Evening journal., 1910-08-18
Had That PrOviSO in Its
Recommendation for Buy
ing the Ford Land
PRESIDENT SHAW
WANTS SMALLER PLOTS

site, One-third or Wnlcn is IN luIdl
New Castle county outside the city
limits The recommendation OF the
Park Commissioners was as follows;
Wilmington, Del, May II, 1910.
To the City Council Of Whining
ton:
The undersigned, members OF
the Board OF Park Commission
ers, hereby recommend 60 the
Council the aoquiration, for park
purposes, of the tract of land,
bounded by Fifth and Sixth
streets and Ford and Ogle ave-
nues, comprising about four and
one-half acres. ii Il can be had
upon satisfactory terms.
!. L. Banning,
W. G.. Mendinhal,
Irenee DUPONT.
Alexander j. Taylor.
Samuel Bancroft, Jr.,
Samuel II. Baynard,
Jerome b. Bell,
Joseph l.. Carpenter, Jr.,
j. Harvey Spruance,
James Kane,
William r. Bancroft.
H. w. Cause.
Some Comparisons
The Park Commissioners had moth
ing TO do with fixing the price for the
tract. which was done by the finance
committee of Council. but there are
great many people In Wilmington who
think the recommendation OF reason
able terms" did not carry much weight.
IL is pointed out that the Horse
Show Park. which comprises more
/ than twenty acres. Is on the market
for about $4,000, and Il is a piece Of
as fine a land as is availnable In the
western section Of the city.
This price is at the rate OF $3.50 an
acre II is much more convenient to
and accessible from the populous sec
tions, and contains nearly five times
as much land as Is included In the
tract bought from Mr.. Ford for $50, 900
The Ford property. part OF which
. is I'm thecountry, was bought for abou
04400 an acre This gives an idea o
the bargain" the city got In its frs
and hasty venture I'm buying play
grounds and which has provoked s
much criticism upon City Council.
City Solicitors Action.
p City Solicitor John W. Brady toda
? explained that he did not pay out IN
/, $4,000 for the purchase of the For
, and J. Chester Gibson tracts unit
after he had the deeds to the property
and after he had made the searches
He has not passed the titles of two o
, the smaller properties as yet. how
{ ever.
Mr. Brady said he acted under th
instructions of Chairman James Kan,
OF the finance committee of Council
when he obtained the deeds and mad,
the searches, and he paid the money
TO Mr. Ford and to Mr.. Gibson By
direction OF Chairman Kane after ht
had completed his searches, obtained
the deeds and passed the titles. He
said the impression that he had paid
the purchase price before the titles
had been passed was wrong. Mr.
Brady said the impression that Mayor
fixing the price, but as city solici-
tor. acting upon the request OF the
chairman Of Councils finance COM
mittee, he passed upon the titles "a
the property and paid over the money
placed at his disposal by Council. Mr.
Brady said the impressiO nthat Mayor
Spruance has to sign or approve OF
the papers of purchase or of the deeds
is incorrect, as that Is not required.
Chairman Kane Active.
Il was said today that most Of tn,
negotiations for the purchase of the
Z property were conducted by Chair
man Kane of the finance committee
Democratic leader In Council. who
looked of the details. The fnanc,
committee received its authority under
motion of City Council authorizing
the committee to buy Fairgrounds
after Mr. Ford and Jerome b. Bell
= delegates to the Fairgrounds congress
had submitted their report, and aftel
Mayor Spruance sent in a special mes
sage recommending the purchase o
/ Fairgrounds.
II was learned today at the las
. meeting OF the city advisory board o.
mayors cabinet Benjamin +. Shaw
president of the Board OF Water Com
missioners, took a pronounced stanI
for the purchase OF Fairgrounds il
congested districts, before buying an.
in the outlying sections.
I. Il advocated the purchase of play
/, grounds first IN the built-up sections,
! said Mr.. Shaw today. Il recommends
particularly the buying of more Liant
about Fourth and Pine streets. wher
there Is a small playground and II
other congested wards before buyinl
, land I'm the western section Of tn
city. ! offered to take the member
through the east side some evening
in an automobile to see the necessit
. for Fairgrounds. ! stood practically
alone in this. and did not know az tn
2 time that the proposed purchase o
the west-side land was so far ad
vanced"