Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-09-03
RIVER FRONT SECURED
FOR PARK PURPOSES
Common Council Takes Another
Stride Forward for the Com
fort and Pleasure of People
of This CITY.

| IUTl dIu TtGdSufc vi TGUpIt
of This City.
One Of the greatest tribes forward
| in the history of the city of Grand
Rapids was taken by the common
council Thursday when lit accepted
the offer of the Grand Rapids I'm.
provement Association to convey tC
the city the river front on both sides
of the river for park and pleasure
ground purposes. The action of the
council was unanimous and was
backed up by the unanimous ap.
proval of the business men of the city
1t secures to all of the citizens The
| benefits and beauties of the banks
and scenery of the Wisconsin river
below the wagon bridge on Grand
avenue and will give to the city OF
Grand Rapids the finest beauty spot
possessed by any city of its size in the
country. When the old delapidated
and repulsive buildings and surround.
| ings are removed from the river front
| beginning with the LaMadeline block
| and ending with the Mulroy property,
opposite the Commercial hotel, and
the river front is parked and land,
sea ped there will be within the very
| heart Of the city of Grand Rapids a
scene which its citizens and strangers
will never forget. This city4S fortun.
ate in still having the opportunity tC
obtain for its citizens the famous
beauty spot. 1t has been the wonder
| and matter of frequent comment OF
strangers visiting our city why we
should permit these buildings to dis.
figure our beautiful river.
The president of the National Civic
League, who visited Grand Rapids
last spring, mentioned our river in his
lectures in other cities after he left
here as one of the finest scenes of
which any city could boast, but re-
gretted that we neglected to improve
our opportunities. The council and
business men are to be congratulated
that the matter has been taken hold
of vigorously and that we have Sc
cured this property with little cost
and are soon to convert it into a
beautiful public park.
The movement toward securing the
river front for the city began some
weeks ago by the appointment of a
committee OF business men by the
Women's Federation, consisting of
f. j. Wood, Earle PeaSe, Geo. W.
Mead, E. w. Ellis and Theo. w. Bra
zeau to look up the feasibility of Sc
curing this property for the city. The
committee canvaSsed the proposition
from every standpoint and finally con-
cluded after consulting with most of
the business men who could be reached
that it was not only deSirOus that the
city should obtain this property but
that it was possible to do so and
| ought to be done Immediately. A
corporation was then organized known
as the Grand Rapids Improvement
| Association" and this association
| went to work with vigor and secured
options on all of the property on both
banks of the river beginning with
the LaMadeline property on the west
bank and the property below the
Wood building on the east hank, eX.
| cept two pieces of property on the
west bank. which may have to be
taken by condemnation, and also the
right to purchase 81 acres on the
banks of the Wisconsin river, includ.
ing three large islands, from the Cen
tralia Pulp & Water Power Co, All
of this property can be secured within
| $50, 900, and all agree who have looked
at the proposition that the lands are
| worth much more than this sum.
rhe three banks of the city have con.
sented to advance the whole purchase
| price and carry the property for the
association until the city feels able tC
take it over. All that the association
| asked of the council was that the city
assume the interest and make some
small payment ON the bonds each
! year. The obligation assumed by the
city will amount to not exceeding one
dollar on every thousand dollars OF
taxable property.
All of the big interests of the city, in
Guiding the Consolidated Water Power
s. Paper Co, The Centralia Pulp ano
Water Power Co., F. MacKinnon Mfg
Co., Oberbeck Bros. Mfg. Co., johnson
& Hill Co., Stange-Ellis Co., Badger
Box & Lumber Co., Bank of Crane
Rapids, Wood County National Bank
First National Bank, John Arpir
Lumber Co., Pomainville Estate
Witter Estate, Centralia Hardware
Co., Kellogg Bros. Lumber Co., Crane
Rapids Foundry Co., and other large
tax payers by their representative
have endorsed the move. These in
terests will have to pay at least two
thirds of the purchase price of tht
park and they have shown liberality
on the part Of their representatives q
which few cities can boast. Most O.
the leading individual tax payers o.
the city have been seen and have
heartily endorsed the move and believe
that 1T means big step in advance
for the city. The city was not asked
by the association to assume any O
the debt and all that could happen il
any circumstance if the city at an!
time changed its mind or decided tt
abandon the property would be tina
the lands would revert to the origina
IownerS.
There is strong movement to sc
cure for the City of Grand Rapids