Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-11
RIVER WALL IN
POPULAR FAVOR
The Ideal Theatre Well Filled
Friday Night to Hear
Speakers

The Women's Federated Clubs OF
Grand Rapids rented the Ideal Thea
ire building, including the film ser
vice, Friday night, June 5th, and
opened the theatre free to every one
over .21 years of age. The special fea-
ture, or attraction, was to be the
erection of a heavy river stone or
concrete wall along the east bank OF
the Wisconsin river from the pres
ent wagon bridge to the Witter Ho-
tel to help beautify and protect that
part of the city.
The large audience present were
entertained from 7:15 to S:l5 o.
clock with a beautiful picture service
after which the speeches were deliy-
cred and that part Of the lstcGrad'i
was followed by the repetition of
the same pictures.
Mrs. Guy Nash Mrs. VIM. Kellogg
and Mrs Guy Babcock, representa-
tives of the Federated Clubs, occupi-
ed the stage, with the speakers Mrs.
Guy Mash, president of the clubs, op-
ened the session with explanatory re-
marks of the object and purposes of
the meeting and she did it nicely She
presented the following speakers,
all of whom were assigned topics as
follows:
Glow we Might Improve the East
River Front" Mr.. Theo. w. Brazeau.
'eWhy Not Build a River Wall?'
Mayor Cohen.
''The Engineers Opinion" Mr.. L.
A. DeGuere.
sRiver Walls in Other Cities" Mr..
L. NJ. Alexander.
''The Present Outlook Mr.. F. S.
Gill.
.eThe West sider's Point of View,
Mr. T. A. Taylor.
"a Few Suggestions, Mr.. J. R.
Ragan.
From a Business Standpoint, Mr.
Guy o. Babcock.
Does it Pay to Improve and Beau
tify our Property" Mr. Earl Pease.
Each speaker was given minute
time to illucidate their ideas on the
subject. They all spoke interestingly
and to the, point, and did not over
step their allotted time.
Every speaker was in favor OF
building the wall and gave good rea
sons for his belief The commercial
value to the city of such a wall was
shown and that the whole city would
benefit by such an improvement. The
civic beauty of that part OF our city
would be greatly enhanced and pro
tected from the high water of the
Wisconsin river, which was we'll
known to every citizen. The present
high stage of water in the river was
referred to by nearly every speaker
as a reason for the necessity oi
this wall.
Everybody is in favor of the wall
the only question is, who shall stant
| the expense? That question was the
/ sticker. The property owners of
course. would derive adj the CONNER
cial value of this Improvement, ant
therefore, should stand the expense
We believe the property owner
should stand the expense of buildin;
the wall proper, and the city shoult
/ stand the expense Of the erection o
a railing on said wall, build the ce
naent sidewalk, and roadway aloni
said wall, and fill in on Oak stree
land fire engine approach betWeel
lHerschIebis and Kromerfs property
and do everything else connecte'
with the civic beauty and service O
this improvement: if it is going t.
be public service property, and if j
lis to be made private property, the
the owners should stand all expens
except where the city streets cor
meet with said wall improvement.
5 The speakers offered many goo
reasons why this wall should be pu
!, in and the large audience presen
were in accord with what the speak
ers had to offer. There is no gal