Evening journal., 1910-06-24
RECOMMENDS
FAIRGROUNDS
Continued From Page 6.

population Of only 10000 It has spent
in the last six years S2ii 600 for the
purchase Of land for parks and play
grounds. In some instances, where
they could not secure the land by rea-
sonable agreement, they condemned II. |
paying $4,000 for Fairgrounds taken |
IN that way. This Is mentioned merely /
10 show how determined the people Of
Harrisburg arc to have Playground |
The city was represented az the Con- |
eress by Mr. V. Grant Forrer, secretary |
Of the Park Commission. and by Mr.. T..
S schimmeli. from which the informa-
tion above given Is derived
Reading Pa, had no representative
Al the Congress. but We were told by
delegate from Scranton. that " has
lately appropriated b00.0o0 for parks and
Fairgrounds.
"Terre Haute Ind. attracts special at
tention because OF earnestnesF with
which IL ls pushing the playground prop
osition. IT'S population is 6o,0oo. II has had
up until recently four small parks and
one large one, a part Of the latter being
devoted 10 Fairgrounds
1t was represented at Rochester by
Mrs ] J schlicher that Terre Haute is
much like Wilmington In one respect az
least-that is, the congested portions of
the city are remote from its parks. and
are without playground accommodations.
This disadvantage has been partially
remedied In Terre Hauto by tho purchase
Of one square IN the built-up part Of tie
city, as breathing space and play
ground for small children Tho price paid
for this square was $4,000 the money be-
Ing raised by the sale of bonds for that
purpose.
Camden n. j.. has established hve
Fairgrounds. a. what cost your delega-
tion was unable to learn but the value OF
these Fairgrounds apart from money con-
siderations. may be estimated from the
fact that during Me vacation season or
1902 from Juy to September tth q
period Of little less than two months. the
attendance OF children at these play
grounds reached the number Of g.. 600.
This has encouraged the Playground As
ISOLATION OF Camden TO reach out for
more Fairgrounds.
Washington sent a State representa-
tive to the Congress. Mr. Henry H. Car
retson. Of Tacoma. He says there Is the
livelest sort Of com1ettion between the
cities Of oregon and Washington on the
subject Of Playground Tacoma. with y
population Of 125,Oo0 has five supervised
Fairgrounds. and Is planning to have
double that number before the year goes
by. Seattle. population Of 100000 has
twelve supervised Fairgrounds. During
the past year II has spent $4,000 for this
object II now has t5,oo0.ooo Invested IN
parks and Fairgrounds. 900 OF which
khas been spent for playground alone
Portland, oregon also has twelve
supervised Fairgrounds. u has a popula-
tion of $4,000. and what IL Is likely Ia
do further in this line Is indicated hy
the remark OF Mr.. Garrctson to one OF
the Wilmington delegates: "You mas
wager that Portland Is not going 10 b,
behind Seattle. These two cities 70 neal
Of a size, arc friendly. They admire each
other. and are proud OF each other, bu
neither Of them viii take back scat fol
the other, not n IL can be avoided 81
spoke Mr. Garretson. and Il may be addei
that It Is this spirit Of wholesome help
ful and good-natured rivalry IN civic am
commercial affairs that makes the West
ern States 70 attractive and 30 prospef
GUS
Mobile Ala. has caught the fever
was represented by Mr.. T. n Putnam
who IS authority for The statement tina
II
plete system OF supervised playground
which viii probably involve an expend
ture N pubic money 10 the amount n
t25oooo. This will he exclusive Of m
public parks
n Chicago, New York. Boston. Bait
ID more. Philadelphia and ST. Louis arc I
M class by themFeives All Of these citis
2, are spending large sums annually for N
~" f1atfrlnnr4rnf nF .In
v cago probably leads In this respect. an,
as one Of its delegation expressed It.
H pouring money out like water. perhar
q unwisely In one sense as u encourage
extravaganza. which Is nkelv in the en-
to set up reaction. Chicaso now ha
N eighty Fairgrounds. large and small TN
H last legislature authorized bond issu
q Of S250Ooo for the purchase OF small part
' and Fairgrounds In one ward tho twen,
a fourth n also authorized bond sue
81 o0o,Ooo FOR tho use OF tho West Chlcar
Park Commission for like purpose A
derman Albert w Belfuss is chairma
OF the special Park Commission. and wit
vi T. A. Gross, superintendent Of pla
it grounds and bath beaches supplied n
81 information here given One fact Wit
respect 10 another city Of this group
ST. Louis will be Of local interest b
IN cause, though ON a larger scale. Il rui
n gests a parallel 20 tho situation here
s4 Wilmington The immense district in S
Louis that skirts tho river rs absolute
without single breathing spot TN
y residents Of that section live like bees
hive The city parks are remote
IA Fairgrounds there are none. But this vi
81 soon he changed. The sum Of f65o0oO M
IS been appropriated and Is now availaf
~ for the purchase Of three whole sauar
H1 In the heart OF tho city. The buildini
M viii be torn down on these squares AT
"a the spaces converted into parks and pla
y grounds. But this. we were informed
4H Mss Charlotte Rumford. Secretary
~ the Playground Association Of ST. Ioul
M Is only a small part Of the plans for Il
Il development Of the parks and piaygr6m
81 system Of St Louis now IN contemplate
Most ~ the delegates were a little
III surprised 70 find preventative fro
N Honolulu. Hawaii. attending a playgrou
FE congress held IN the eastern section
the United States, but that surprise va
70 shed after few minutes talk with r
M Erie n Hand. the delegate in questio
~ DR.. Hands enthusiasm upon the subje
~ Of Fairgrounds Is more than infections
4 II is incurable He Is the physical direct