The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-08-25
TACOMAHAS BEST PLAYGROUND
Great Stadium For the Use of the Chill
dren Erected by the City of Tacoma
Attracts Wide Attention Among Wis
itor&

The Rev. Marion Murdoch, former
president and one Of the organizers of
the Kenosha Fairgrounds Association
has written a very interesting letter
to Kenosha friends in regard to visits
to various play grounds in the West.
Miss Murdoch is now at Portland, Ore
gon, but in speaking of the play
grounds she says:
"In every city which l have SO far
visited in this far western country
play grounds are receiving great at
tention Seattle has five spendidly
equipped play centers and festivals and
contests are held at each of the differ
ent Fairgrounds at various times dur
ing the year. An official of the city
of Seattle told me that they considered
this the best possible mode for the
expenditure Of public funds.
Tacoma. Washington has it's remark
able stadium, Greek amphitheatre
with American Improvements open to
all the children Of the city as magni-
fcent play-arena.
Dug out of verdant hillside which
slopes downward to the placid waters
Of Commencement Bay. 154 feet above
high tide nesting at the base of one
of the finest High School buildings in
America, the Stadium is ideal in every
respect. From any part of the west
amphitheatre a panoramic view may
be obtained Of two snow-capped mount
ain ranges, stretches of virgin forest
and miles Of the ocean tributary known
as Puget Sound. It is within five min
utes walk Of the Northern Pacific rail
road tracks and situated in the heart
of the city.
Although constructed at a cost of
$4,000 raised by public subscription
and school funds, the school depart,
ment is free from debt now that the
Stadium is completed. Not only is the
structure valuable to the school de-
partment, but it is regarded as a. valu-
able asset to the City of Tacoma. It is
just SO years ago since the first white
mans cabin was erected here as the
nucleus of this city. The City of
Destiny but at the recent federal
census enumeration Tacoma was regis
tered with population of 10000.
The concrete-steel seats of the new
Stadium 81 tiers high, aggregate 6.42
miles and afford seating capacity for
10000 people. The structure is horse
shoe in shape with a 2.0O0-foot re-
tanning wall at the open end, which
overlooks the waters of the Sound. It
is 400 feet long, $50 feet wide at its
widest part and $50 feet at its narrow
est point. In building the seats alone
14S tons Of structural steel was used
and 100000 cubic yards of earth had to
be removed, although a. natural depres-
sion made the project comparatively
easy. Spacious dressing rooms are locat
ed under the seating space at each end
of the horse shoe and are fitted up with
"a showers and all modern conveniences
for athletic teams. The drainage facil-
tiles of the Clio acre field are excellent
and 10000 lineaf feet of thing used for
this purpose makes it possible to drain
the big field in one hour. A fve-lap
| 16-foot running track runs around the
outer edge of the field and two 20-foot
stairways connect the Stadium with
the High School grounds.
The city of Portland is taking a
great interest in the playground move
ment. In fact the people all over the
country, including of course the people
Of our city of Kenosha are beginning
| to realize that the first business of the
city or town is to provide for the health
and recreation Of the children. The
encouragement that Kenosha has given
to the Fairgrounds is in keeping with
this spirit of the great new west which
is SO fully shown in the various cities
mentioned