Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-02
RECREATION CENTER FOR
OLD JACKSON WARD"
Hnddon Will Present Important Pc
tition to City Council
Tonight.
SIGNED By wELL-KNowN MEN
Provides for Acquisition by City for
Park Purposes of Three Blocks in
Heart of Most Congcstcd CoIored
Section.

Among the more important matters
10 he acted upon by the Common Coun-
GU 'o-nisht VIII be AN ordinance Of
lered by t. Gray Haddon providing for
recreation center In congestcd Jack
son Ward. Mr.. Haddon's measure Will
be supported by petition signed by
many of Richmond's leading lawyers,
bankers and business men, who. the
paper states, believes that the health
and prosperity Of the body polite can
be properly conserved only by caring
FOR every section of the city.
Roughly described the section in
which breathing space for the col
ored people is asked is bounded by
Shockoe Creek, Bacon Quarter Branch
and Broad Street. Within this small
area $1,000 negroes live. They have
no park of their own. Except on the
play. The older people have no rest
ing ground. Many of them wander
at night to Monroe Park. and because
OF the unavoidable mixing of the races
there has often been complaint
PROVIDES FOR CONDEMNATION
OF THREE CITY BLOCKS
More than year ago there was
concerted effort TO have a park con-
structed in what is known as Jack
son Ward, but objection thcn was by
the colorcd people themselves. 1t is
believed now that no obstacle will he
placed In the way il the city Council
shall see fit to appropriate the money
which will be needed for condemna-
ton proceedings
Mr.. Iladdon's ordinance provides for
tho acquisition by condemnation pro-
cecdings. gift. purchase or otherwise,
of property between First and Price
Streets and Jackson and Duval Streets.
The assessed value Of the property is
placed at approximately $4,000.
II the park be constructed. it is
planned to equip it with baseball
grounds. tennis courts and space for
other sports and games. and with
separate baths for men and women.
The petition TO he presented by Mr..
Haddon tonight calls attention to the
following considerations:
The health OF the whole city is di-
rectly and closely bound up with the
health Of every section.
mo city is safe from contaGion and
disease when a considerable portion OF
It's workers, especially those whose oc-
equations are in domestic service, are
sanitary homes and surroundings. No
city can prosper to its fullest extent
when, in addition 10 the inevitable bur
dens OF sickness, age and fluctuations
in business. there is added the avoid
able and wholly unnecessary rctarda-
ton of lowered vitality. and prevent
able sickness. by reason of the failure
OF the municipality to provide reason
able recreation Ccntcrs.
PROBLEM NOT SOLELY
OF FINANCIAL. RETURN
Nor is the problem solely one of
financial return and physical efficiency,
for no city can, either with deliberate
intent or by mere inadvertence, allow
any members of its community to re-
main uncarcd for without itself suffer
ing from n deterioration in the whole
body polite, and especially is this true
when tho members overlooked arc
Of themselves valuable acquisitions to
the life OF the city.
Now. we respectfully submit that
the colored population of this city. by
their lahors and their lives by their
behavior and their contributions are
entitled 10 every reasonable means for
making their lives and living condi-
lions progressively better.
This portion of our population adds
TO the wealth OF the city by Its work: Il
pays taxes by it's rentals: il makes
titled TO live as healthily and as whole
somely az tho finances Of the city, or
it's own capacity, will permit.
we therefore petition your honor
able body to take under consideration
the proposal to provide adequate mark
facilities for the Il 600 persons living
in the territory which we have already
designated"
WELI.-K NOXyN MEN
SIGN THE PETITION
Following are tho names OF those
who nave signed the petition:
Oliver j. Sands, B. &. Whcrry, c.
Rolce. John Stewart Bryan. James f.
Bradley, Charles L. Straus, Jr., James
Gordon Smith. Clifford T.. Smith, j. 0.
Is. +. CardoZo. j. r. Paschall, James
Mullen, Marcus Iiallett, Matthias r.
kayhoe. Jr., w. w Goldsmith Joseph
+. Brady Barney f. Myers. T.. Raleigh
Phillips. Lewis c. Williams. John L.
Williams II Sons, John r. Purcell.
Henry II. Miller Cyrus w. Beale. r.
II. Pitt. S. S. Il. Pattcson, Lewis H.
Boshcr. Alvin NJ SYith, Il. j. McCon-
nell l.. u. Aylett. Herbert w. jackson.
Woodson p. Waddy. George s. Cren-
shaw. ". Meade Addison, Charles Rose,
y. NJ Cover, Henry W. Rountree, r. j.
Crump. Walter Holiday. O. B. Hill.
William C. Camp William O. Anderson.
IL. I,
t. Latimcr Gordon, William Fl. Cor
don. Richard H. Smith. ID. r. Midyctte,
julien 5 Winfree, +. y. Seaton. G. A.
rcplc, y. l.. Hawse, ID. w. Durrett.
Emmett Seaton. william II. Mccarthy,
J. l." lin. John s. Elicit, John Land
street. Jr.. George Bryan r. II. Filing
ton. STAFFORD II. Parker. d. j. O'Con-
nell, Eppa lunton. Jr. George Ben
Johnston. Hay T. Thornton. Henry S.
i!utzler. O. y. Hawkins. a. b. Guigon.
Howard #. Colvin, Oscar .. Oliver, ].
Einford Walford, a. g. Crabill. T. o.
Heinrich. r. II. Hammond Frank A.
Elohson. W r. fIouscman. J. r. Tyler.
Jr.. William "a. Higgins. j. a. Marvin,
f. N. Long, G. f.. Crawford. r. Sitter
ding. James r. Gordon, John b. Chris
.tian. George West Dichl e r.
Thomas"n. Il: NJ. Crutchheld. Murray NJ.
Mcclure, John ". Southall. r. L. Word
j. : Perrin. Frank W. Duke Robert
y. pollard. James n. Crump c. H.