Imperial Valley press., 1912-07-15
of natural scenery outdoing beautiful

i For many years parks were lost in
the general turmoil which ensued dur
ing which time highway robbery and
war seemed to be the principal pur-
suits, and people were divided into two
classes-the proprietors of vast tracts
of land, holding them by might, and
common people, who served these
landed proprietors IN any manner
necessary.
In the course of time many of
these tracts of land were consolidated,
and we next hear of public, and a lit
tie late of royal forests. These, how
ever, were generally game preserves
Tor their owners, or served as sources
OF revenue in furnishing timber for
construction purposes. At the same
time the common people were allowed
pasturage, and were permitted to
gather firewOOd from these forests.
After time the idea occurred and the
thought grew that these vast forests.
hearty as nature had left them. were
of much value to the public at large,
and by reason of the waving of prop.
erty rights. or probably by the de-
Mands OF the common people, these
forests became public parks or public
forests. England and France have
many such places, some of them be-
Ing New Forest 'Eping Forest.
Hampstead Heath 'Bois de Bologpe'
ana 'Bols de Vincennes.' In England
most of these forests are kept in the
natural state, while in France MANY
artificial means are use to combine
with the natural.
| 10 the French we owe more than
10 any other people for the great re-
suits obtained, for their ideas have
had much influence on the park of to.
cay. They taught us that in and
around our cities are lands, that for
practlcal purposes, are nearly valuless.
unless great amounts of money are
spent on them. and that serve as
dumping grounds and the abode of
squatters, and, as such, are dangerous
to public health and morals, which
can be transformed into beautiful
parks. No matter what the cost in
collars and cents, it is cheap when :,
city can eliminate her unsightly, un-
healthy, filthy and worthless lands and
from them produce that which is bene-
nclal to both the health and morals of
'he community. One place l have in
! nlhd' that of the Pare des Ruttes
Ihaumont in Paris, which were for.
! merly number of abandoned stono
quarfles, containing about sixty acres
was converted into a beautiful Meas.
ufe ground, and on account of tbo
transformation and present condition
It Is noted throughout the world
! When We look at America in our
, oensely settled parts much vounper i,
settlement than any of the fore;o,
'ouii'ries' we do not see vast tracts
VI forests which may be used for
parks, but instead, we have to fo,lou,
the French plan and produce a con,
! Dhation. which conserves the natur,,
oeauty and effect, and at the same
time supplies sufficient of the artif;ci.,
70 render the parks handsome .na
convenient for those who use tbem
some OF the early settlers Of this
country had ideas which seemed -
lead towards parks, for everv ,it1o
'o"n VI the eastern states had its com.
mons, usually one or more souares :,
tie center Of the town, On these oon,
lnoiis me people had the right of mas.
=" ase' or cutting hay, firewood or
'uiiolng timber. AS Yong as thew 70
manned common property pood o,uo
was taken OF them and the officers of
ne 'o"h often took action regarding
'heir usage. For instance. about 1ezo
an order was passed by the seleotr,,
IN several New England towns -hat
No one shall fell any tree unon ~
oohninons without the consent of ~
selectmen.' u Tie
In 1873 the town of Stoneb.n
nass' appointed an officer to .in.o,oa,
'he number and bigness Of tho 4noo
cut down in Cewar swamp, for shing,
I anu posts We're in demand. The
early settlers were keen 70 ohsou
'hat the destruction Of the fores+s
"ouid not do, as is shown bv tho foot
that in 1889 the provisional oonoa,,
whnso ~ was petltloned to order that
,1,ne, ~no.oe'er snail kindle fire in other
80 grounds or in any common
eiound shall be fined forty shillinqs
pi"iiar care and forethought wou,d
nave oeen beneficial to all our conn.
'ry' After time we find these com.
mons disappearing, and in 1894 one of