The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-07-23
Veteran Editor, Who Inter-
viewed Col. Sturdivant, AS
serts He Wouldn't Give Site.
DIDN'T CARE TO HAVE
NAME PERPETUATED
Former Cape Man Suspects There
SIS a Big COlored Man in the
Wood Pile"
Compton. Cal, July IA, 1914


Editcr Tribune:
l see, by Your Interesting paper,
that you are having quite a discussion
over the proposition of the city voting
4 bond issue for the purchase of the
grounds of the Fair and Park Associa-
ton for a city park l note, too, what
Louis HOuck has to say about the
proposition and l am not surprised to
find him opposing the sale of the
grounds to he city. But when he
states thai tic Fair Grounds belong
to the people he E1uss know that he
does not state facts rs | will explain.
When the old organization known as
the Southeastern District Agricultur-
al Association abandoned its old
grounds two miles west of the city,
was I member of The board of direct
Ors Of the association. 1t vas agreed
by all interested that the fair could
be made q success f grounds close
in walking distancc-could he Sc
cured on which TO hold the fairs. The
late Robert Sturdiyant owned the
grounds-an ideal site for a fair. Be-
ing an intimate friend of Col. Sturdi-
want l was appointed = committee of
one to interview the Colonel with the
idea of inducing him 20 donate his
fOrty-acre farm for the fair grounds.
1t was suggested to me TO make, as a
persuasive argument, that should he
donate the grounds for fair his name
would be forever perpetuated for the
grounds henceforth should be known
as Sturdiyalt Park. While Colonel
Sturdivans was an ol.tcrprising, liber-
al citizen, he did not care for the per-
petu2tiOn of his fame and rame. He,
however, listened attentively to me
and when l had had my s2y he told
me tc report to my associates that the
forty acras asked fo- was for sale at
the price of $4,000; that he had been
offered $500, but for the purpose of
helping to start 4 new fair, he was
willing to donate Cne-half the price
Of tie ground and let the new or
ganizatioa have the lard for $1,000
81 500 less than what he had offered
it for. His proposition was accepted
and sufficient stock in the new Orga-
nizat;on was sold to pay Colonel Stur-
iivant for the land
In the face of these facts | cannot
now Louis Houck can have
he nerve to attempt 20 make the peo-
pie believe that the Fair Grounds be-
ong to others than stockholders Of the
Fair and Park Association. Because
Charley Blattner ard Harry Machen
bought up big slice of the associa-
ton stock is nc reason Why the City
IF Cape Girardeau should be barred
rom purchasing the Fair Grounds for
! city park. The grounds are so To-
,ated as TO be convenient to all the
people of tie city and so improved
and beautiful as to give the city a
park that would require
years and the expenditure of thou
sands of dellars to duplicate. l hope
he vaters of The Cape will turn a deaf |
ear TO Mr.. Houck and his organ and |
7ot, the bond issue to purchase the
Fair Ground; for 4 city park. Do not |
allow Mr.. HOuck to scare you by |
hrcats OF law suits. In his day he was
! great lawyer, but as a lawyer he is |
lot infall;blc. He did rot always win |
I'll his suits, nor did he always fool |
he people. Had he been successful |
n all the courts, there would today
,e two toll gates on the road leading
rom Cape Girardeau to Scott County
one of the gates blocking the south
IN terminus Of Sprigg street. Had he
lw:ys been successful in the courts,
here would be no drainage bitches in
southeast Missouri. Had ne been sue
essful in all the courts that big Gov
rnment levee across the swamp from
he hills III Cape Girardeau County to
he hills in Scott County would not be
here to protect thousands of acres of
Nv lands from the floods OF the Mis-
issippi River. | have no idea why Mr.
Iouck is objecting 20 the city pur-
ha5ing the Fair Grounds for a city
ark, but knowing him, as l do, l can
OF help believing that there is a big
olored man in the wood pile.
l am not interested in the Fair
rounds, having sold my stock before
LEFT the Cape, but there will always {
2 warm place in my heart for the
ID town on the hill where l spent the
est years of my life working for the {
ty and its people, and now nothing s
leases me better than to hear that the