Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-23
Named for Statesman.

Lake Calhoun. the largest body OF
water in the group. and a favOrSte resort
for sailing and swimming, was named in
honor of that fiery South Carolinian.
John c. Calhoun. who was Secretary of
War when Fort Smelling was rebuilt.
Lake Calhoun has q surface of 400 acres
and shore line o. three and half miles.
Lake Harriet next in size. was named
after the wife of Col. Leavenworth, one
of the first commandments at the fort, and
has an area of $50 acres and shore
line of nearly three miles. Both Calhoun
and Harriet are encircled by boulevards
and walks. and their shores are embel-
| lished with wild flowers, tamarack and
other natural foliage. Lake Harriet Is
the popular resort for boating, and 1,6Si
canoes, private and for hire, were regis
tered with the park commissioners last
summer No body of water in the world
| is more useful for sports and amuse-
| ments. and the park commissioners have
| installed a system of electric iighrting
around it which is pleasing a.nd artistic.
| One hundred and eighty candlepower
| lights have been placed where they IL
| Illuminate the entire surface Of the water.
The Grand canal of Venice was never
| more gay than Lake Harriet has been on
some of the evenings during the last
summer.
In the winter skating and Ice yachting
are as common as sailing and canoeing
| in the summer. AT Lake MinnetOnka
races between ice yachts are held regu-
| larry. The Lake of the Isles, which has
an area of 1O7 acres, is given up to fast
driving during the winter season. and an
ice race track furnishes a novel and ex-
hilarating amusement Curling and bowl
Ing on the ice are other winter sports.
( All of these lakes are connected with
channels for canoes and launches so that
it is possible to go from one to the other
through the entire chain. All or them are
encircled by walks and drives. and there
are rest houses. restaurants and amuse-
| ment halls scattered here and there, with
bandstands al which concerts are given
as announced In certain places the
shores of the lakes have been pre-empted
for residences. and furnish delightful
outlook. but of late all riparian rights
are being secured by the city.
Broad Powers to Board.
The board of park commissioners has
authority to obtain by purchase or con-
domination the titles of any private hold
ings that may be required to complete the
park system or add to the public conven-
fence. and, furthermore. that body has
broad powers to issue bonds to pay for
land and to improve it, to build bridges
and roads, and to do whatever Is neces-
sary TO make the parking system as per-
feet as possible. 1t also has power TO
plant shade trees on any street in the
| city and assess the adjoining property
! to pay for them. But with rare judy
ment. the commission has permitted the
parks to retain their natural appearance
as far as possible.
| The city limits of Minneapolis extend
ten miles from north to south and six
miles from east to west, more or less.
/ and inclose an area of fifty-three square
miles. OF this area 3.379 acres are In
| forty three parks. which is an average of
more than one acre for every 100 inhab-
itants. This includes 80 acres of lakes
and 81 "a miles of boulevards in Minneap-
! oils alone The park property Is valued
at So 2S2, 56S Nineteen of the forty-three