Evening journal., 1911-03-04
WAC DISCUSSES
THE PARK AGAIN
Would Not Have Fairgrounds
on East Side for Fear Of
Disturbing Residents

Editor of THE EVENING JOURNAL.
The writer has noticed In the pub
lished statements Of the Park Com
missions plan Of park expansion that
IL IS proposed TO locate park or play
ground several acres IN extent in the
lower end OF the Ninth ward, some
where along the water shed Of Prices
Run | sincerely hope, Mr.. Editor, that
this idea will be abandoned. The peo-
pie in this section OF the city don't ,
need any parks. They already have all |
the facilities for diversion and relaxa- /
ton that any reasonable person could
desire. They are scarcely mile from
the Delaware river. BY going a round
about route and cutting their way
through jungles OF swamp willows and
jumping a few bitches. they can get
around Todd's Cut shops and reach the
Delaware or the east bank Of the ro-
mantle Shellpot, down In the marsh.
That is. they can do so when the wind
is not from the east and the tide is
low.
Then. when the frost is out OF the
ground and the mud dries up, they can
pick their way carefully along Thatch-
er street, and looking across the
Brandywine. get q fine view of the
Orchard with its feet OF saucy little
boats Kirkwood Park Is prominent in
the range of vision, and the looming
DUPONT Building gives an atmosphere
TO the whole which is more than graft
flying Continuing their walk, they will
arrive at Eleventh street bridge. where
they can hang over the rail and dis
cuss with their fellows the many hues
given to the waters OF the Brandywine
hN Ia hu int he
river by the numerous factories up
stream. Il doesn't always smell so bad.
Meanwhile they can discuss the disap-
/ pearance of catfish and wonder what
has become of the carp hereabouts.
A park therefore I'm this section, Mr..
Editor, the writer Is convinced Is un-
necessary and would cause a great
deal OF dissatisfaction: and the first
thing you knew. the people would be
skiing for sidewalks, arc lights and
1 paved streets, and they would be hav-
ing the Board OF Health work over
time.
No. Mr.. Editor, let them buy GEM
eteries in other sections of the city and
turn them into parks. Let them pur-
chase lots inside the city and outside
the city until there Will be a belt line
enclrcling the environs; but let the
setting of this ring, like bruised and
battered eye looking to the east to
greet the rays OF the rising sun, be
this natural or unnatural product. this
No-man's land an object lesson OF ae-
glect and the result OF civic incompet-
ency and inefhciency.
IL is stated in the daily papers that
the American Tobacco ComlUny
would make their plant here the
largest In the world Il they could get
the labor II they could get tho
, labor, Mr. Editor, where would the
I labor get the homes TO live ia? One
would naturally conclude that big
a rents would produce a big crop o
9 houses, and they should in the nature
d OF things. In a city, however. theri
must be streets along which to bull
o houses. And when yau have house
Q nuilt on streets and people living 4
u them, the latter must have ingres
ana egress Here you have land, in
: stead OF streets, and mud and waite
u leading TO houses. only half a mill
nom Market street as the crow flies
ana WITHIN ten minutes walk OF es-
adjustments employing 10000 hands
hVery paved street is built up to It's
Unit Every street leading up 10
these built-up streets Is a mud hole.
lr you had streets on which 10
build houses, you could only reach
! your street In roundabout way by
trolley, or through bogs and mud
holes II you walked The writer, I'm
T spite OF himself, discovers that he Is
indulging I'm kind OF talk which
might lead the reader TO infer that he
Is a kicker or dissatisfied. This is
not true, Mr.. Editor. He has lived
In this section for more than tbirtv
, years, and would dislike 10 see Il
changed. He Is immune from the
darts OF the mosquito He loves the
sonorous notes OF the green-headed
3 bullfrog, and no rare product of the
$ Moral kingdom has for him the sans
e charm as the cat-tail. the bulrush
= and the splstterdock. He misses
3 his old friends the musxrats whe
, were formerly so plentiful that the,
j. sue MS chicken feed. but have re.
' oently peen driven by the high price
OF pelts to the far away moors.
The writer even finds himself SIGH.
: ing Tor the good old days when the
Shiluren were young. and when with
me WIND from the east. his first
'o"N was W see lndt the oars and
iocks were all right in the lifeboat
l. and his next thought was TO move
7 Wife and babies to the attic.
n Ihere are kickers here, Mr.. Editor
9 Dut they came OF their own accord
q and II they do not like Il thy can gc
: away We old-timers are satigfied
q and We are here from choice. The
authorities should pay no attentior
: to the faultfnders. Whether Won cal
: It Pickleville, Gander Hin. No Man.
l. Land or what not. let 1t stay as n is
Q 10 pave street here would be AT
. outrage. To establish a park woul,
II be a crime. Let the buIlfror renal,
D. undisturbed. Protect the muskra
10 from the small boy and the tranne,
q Allow the cat-tail, the bulrusb An,
u the splatterdock 10 flourish as =
4. yore. ana you will always have tn
! sincere thanks OF ~
q nm, William G. Ketting.
wilmington, March