The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-15
A PARK AT LONG
JOHN NOW ASSURED
THE PARK BOARD HAS ALREADY
TAKEN PRELIMINARY STEPS.
Block Which Is Mere Dumping Ground
and Frog Pond Cannot Be Sold
for Residences Improvement Will
Require but Little Additional Elk
penso-Appraisements offered Are
Accepted.

That the old dumphole between
Quincy and Jackson streets and TWen-
ty -second and Twenty-third avenues
NE is to become in the near future
Long John park is now practically an
assured fact. Some years ago this
block was a pretty sheet of water, but
within the last few years it has been
more than a Shiny frog pond. The park
board, however, has decided within the
last couple of weeks that the old pond
must go, and probably next spring the
depression where the stagnant water
now lies will be dredged and cemented,
and trees, grass and flowers will be set
out.
The new park cannot help but in
crease the value of property in its vi
ing lots believe that this improvement
will attract very desirable class of
citizens, and that this part of the city
will from now on show marked
growth, and finally be able to acquire
many of the minor improvements which
are now lacking, such as gas and cleo
tricity, for instance. The city has fol
some time run Long John as skating
rink during the winter months, SO that
only the maintenance of a park during
the summer would affect the expense.
HIS 1ulpIONOutuO ldS UCtu CUuGtIu-
plated and eagerly desired for long
time by property owners and residents
in this vicinity. For years the own
ers Of the useless block have paid taxes
without being able to get even then
original cost in return, and the lots in
their present state could not possibly
be sold for residences.
The taxes on the entire block for the
last ten years, including the taxes fol
putting in water and sidewalks, have
amounted to $1,082.72. The total ex
at per cent, $447.15, is added, comes
to $l,529S7, making an average cost
of $102 on the original fourteen lots
This does not include their original
cost.
Not more than two or three lots have
changed hands in the last ten years
and then only because they were in
Guided in larger deals. and had to be
taken to close the deals. -Four of the
eastern man since 1879. Two others
are owned by bank. Another lot is
owned by prominent real estate mar
who would gladly turn it over to the
city for park purposes for very little
more than the average cost in taxes.
Among the twentythree citizens who
| met with the park board when the mat
| ter came De1Ofe CnaC DOdy were SIX me1
who own property just opposite the pro
posed park site and on whom the ex
pense would fall most heavily, but they
were as eager for the park as the others
The average tax on each lot affected
would be about SO cents year, decreas
ing from $1.25 as the distance from tn,
proposed park increased. ..
When the park board took the mat
ter up, it was decided to appoint Ger
tain appraisers to look over the land, in
terview the owners, and report to TIL
board the exact state Of affairs. Thos
chosen to do this work were, j. M. Bart
lett, R. D. Cone, T. J. Janney and Franl
w. Foster. After their report the prop
erty owners were then offered appraise
ments on the lots which have been, 81
far, readily accepted.
4 This satisfactory arrangement save
the park board the necessity Of frs
condemning the property and then re
lappraising it. Altho the board has no
as yet completed the transaction Of buy
ing the land it will doubtless do SO i
the near future and with apparently al
obstacles removed, Long John. Par!
will be a delightful assurance.