Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-07-13
Springs Location
Ably Discussed


to your request for answers to the
question, where shall the springs 1
be located?" and reply without hes
itation or mental reservation. the To- !
cation should be the one originally /
selected; the one whose natural beau |
ty and fitness for the purpose has
received the enthusiastic approval of
the great landscape architect. John
McLaren, and the other distinguished
visitors who accompanied him; the
one which has been practically en-
dorsed by the people of Ashland who
voted the bonds by an overwhelming
majority with the full understanding
that the location had been deter
mined upon; the one which was the
most favored by the commissioners
until last Wednesday-our beautiful,
picturesque, unequalled Canyon
Park.
There has been no essential change
in the situation. The city owns the
same land in fee and under contract
as it has held all the time. The ac-
| QUESTION of more land is desirable,
but, with the possible exception of
the planning mill property, it is not
necessary to the carrying into effect
of the general plan. Such additional
lands are no more and no less desir-
able now than they have been all
along; and-note this-they are no
less necessary should the location of
the springs be changed to the Chau-
tauqua Park than if they are placed
as originally planned.
The level lands adjoining the park
on the west (say the rear 200 feet
of the properties facing on Granite
street and lying between that street
and the park are desirable for recre-
alton purposes, Fairgrounds, tennis
courts, etc, but we can get along
without them. They are now value
less except for gardening; and if the
: owners, considering the enhanced
, value which the proposed improve
ments would confer upon the remain
der of their holdings, haven't the
5 good judgment and the public spirit
to sell the 200-foot strip referred to
at garden land price, then they
should be allowed to retain it or else
e it should be acquired by condemna-
= ton proceedings. We already own at
g the old picnic grounds and on the
t west bank of the creek considerable
flat land, suitable for the purposes
above suggested; probably more than
d we shall be able to improve and find
, use for in the next two or three years.
S The Pioneer planning mill property
d lis in class by itself. Its acquisition
: is essential to the coordination and
symmetrical development of our park
A system, and this entirely irrespective
d of the location of the springs. Its
y owners are honorable and public spir-
II tied citizens, and there seems nc
reason to question their entire good
a faith in offering the property under
r any arrangement that will save then
d from actual pecuniary loss. Withou
" this property we cannot properl!
n utilize the grounds to the soutf
,e which the splendid generosity of thu
is owners has made available withou
cost to the city. That the situation
a is such as to compel us to pay an ex
m cessive price for the planning mill
a grounds or get along without them
er is our misfortune and not the faul
is OF the owners.
:" The location of the springs in tn
n, Chautauqua Park would, in m
as opinion, be a mistake, even if the cit,
r, owned the grounds. The fact tina
We this park is private property 10
v which the owners have very def
" mite use land one, by the way, o
great value to the community, tha
r. it can probably be acquired, If at al
is only by the payment of a larg
i'd amount of money, and that to rails
re the money the people would have t
ut vote another bond issue, all thi
in seems to make the location impracti
cable.
re The suggestion that recreatio
st grounds might be acquired on tn
,r- north side of Mill street, opposit
es Chautauqua Park, can hardly be cor
E. sidered seriously. To acquire thi
,r- valuable business property by pul
I'M chase or condemnation would COS
[al certainly five times as much as
er secure the same amount of groun
ar adjoining the upper park on the ives
ay and after it was acquired it woul
lie not be worth half as much for tn
IA desired purpose.
rs F.E. WATSON.
ia
no Ohio song and talking over the oil