The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-09
ADVERSE REPORT MADE
ON NEW C0LORED PARK
Undesirable, Unsightly and Unat-
tractive, Says Report of lust
ings Court Commission.
GROUND WOULD COST s5o,o11
That Sum Expended on Shockoo
Creek Would Benefit Negroes
More, Says Report-Fear Its Use
By lie and Vicious Glass.

TO commissioners, appointed by
the Hastings Court to fix tho value of
certain property needed for the pro-
posed colorcd park In the northern
part Of the city. filed report yester
day. awarding S5G.Gll to the property
owners for tho land which 1t is pro-
posed to condemn. To tho report is
appended recommendation that the
whole park scheme DO abandoned.
The commission assigns these rca-
sons for It's recommendation:
'First-The location Is undesirable
for such purpose. in that 1t overlooks
unsigntIy dumps and unattractivc
manufacturing plants. which emit Il
4 black and dirty smoke. which often
envclopa The surrounding territory.
'Scco.d--It Is too remote from tho
centre Oh the population which 1t Is
intended TO benefit.
"Third-Its topography Is such that
tho cost Of its upIfccp Will be out OF
all proportion TO the good that VIII
be accomplished. The descent Is so
precipltous from it's southern and
western lines that il Will he practical
Is impossible to keep It in fair order.
Tho many deep CLUTCHES now there are
mute evidence OF what may be expect
ed after every rain.
'Fourth-rhe respectable element OF
that section Is. without exception, as
far as We arc advised. opposed 10 this
location. believing as they do that It
Will be n resort OF the idle and vicious
only"
MORE BENEFIT IN
COVERING sIoCKOE CREEK
Tho condemnation of property for
the establishment OF the park In ques-
tion WAS authorized by resolution
passed by the Council on January T.
The proposed park site In about two
blocks square In area. and IS bound
cd on the east by Seventh Street; on
the west by the alley between Fifth
and Sixth Streets; on the north by
Hospital Street. ana on the south by
Federal Street. and it's extension in L
straight line TO Seventh street.
a number of hearings have been
held by the commission in tho Office OF
the City Attorney with tho view OF ar
riving ut n just appraisal o: the prop
crty needed by the city. On the sub
jcct Of the awards finally decided upon,
tho commission. In It's report yester-
day TO the Hustings Court. has this to
say:
LAS shown by the report tho awards
aggregate s66,sIl While we were very
liberal In view of the high fee simple
and annual values Of property in the
section In which The colored popula-
ton is forced 10 reside, the awards do
not begin to meet tho demands OF own
crs. hence II Is probable that the hnal
figures will be much higher.
"'rhe cost OF grading. filling and ter
racing and the annual outlay. arc. OF
course. unknown quantities. but they
VIII be very large Sc are. therefore.
forced to the conclusion, AS suggested
by hose mostly in interest; that If
these expenditures he put upon Bacon
quarter Branch and Shockoe Greek.
vastly more benefit will accrue TO the
yeoplc 1t Is proposed to help than can
possibly be derived from parl'."
COLORED PEOPLE OPPOSE
SEPARATE Park PLAN
Although appointed hy the Hastings
Court primarily TO establish the value
Of tho property II was proposed TO con-
denim under the Council resolution. the
plain spoken opinion OF the commits
sloners rs TO the advisabiliiY OF found
ing a park In tho Smiths iiill locality.
viii have an important bearing upon
the fate OF tn. project. indie the
terms OF the resolution the price at
which the property Is 10 be acquired
must be approved by the Finance Com
n!t,ee md the Council The commits
son, which flied yesterdays report. Is
composed of T.. 4. Catlin. u. =. Lewis.
James X. Sheppard and w. H. Ziinncr-
mann
the commissions adverse report will
be welcomed by large contingent Of
colorcd cit!zcns, who, when Tie matter
was being Investigated by Council con-
mit;ees, registered their unqualified
protest against ihe founding of a park
on the site proposed. The objections
:aiscd followed closely those outlined
in tho commissions report. The fear
was expressed H. n large number of
influential colorcd men that the park
would become the resort of the vicious
and criminal elements, and would be
Stunned by the better classes.
For the establishment OF the park it
was urged that Jackson Ward, the
most dcnsely populated portion OF the
city, is at present without an open air
ht-ap n inf a
may retire for rest and n breath of
air after their days labor. y park
hoped. moreover. would draw. away
from the parks In the white neighbour
hoods the colOred people who under
present conditions are compelled 10 re-
sort there.
DO NOT WANT SEGREGATION
PRINCIPLE EXTENDED TO PARKS
y considerable contingent Of the moro
progressive elements of the colored
population opposed the establishment
of park designed particularly for
the use of negroes on the ground that
the sO-callcd Jim Crow" principle.
The matter was for many weeks the
settled finally by the adoption OF a
resolution authorizing the condemna-
ton Of property for a park in the
Smiths Hill section.
The commission made the following
awards to property owners:
Improved property-Dr James Blair,
Slo,ooO, w. (r. ManOne, S2,oOO; August
Simonpietri. $4,000; y. Is. Wallerstcin,
SLATE; II. G. Redd, s1.4oO; Lucy Win
powhatan Baker. $1,000; Charles r..
Tompkins. $1,000: l. S. Burford $1,000
w. II. Watson. SLIGO; Addic f. V. La
than, $1,000: NJ. p; Williams, $3.50;
Brauer, $4,000: S. IT. Adair, $4,000: f.
3. Jones. s1.150; Mary y: Robertson,
$1,000; Kate S. Lowry. $500: w r.
Lowry. $500: Mary j. Jenkins. sI.2Oo;
John O. Lewis, $1,000.
Unmproved property-Walter s.
jackson. $3.50: Daniel Bailey $500:
Mary C. West. S3,6SO: Mamie r. Co,
wardin. S276; II. S. Wallersten, 500:
Virginia Fire and Marine Insuranc .
company, S5,150; +: l.. Chambers. 5000:
Franklin Stearns, Jr., 500, and Dupont
Powder Company, 500. Total. S56,G11.
Arrested on Cross-Warrnnts
Jane Henderson and Richard Brown