The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-05
THEY GIVE PARKS
Delightful Squares Do
mated to Greensboro.
In Gate City Matters an Alligator
Lives And Thrives And Be-
gins to Grow Mon.
strouS.
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News and Observer
Greensboro. y. c., July AIR. E.
p. Wharton has decided to dedicate
the lot adjoining that on which he is
now building the handsomest residence
in the city on AsheborO street in South
Greensboro to public uses as park
and play ground. The lot has
frontage of $50 feet and runs back $50
feet Mr.. Wharton has already pro-
vided seats and Will soon have a
croquet ground tennis court, etc, ar
ranged for the use of the public. To
the rear Of the lot play ground for
small boys will be provided. The
park already has many fine old shade
trees and the walks will be made or
namental with shrubbery in the center
of which will twinkle electric lights
all night There are already several
large clumps of box shrubbery and
electric bulbs are being placed in
these. An artificial spring Will be
built next week The piping from the
city hydrant will be run down into
an old we'll near by and the coil will
wind about through the water so
that it will bubble up in the fern
covered spring as cool as the genuine
article and much safer to drink This
donation by Mr.. Wharton is a great
favor to the city and the community,
as the lot is worth for building pur-
poses today $4,000. Asked why he
made such a gift. Mr.. Wharton is re-
ported to have said that he had formed
resolution January first to give one
third OF all that he made in the form
of some public offer of property or
other valuable gift to the city each
year, devote q third to his family and
living expenses, and lay by a third for
old age or a rainy day, when the sun
of prosperity might fail TO shine for
him and his.
Judge Douglas has also donated re-
Gently a beautiful park of four acres
in the center of fine piece of property
to the east of Asheboro street in the
vicinity of Pearson street. When inn
proved, this will be a fine pleasure
and recreation spot. A beautiful clear
limpid stream flows through ii.
The Civic Club of South Greensboro,
which is doing so much to make that
portion of the city beautiful, will take
the park in charge and have it put
in good condition, employing land
scape artist to lay out the walks and
plan the scale of ornamentation.
These two parks add to the immense
Cone park beyond White Oak mills in
the North, Fisher Park in the center
and Lindley Park TO the west of the
city will give good breathing places
until by electric cars. the fine oak
groves of High Point. Guilford College
and the Guilford Court House Battle
ground Park will be brought into re-
QUESTION for the teeming thousands
who will inhabit the city and environs
within the next five years
A month or so ago a reputable citi
zen saw an alligator i'm the Benbow
pond now the back water of the Revo-
luton mill dam two miles north of
the city. 1t looked to be whopper,
at least fifteen feet long and big in
proportion. He said not a word about
If fearing that he was mistaken in his
eyesight and might be accused of pat
ronizing a blind tiger or simply lying
for the love of it. Two weeks ago
another reputable citizen saw what he
took to be an alligator in this pond
swimming about. He also was alone,
and having no witness was particular
not to speak of it. The strangeSt part
of il all was the coincidence that while
both of these reputable gentlemen
were walking together on the brink
of the pond yesterday afternoon there
swan lazily out of the bushes grow
ing on the farther bank, huge alliga-
tor: He padded within ten feet of
them and lay down in full view until
one of the men uttered an exclamation,
when in the twinkle of an eye the
saurian disappeared. Each having
witness they did not hesitate to spread
the news, and they both agree that
the alligator was eleven feet long. AS
to why he was there and how come
him there, it is recalled that Mr.. Joe
Smith fifteen years ago brought three
here from Florida. Two of
them died, and the third one he car
ried out to what was then known as
Benbow's pond and threw him in, tell
ing him to live or die, survive or per-
ish. 1t seems that the gator lived
and survived and grew.
Mr.. Clay Armfield of this city, has
just completed the installation of the
equipment for the Kernersville Tele-
phone Company at Kernersville.
The Highway Commission yesterday
afternoon instructed Mr.. John l.. King
to purchase ten additional mules for
the road matchmaking force, and
another rock crusher which will give
the county permanent road improve
ment commission four rock crushers
and sixty nine mules to work with.
At a meeting of the board of directors
of the Security and Annuity Life In
surance Company last night, it was
aScertained that the company had
written $4,000 of new business for
the month of June.
Mr. Andrew Joyner, wife and daugh-
ter, Miss Mary Lee. left this morning
for ASheville. The ladies will spend
a month in the mountains, but he
will attend the Press Association at
ASheVille and the Bar Association
meeting at ToXaWay.