Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-03-16
bT Bali. PARK
FROM CITY FOR
$1,000 A Year
3ane Association Cenplete Nego-
tlaE5sas Yesterday Repairs to
h Started Immediately.

The city commissioners JESTER
day afternoon adopted q resolution
peoviding giving Of . Swear lease
on Douglas park to the Rock Island
Fans association.
Terms OF the lease will call for
yearly rental Of $1,000 with the
stipulation that money to be adj
vanced by the association for park
improvements, but not to exceed
$500, in the Eve years is to be de-
Quoted from the rental Of the park.
Tho resolution was submitted by
Mayor Harry M. Schriver after
lengthy discussion Of various pro-
posals.
The association was represented
BY DR.. C. w. Mueller. president,
and M. H. Sexton and John Haw-
ley, directors.
These men made 1t plain to the
commissioners that the Fans asso-
citation would make every reason
able concession, but stated that as
the association would have to ad-
vance money for park improve
ments the leasing OF the park would
serve as a considerable hardship
for the association for the first year
~ estimates Of contractors show
that approximately $500 would
have to be expended on improve
ments before the opening Of the
baseball season,
Don't Want $500 Rent.
Commissioner Martin T. Rud-
gren, in charge of the department
Of public accounts and finance, an
nounced that he strongly favored a
rental Of $500 a year and the asso-
citation pay for all improvements.
However, the representatives Of the
association announced that they
would be unable to enter into such
An agreement as the rental under
those terms would be $4,000 and
with $500 for improvements the
park would cost the association
$4,000 for the Swear period. Under
the terms finally agreed upon the
association will get the park for
$4,000 for five years and will de-
duct $500 Of this amount in i'm
provement expenditures, which will
leave the association paying the
city $500 in cash during the pc
rod Of the lease.
1t was pointed out by Mayor
Schriver that this is satisfactory
arrangement as the park improve
ments must be made either by the
association or the city. 1t was
stated that improvements are abso
lutely necessary this year whether
the park is used or not for the rea
son that the grandstand, bleacher'
and fence are in such condition tina
big windstorm might blow then
down.
Baseball Boosts City.
Mr.. Sexton told the commission
ers that during the II years tina
the park was held by the old base
ball association approximately $40,
900 people passed through tn
gates or approximately $4,000 pee
pie each year. which number MI
Sexton pointed out was more tina
~ the population Of the entire city q
that time. 1t was pointed out the
baseball is not only an advertise
ment to the city, but brings in
large number of outsiders to tn
games. He said that the old assc
citation obtained the park for SIC
year. The park grounds of
acres cost the city in the neigh
borhood Of $4,000 and Mr.. Sexto
pointed out that at per cent tn
return would be $500 a year. H
said that with the association onl
using four acres OF the groun
$1,000 year would be handsom
+ rental.
Public Cared for.
Commissioner Rudgren said h
did not favor the LEASING of tn
park Internationally to the asse
citation as he claimed the ground |
q public park and the public shout
have some use of it.
The association members sal
that the point was we'll taken an
announced that the association ha
no intentions Of driving the publ
out Of the park.
They agreed to a stipulation tina
their lease should give them tn
park only while in use. for baseball
or football.
At other times the city will hav
permission to give permission t
use the park for any public pur
pose. However, 1t was agreed tina