The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-06-03
WANT Big FUND FOR PARK LAND
Members Of the Board Urge Members
of the Council to Secure Park Lands
Before Price of Real Estate Advances
and Places Lands Beyond Reach.

A hundred thousand dollars FOR the
purchase Of park lands was the sugges
ton made to the members Of the com
mon council by the members of the
park commission in an informal meet
ing held at the city hall on Friday
evening. The park commission declar-
ed that its suggestion was an emer
gency measure and the members of the,
board held that if Kenosha is to have
parks and have real parks that the city
must act now or in the very near future
to secure the purchase of lands in and
about the city which are suitable for
park purposes. The rapid growth of
the city in all directions is such that
subdivided tracts are crowding close to
the boundaries of lands which are par
ticularly suited for city parks and in a
few years the price Of these lands will
have jumped to such figure as to
make the purchase Of them for park
purposes all but prohibitive.
The Rev. Carl Buenger, president of
the park board, presided at the in
formal session and he outlined in de-
tail plans which have been discussed
by the board to secure large tracts of
land on the north, south and west sides
of the city for park purposes. The
price of this land ranges from $4,000
to 81, 10000 an acre and on some of the
pieces of land the members of the COM
mission had secured informal agree
ments with the owners to sell it to the
city. The location of these lands have
not been made public on account of the
fact that any publicity along these
lines at this time might seriously in
terfere with future plans of the city
to purchase the property
The plan suggested included the pur-
chase Of little over 122 acres Of land
all either in the city or adjoining the
limits and the total cost of this prop
erty would be $105,000. It is held
that within a couple of years none of
this property can be bought at cost
Of less than $1,000 an acre and that
much higher prices will be demanded
for the bulk of it.
The members Of the park board urg-
ed the city council to make study of
the problem and arrange, if possible,
for an early submission Of a proposal
to issue bonds for park lands to the
people. 1t was stated that the owners
Of some Of the property in question
In 10
cent city bonds for the property.
A decidedly active interest in the
plans of the park board was shown by
most of the members of the council.
Of course some Of them showed hest
fancy to commit themselves to large
expenditure for park lands, but all of
them agreed that Kenosha was sadly in
ned Of new parks and larger parks.
Suggestions were made that options
be secured on property suggested by
the commissioners and that after these
options had been secured that the ques-
ton Of the purchase of the land be
submitted to the people at a special
election. Tt is just possible that an
effort will be made to lay over the sub
mission of the question until the gen
eral city election in 1916.
The meeting was productive of much
good feeling between the park board
and the council and it is certain that
there will be a strong bond of CO.
operation between the two city boards
in the future.