion were given.
The award on the Gardner property
was 1880: A warrant for this
amount was drawn. AZ deed to the
property was secured and approved by
the park boards attorney, the plan be-
| ing to hold the property until the
Gardner lease expired Dec. 81. 1906,
when the property would be cleared
and parked. 1t was learned, however,
that G. M. Lane, one of the heirs and
the local agent Of the property. had
secured one years rent Of $50 in ad-
| vance and when he presented the
deed to Secretary Ridgway of the
park board he was Informed that he
would not be given his warrant until
he had paid over this $3.50. This Mr..
Lane refused to do and there negot1-
ations stopped. Finally, Henry Mead,
Lane and Gardeners attorney, served
notice On the president and secretary
of the park board that unless the deal
was closed by March Z, and he was
paid his $3.50 in full. he would con-
slider that the board did not intend to
complete the condemnation proceed
ings and would proceed to act as tho
none had ever been commenced
! The 7th of March came and went
! and there was no action taken. Now
it appears that an additional lease OF
the property has been made to A. T.
Gardner for 10 years, commencing al
the expiration of the lease now
held by Irwin A. Gardner. The value
of removing competitors on either side
of him has been appreciated by Mr.
Gardner and his new lease calls for q
500 year raise in the rent
Plans have been made to move his
pavilion to front on Hiawatl1a avenue
instead Of on the railroad tracks
| from which he is cut off by the rail
way company's high wire fence. AL
preparations have been made to! en-.
large the place and attend to a greatly
] increased trade. .is
t Mr.. Mead says he. is convinced tina
his action is perfectly legal and i.
ready to test it ia the courts. He say
i that if the park hoard takes possession
of the property heawill have case fol
damaging his clients lease hold to 81
to a jury and thatsin order to get rio
I of Gardner new condemnation pro
ceedings will have to be commenced
and the new 10 year lease paid for.