Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-07-20
Company Of Citizens Organ
ize to Secure Park.
MANY JOIN THE SOCIETY
The Twenty Acres Including Bushnell
Hollow to be Preserved
And Beautified.

At a meeting held in the council
room last Thursday evening, arti-
cles of association of the Lancaster
Park and Pleasure Drive associa-
ton were signed by twenty-seven
citizens, and were next day for
warded to the Secretary of State
for filing certifcation.
When these articles have been re-
turned and filed with the register of
deeds, and the incorporators have
met and elected officers and direct
ors, which we understand will be
done on July 25th, the association
will be on working basis, and will
then proceed at once to secure the
necessary funds.
The organization is under Oh. IS
Of the laws of 1899. This statute
provides a convenient mode of
securing and managing parks in
trust for cities. The trainers Of the
law recognized that parks would be
as a rule more carefully and salts
factorily handled by such associa-
tions, composed of many members
of the community, than by common
councils; and another reason, un-
doubtedly, for the passage of the
act, was the opportunity for raising
money afforded. Any citizen may
become member of the association
on payment of the minimum an
nual membership fee fixed by the
bylaws, and to remain a member
one must renew his subscription.
The association may receive gifts
either of real or personal property;
has full control and management of
the park; and both it and the city
are relieved from liability for in
juries resulting from defective
roads, etc. in other words, users
of the park must look out for them
selves, which is as it should be. All
property is held in trust for the
city; all citizens have the right to
use the park, subject only to rea-
sonable regulations, SO that the in
corporators are simply themselves
assuming the financial burden, for
the benefit of the community in
general.
1t is to be hoped that all who
have the interests of the city at
heart will subscribe literally,
whether the subscription is suffic-
lent to make the person subscribing
a member or not. We have heard
few objections urged against the
park project. One is, that we
should have obtained Clark's woods
twenty years ago, which we fail. to
regard as valid. Another is, that
we should get some pasture well
within the main business part of
town, and plant some hard naples
and put in some iron seats. Well,
we can do that too, if we wish.
But that is not park in any true
sense of the word.J The most sought
after places in the parks in our
great cities, are those carefully pre-
served in their natural beauty. We
might take a city block, (Which
could be procured at ten times the
cost of this 20 acre tract) and in
fifty or a hundred years might
grow some fine trees on 1T; but
some of us alive today would like
to enjoy park privileges, and when
we get our park done we would
have a very small space in which to
pass a leisure hour, and the Keep
Off The Grass" sign would prevent
any real enjoyment. However, if
we can, let us have two parks, or a
half dozen, of all kinds, for all pur-
poses.
A third objection we have heard
urged against the park project is
that our morals will suffer. One of
Lancaster's saloonkeepers is vio-
lently opposed to Bushnell Hollow
as a park, because it will be place
for DRINKS and lewd women. This
anxiety about public morals is high
ly praiseworthy, and no doubt is
perfectly honest and sincere, but it
is also absurd. Bushnell Hollow
has been open to the public for fifty
years, and for fifty years our wives
and daughters have been going
there. No one ever heard of row.
dyism there. Is it likely that when
the park is under strict regulation
it will be any worse than it has been
in the past?
Fact remains that Bushnell Hol-
low is one of the most beautiful
places in Wisconsin; that it is every