The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-21

pointed state park commissioners, and
b. s. Corser and w. A. Barnes of Min.
neapQlis and Peter Berkey of St. Paul
were appointed appraisers of selected
and condemned lands.
The tract selected by the commission
ers consisted of 178 acres extending
from the Fort Smelling military reser-
walton on the south to Forty -eighth
street on the north and bounded by the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul railway
on the west and the Mississippi river on
the east, and including Minnehaha Falls
and glen, altogether nearly mile of
the creek, and ffty-five acres donated
by the city to the state for the Soldiers
home.
An appeal to the courts was taken by
the property owners from the valuation
fixed by the appraisers, and the legisla-
tive session of 1887 was at its close |
when the supreme court rendered its de- |
cision sustaining thei commission and |
appraisal
The Minnehaha state park commits
governor and the legislature in theses
sion of 1889, and reported. their mis-
sion successfully completed and the
park lands ready for the acceptance and
payment of the state. It then devel-
oped that the condition of the state
treasury made purchase at this juncture
impracticable. This unlooked-for pre-
dicament threatened the defeat of the
entire project after four years Of faith
full labor and expense.
State and city officials credit the sal
walton and ultimate success of the Min
nehaha park project at this crisis to the
energy and the wise suggestion Of Com
missioner George A. Bracket.
Mr.. Bracket conceived the idea OF
raising by private means the $92 ,283. 16.
fixed by the appraisers and sustained by
the courts as the value of the lands for
public park purposes. and then by joint
acts of the state legislature and of the
to transfer the title of the lands to the
city to be operated by the park board as
| the Minnehaha state park; the city OF
Minneapolis to pledge its credit for the
redemption of the private loan. On
Jan. 26, 1889, Mr.. Bracket presented
the case to the Minneapolis park board
and received official cooperation in the
passage Of resolution and the appoint
ment of a committee consisting of Com
and Boardman. The Minnesota delega
tion in the legislature was enlisted for
service in the passage of the necessary
legislative act, and Governor. Merriam
was converted as a friend of the meas
ure.
The loan was effected and the pur-
chase made in the following manner,
as narrated by. Henry F. Brown:
Mr.. George Bracket came to me with note
nefs iona the to Ss of the the
Boardman DR.. Hance. Thomas Lowry, Clinton
e. Gale Wseb and possibly
others, but I don't remember any others.
signed the note myself at the time and asked
be d tSe
take it. remarked to Mr.. Bracket that
had on It
, for a long time, however. and we supposed that
the matter was dropped and the deal would
Mr.. Bracket came to me and asked me If
: could take that note. asked him II the bank
been to the bank and that they had loaned
their funds and could not take it then. and
ssssd taking could at the hot ne signed hsd
had then some $4,000 myself, and would see
to the bank and find out. went to the Union
National bank and found could get the balance
Of the money, and so told him | would take
check to take to Governor Merriam the next
day, which contaminated the deal
This action saved the city the great
: park, the fate Of which was trembling
in the balance.
Il George Bracket adds the following
! |
haha park grounds, for the city of Min
neapolis, and which is one of the mos
notable of the many transactions which
! have given to our city it's remarkable
park system:
} This certified check was placed In the hands
J Of s. G. Gale, g. NJ: johnson. president of tn,
city council, and f. NJ. Wilson. II my recollec
! ton serves me correctly, s. G. Gale was t,
take that money down to Governor Merriam un
der the agreement made, that If the state accept
ed the park he could then say to him that ar
rangements had been made and sthe park hat
been paid for; Mr. johnson in the meantim,
. izing the issue of 500, 900 in bonds BY tn,
as It did. was Ultimately Jake up 'n's note
Thus by prompt and resourceful en-
ergy, after ultimate defeat seemed i'm
minent, the cooperation of the state
and city public officials and private cap
ital was enlisted, and the most impor
tant park enterprise of Minneapolis
and one of the most important of the
. northwest, was saved and brought thru
to successful issue. Today Minnehaha
overlooking the high banks Of the Mis-
! sissippi for the better part Of mile
and including the falls of Minnehaha
/ the stream and glen for three-quarters
E of mile, together with ffty-fve acres
. of the Soldiers home property within
|; the same general park enclosure, the
; whole property policed and vel
!, equipped with buildings, animals an6
: floral decorations, and still so well pre-
: served in its natural beauties that the
! ruggedness of the original forest AMI
:, the beauty of the falls impress all be
; holders.
!. I AS combined state and city park
= uniting in one great property rare nat
q ural and artistic beauties, with TIL.
Z 7 unique attraction Of Minnehaha Falls
j with its poetic traditions as the centra
figure. Minnehaha park stands in elias
by itself' among the notable parks O.
this country and of the world.
l. Park Acquisitions of 1872.
The years 1891 and 1892, at th
e height Of the city's boom period O.
. ing the panic Of 1893, were notable TO
l. the large additions, Of important parl
: properties.
It With the possible exception Of tn
f first four wears, 1887, of the organiza
/ ton Of the park board under C.. Nd
4 Lorlng as president and Commissioner
~ Morrison, Bracket, Wilson, Pillsbury
4 Bassett, Oswald, Morse, Chute and Mel
: son as executive cimmitteemen for tn
e acquisition and Improvement Of par
i properties, the boards of 1891, unde
= A.-C. Hangar as president, and Of 1892
- with A. j. BoardmaI. president, wit
~ Professor w. w. Fo1weH and J. A
= Ridgeway as chairman, respectively, o
the committees on designation o
park grounds and on finance. adde
= more territory to the Minneapolis par
q system than any others in the city