The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-01-15
By MARY p. HERop


commentators words are In order.
am at loss to know what further
and more rapid advancement could
have been made, with the means and
Within the time.
strongly favor the enclosure Of
tIc additional tract recently purch..s-
ed, with Mineral Wells (lsland) park;
ut least one steel bridge (ior We
hIcles) with several rustic bridges"
over the raging Cottonwood. connect
ing the two tracts. or portions OF the
two parks. the erection OF al lcaSt
one large and other smaller paviliohs;
the cultivation OF the flowers on a
larger scale, and a general forward
movement along the lines marked out
by the board. The old idea OF a lake
ought 10 be revived and accomplished
rs originally planned The tract OF
land owned by Mr.. Latta. should be
owned By the city and beautified and
controlled by the park board. If this
llond hope or dream couid be realized
] would favor the construction OF bath
houses on this tract, and likewise a
sanitarium,
In my Judgment, what the park
board needs most. except money with
which 10 carry out the plans already
matured, is strong, hearty free and
intelligent cooperation OF the citizen
ship generally. relative to our parks
Second. The topics, City Improve
ment' and City Beautiful are close
lly allied TO. but not of the work OF
the park board; these topics ana the
means OF accomplishment, 4 imagine
bring about earnest and solicitious re-
Election from the persons who take
membership upon a park board This
is as it should be
If one citizen ~ citizens family
may have greater interest in civic
improvement, and a beautiful city,
lover another, il must be that one en-
gagged in the rental and sale of city
property, They have in addition to
that intelligent pride possessed by
every other good citizen, but also a
selfish. or business interest And this
is true of the jobber and retail deal
er in the mercantile world. 1t is
worth much, immeasurable, incalcua-
bic TO have an attractive city. 1t is
the business home OF all customers,
and an attractive place for the travel
ing public.
1t follows that the first requisite is
harmonious, judicious action. We are
now credited with being the cleanest
and most heaithful city in the state.
but with this We should not, and can
not properly be content. we have
the most beautiful townsite. and II
we do not have the beautiful city, We
are the losers. We have beautiful
homes and they are we'll cared for
No criticism has been offered along
that line. The greatest drawback and
stumbling block TO the progress, and
beautifying our city arises because
OF the want OF action by the only
body competent, with authority to
deal with the subject.
II has been demonstrated time and
gain that the individual is never
called upon In vain, where the in
terest OF our beautiful and substaD-
tial city is concerned.
The substantial. handsome and very
expensive improvements Aade By the
Santa Fe is greatly marred by tue
shacks" hard by. a bad ~ ! uhtat-
orable Impression is made and opin
ion formed by every stranger VINO
aliBhts from the Santa Fe, as well as
The travelling public, which is not and
cannot be removed without seeing
the real business anl residence por-
tiou OF the city. This has been DEM
more than once. In the
formation of this opinion and the
making OF this impression so untay
orable, the danger to life and prop
erty is not taken into con sideratiOn.
NJ. a.ta t.a nTa
Cor this state OF affairs. 1t is only
necessary to say the same state oil
facts apply 10 other places awaiting
the action OF the same persons % ap
ply the remedy Il is useless 70 talk
or plan for a city beautiful, with inn
movable obstacles i'll the way. 1t 5
closely related to trying 10 retain the
capital BY sitting upon ii,
Closely connected Is the unsightly
vacant parcels Of ground, extra prom
nently the corner OF Cleveland and
Vine street. formerly the site Of the
Christian church
TO the same extent certain side
walks, street crossings, want of cul-
verts and bridges, badly in need Of
attention mar the city beautiful. The
OF these scars suggests at
once the remedy and | need not trou- !
Die you with any recommendation |
But one is known. In case of sick
ness, life and death, YOU would take |
he medicine. as a city we are sick |
INTO death. / think | should, how |
ever. suggest relative to the vacant |
OTIS. that a removal OF the debris, |
md levelling off where necessary, ,
lnd substituting Bermuda and flowers |
II my judgment lot with a good |
growth Of cotton is much more sight I
y ana attractive than one with a I
yrowth OF weeds, or even corn. Il I
las been suggested. that the lots own
ID by the Congregationalists at the (
,orner OF Broad and Cleveland sh uld
re leased for park purposes. A 4
beautiful small but convenient and I
Ittractiye place could be profitab.yl
for recreation pUrpOses) planned
ooking TO thep leasure of the little
oiks, with their mothers. | am in
ayor OF this action, not only because
t the pleasure, but the added beauty \
0 the city
There has ben talk OF converting
he gulch dividing the city, into a
bing OF beauty and convenience. A
lcartiiy favor this contemplated
loyc. can see the proper iron fenc-
lg: the stone or cement steps al cou
enient places for ingress aud egress
ito and from this sunhen garden; the
ntire place from Oklahoma Ave TO
pringer ieveled and planted TO flow
rs aud shrubbery; the mineral wells /;