The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-07-03

flIthe wants ana needs OF the people
who have been notwithstanding and
eunstantly hoping for something like
Mr. Nuztim has5inf store for them. Yet
they never dreamed that3the answer
TO their prayers was so near no that
the giftFwouid be so generous.
Mr. Nuzum Owls practically ALTO
the land between Sixth and Eighth
streets west Of Mt Vernon avenue on
the South Side and much of the land
east OF Locust avenue in the same
range. He has been collecting this
land for years with one object in view
and that object was for the benefit Of
the public which 1t will soon enjoy.
lMr. Nuzum realized that IN this purcell
OF land there was natural beauty sci
dom equaled. and that with a lew
strokes here. a little leveling there, to-
gether with proper and intelligent
landscapinE. the ground could be con,
verted into the finest park in the
State. After acquiring the land he at
once went to work improving 1t and
beautifying the spots that nature had
left for the cunning skill OF man to Inn
prove.
Mr. Nuzum did not wait for the city
to lay out, the streets and alleys and
ask that council appropriate money
for excavating and paving them. He
went before council and asked that
! certain streets that had been laid out
by the city but had new been opened
because OF their being impracticable
be vacated, and thai he would give the
city good streets that could be used.
] These new streets he offered to lay
out under the direction OF the city en-
gIneer. who was to establish inc
grades. at his own expense and further
to excarate and pave them at his cost
All that he asked was that the city
give him deeds for the old streets that
he asked to have vacated. he i'm turn
would give the city deeds for the new
| streets that he gave In lieu of the old
ones. Council saw that by Mr.. Nu,
zum's generous proposition there woul'
he an expenditure of $4,000 on I'M
provements of property within the city
limits, without the expenditure of E
| dollar of the cIty's money, accepted
the proposition offered by Mr. Nuzum
and directed him to go on with the
work that he had already started. The
city engineer was Instructed by coun
Gil to determine the grades for streets
and alleys that Mr.. Fuzum proposed
to lay out. Since coucil accepted Mr.
Nuzum's proposition he has had teams
lowering the high places, carrying tho
e%xcavated dirt to the rarines and low
places that need filling. The buscage
has been cut down and nothing Is left
to keep one from enjoying the excel
lent shade afforded by the magnificent
trees. To augment the shade provided
by the lenizens OF the primevill forest
one hundred trees have bee planted.
Day by day the work OF bringing ont
the beauty of the place Is going on and
the park is undergoing n transforma
ton that Is almost n revelation to the
one nat visits lakewood to see the ma
ture of the improvements. Everything
that would mar hte- asthetic appear
ance OF the park is being removed and
all touches tina enhance the adorn-
nlent of lakewood are added to the
Ernces hat will make 1t an ideal play
ground.
a splendid spring Is walled. here one
Gun get cool draughts Of natures thirst
q%uenchinE fluid. Another spring flows
into n pool. making n native mirror to
reflect the beauty hat surrounds 1t.
The city has paid little attention tc
Sixth. Seventh and Eighth streets west
of Coleman avenue on South Side.
These streets have been put In first
class condition by Mr.. Nuzum. Mt. Yer
non avenue Is shut off between Sixth
and Seventh streets by the old Elem
Ing cemetery TINT extends across the
th~oroughfare. Mr. Nuzum
this and now the cemetery does not In
terfere with the public nor will 1t need
to be disturbed. West OF Mt. Vernon
and between 1t and Prospect avenue is
the customary twenty-foot alley. Mr..
Nuzum has given the city twenty rect
of ground on each side OF the alley.
| which makes 1t a street Of regulation
/ width. This street has not been mani