Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1911-07-18
FOUR SITES PLACED BEFORE
MASS MEETING FOR CON-
SIDERATION.
BROOKS ISLAND FAVORED
Question of Raising Funds for Pur-
chase of Site a Serious Problem
to Be Solved Before Further Steps
Are Taken-Subscription is Sug-
gested.

A mass meeting was held at the
court house last Tuesday evening,
which was called by Mayor Marshall
for the purpose Of receiving the re-
port Of the committee appointed by
the mayor to look into the matter
of selecting site for city park.
The attendance was by no means
what it should have been, which was
probably, in a large measure, due to
the fact that the meeting was not
we'll enough advertised Those who
did attend, however, were very en-
thusiastic, which made up for the de-
hciency in attendance
Mayor Marshall presided, and the
report showed that the committee had
devoted much time and attention to
its work. There were four park sites
submitted by the committee.
Sites Offered.
OF the four sites recommended by
the committee, the Brooks Island was
considered first choice. Mr. Brooks
offers the island to the city for $12,-
600 and would accept in payment
CNlllCl wall anus vi OCluS DCdl luS "
per cent. interest. He also offers to
sell an adjoining tract for $1,000 on
similar terms.
The second choice was an offer by
Mrs. J. H. Crowley. The Crowley
tract contains between fifteen and
twenty acres on the road to the fair
grounds, and the price asked was
$500 an acre.
The next choice was the offer of
the owners Of Park addition Of a
thirteen-acre tract for $4,000.
]. E. Hopkins also offered a tract,
subject to a lease, for 5000 an acre.
Outlook Not Encouraging.
The discussion at the meeting and
later developments brought out the
fact that the city's finances are in no
condition to pay any such price for
park site. The city cannot issue
bonds for that purpose and there ap.
pears to be no other available source
from which the necessary finances
can be secured Those present at
the meeting were doubtful about rails
ing the amount by popular sub
scription.
Following is the report of the com
mittee:
Committees Report.
Your committee carefully inspected
and examined each of the properties
described in the foregoing PROPOSE
ton as submitted, and at meeting
held in the office of the chairman OF
the committee on July 10th, 1911, i,
was unanimously agreed that your
committee recommend to the citizens
of Lewistown as its first choice the
tract known as Brooks Island" as
offered at twelve thousand dollars
(S12,OOOOO) by Mr. John Brooks. II
this connection it was also unani
mously decided that your committee
recommend the purchase of the ad
ditional tract adjacent to Crooks
Island which is offered at price
of five Thousand dollars ($5,00O00) b,
Mr.. John Brooks, providing. however
that if the purchase of this addtiona
tract would tend in anywise to pre-
vent the purchase of the tract here
matter submitted as the second choice
your committee would in such case
recommend the purchase only of the
tract offered for twelve thousand dol
lars.
Your committee unanimously de
cided to recommend the purchase O.
fifteen Or twenty acres from the heir.
of John H. Crowley at price o.
eight hundred dollars ($8O0OO pei
acre, according to the proposition
submitted by Mrs. ]. H. Crowley
In recommending this site your com
mittee suggests that twenty (20)
acres be purchased if this can pos
sibly be arranged for. and that al
least fifteen Q5) acres be purchased
as park site.
Your committee particularly urge:
the acquisition of this site and the
Brooks Island" site.
| Your committee unanimously de.
cided to recommend as its thirt
choice the purchase of the tract il
Park addition, and adjacent thereto
containing approximately thirteer
(l3) acres, at a price of ten thousane
dollars ($lO,OOO.OO). according to tn,
proposition submitted by the Lewis
town Realty association.
| Your committee submits as it
fourth choice the site containing fort.
(4O) acres offered at price of 81,
hundred dollars (S60O0O) per acr,
bv James F. Hopkins.
Tn reference to the foregoing selec
tions. your committee wishes to stat