Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1919-11-07
CITY PARK REPORT
REVIEW SUBMIT
PARK CONS ACTIVITIES

PARK CONS ACTIVITIES
| What the Pine Grove park means to
Little Falls and what has been accom-
plished in or for the park by the park
committee Of the Civic league is shown
in an exhaustive report submitted by
VAL E. Kasparek, chairman of that
committee, at the annual meeting of the
Civic league last Tuesday evening.
| Mr.. Kasparek reviewed the work of
the committee since it was elected in
1913, stating that the committee guild
ed itself by public sentiment, accord
ing to what the people wanted and were
willing to pay for. He told Of the
acquisition OF the Pine Grove park on
september Is, 1907, through the coop
Grafton Of C. E. Vasaly, then city may
or, and NJ. NJ. Williams. The original
cost of the land, SIS acres in all, was
3d. 100, Of which the citizens subscrib-
ed ST. 100 and the balance was donated
by individuals as follows: M. NJ. Will
liams ST. coo; A. R. Davidson $1,000;
c. A. Wcyerhaeuser $500; r. D. Mus
ser $500. The park was decided to the
city with the following reservations:
! "None OF the growing pine on said
land shall ever be cut or removed ex
cept when necessary for the health of
other pine of the grove and the land
shall be used and cared for and pro-
tected for park purposes. It was the
wish of the lalge donors that the park
should be preserved, as near as possible,
in its primeval state.
| In 1913 it was decided to introduce
"zoo' in the park and in June, 1913
two horned owls were purchased and
donated by the committee, the city
council providing funds for the cage.
The birds attracted much attention and
| the committee decided to add to the
collection whenever possible. In Sep
| TENDER, 1913 two deer were secured
from Mankato, the citizens contribut-
ing the funds. l.. V. Tanner donated
the feed for the animals for the win
ter Of 1914. In August, 1914, cow
moose was secured from Glendale, N.
D., the cost being met by public sub
| scription. This animal attracted a
great deal Of attention and all tourists
| who came here made it point to see
it. Owing to the fact that the corrall
for this animal was too SMALL the ma
tural food supply becoming exhausted.
the moose did not thrive and it finally
died.
Through the support Of the local Elks
lodge two elk were secured. These
animals arc now the main attraction in
the ZOO
In 1915 efforts were made to secure a
bull moose and the local Moose lodge
raised enough funds for it's purchase,
but owing to the existing state laws an
animal could not be captured or import
ed. Therefore special bill was pass
cd by the state legislature permitting
this city to capture a bull moose for the
park, but the permit, issued in July,
1917, came too late to capture a calf
moose.
In 1914 peafowls were added, but
they were hard to manage and could not
be kept. Goats, squirrels, porcupine,
Woodchucks and raccoons have been do
mated at different times by interested
citizens, but these animals required too
much care and consequently could not
be kept.
4 Some 500 seeds of wild ornamental
shrubbery were planted in the park,
such as wild thorns, plums, nuts and
crab apples. The committee hopes that
at some future time these will be orna-
mcnts in the park. Mr.. Kasparek stat
ed in his report that the committee be-
lleved that nature should be appealed
to to beautify herself in the park but
that in this respect the committee did
not a enjoy free hand.
In connection with the park report
Mr.. kasparek reported as to what had
been done to beautify other parts of
the city. Through their efforts the
dead shrubbery around the postofficc
was replaced. The lot adjoining the oil
filling station has been cleaned up and
can be used as park during 1920. For
the information Of the league he men
toned that last September the Morrison
County Memorial Associa tion was or
gained for the purpose of acquiring
property and erecting a suitable monu-
ment to the soldiers Of the World war
from this county. This organiza ton,
he stated, has or is about to acquire
property on the east bank of the river
near the bridge, for this purpose.
In conclusion Mr.. Kasparek stated
that reliable persons who are in position
to know state that as a result Of the
zoo at the park real estate on the West
side has changed hands, buildings
have been rcmodclel, Broadway west
has been macadamiZed, wooden side
walks have been replaced with cement
walks and citizens have been spurred
to a higher and better level. For this
the committee takes no credit except
as performing the ordinary duties Of
! American citizens. It has been a plea
sure for the committee to work with
the general public for the benefit and
enjoyment of all concerned and for tu-
ture generations, the only regret being
that not more could be accomplished.
! What little the committee did was with
the thought of making this more
pleasant place for all to live and to help
tighten the burden on life's journey.
AMERICAN LEGION MEETING.
! A meeting of the American Legion Of
this city will be held at the city hall
TONIGHT at which time the I4euiun but