The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-07-21
NEWSPAPER MEN NAMED
ON PARK BOARD THERE
HOW ONE WESTERN KANSAS
TOWN is TRYING TO BeAUTl
~ ITS PUBLIC PLACES.

with the decision of the bond
case. which is now in tn, suprem'
court. Atdmorc will be in a position
1t is believed whore 1t can ttke up
the park question and begin 10
make city beautiful.
In this connection It Is interest
ing to know what other towns are
doing alonG this line, ard from
the neighboring etatc Of Kansas
comes some varabI3 information.
Garden city probably Is the iirst
small town in the state to take
hold Of the park question in a Wig
orous and systematic way.
Following a campaign f0r park
bcttcrment and creation this sring
the city council has, by ordinance,
created a commission Of three nem-
bcrs. serving without pay 'lothcd
with exclusive jurisdiction and al
thority over the two small parks
the town now has. and TeS,el with
power to establish new ones.
The mayor appointed as members
Of the commission $. G. Norris and
II. H. Faxon. editors of the two
newspapers. both interested in and
having some knowledge Of parks
and kindred matters, and the Rev.
A. S. Davis. pastor of .ne Prcsby'
terian church. an active, publ'"
spirited Young man. Witaout delay
the commission got at its work,
and was fortunate in securing. at
a modest salary. as superintendent.
man who is a practical landscape
gardener and understands trees,
grass. flowers and shrubs.
Garden city har two small parks,
each comprising 4 square Both are
owned by the county. one being
the site Of the old court house and
the other given in the early days
by one of the towns founders,
John y. stevens, for court house
purposes Each has a large number
of fine trees upon It, but neither
was getting the care 1t should, while
the grass and grounds generally
were very much neglected.
4 lease was entered into between
city and county. whereby each con
tributed to the park fund, under
the jurisdiction of the commission, n
stipulated sum of money each month.
One large property owner who was
interested in what was being done
contributed 800 to the fund and
many leading citizens agreed to
give certain sums monthly the year
around. All this went into the park
fund and made the beginning for
the work.
The commission meets informally
daily and goes over the parks, stud
les the situation, lays its plans and
number of large orders for shrubs
and flowers were given and sevral
handsome beds now adorn each
park
Grounds were broken up. leveled
and rcsown and young grass is now
growing where tho verdure was for.
merly ragged and uneven or where
there was only bare ground Trees
were trimmed. Strengthened and
cared for, benches put in and every
possible step taken in a modest way
10 make the parks attractive.
One of the things the commission
has had to contend with is made
quatc water supply, and to the end
that It may not suffer thereby, a
system of its own. with a motor
tank, etc, is now being planned for
each park, provided sufficient funds
can he secured to take care OF the
matter.
The commission hopes and believes
II will show beyond any doubt, he
fore hte summer Is over. sufficient
justification of its existence an
its work TO enable a small tax II
be levied for park support next year
II hopes also TO instill the park ant
adornment spirit in school children
women's clubs, etc, and have vacan
lots, little triangles and other VT
slightly DlaceS abOut town change
materially next year.
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Proprietary Medicines prescrlbed h,