The Seattle Republican. [volume], May 29, 1903, Image 2

About The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915

Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA

                
Seattle's Private and Public Parks
While public interest is being directed to the question of parks,
drives, and public play grounds, it may be of interest to note briefly
what Seattle already has in this line. Beginning with Pioneer
Square, the little triangle tract, which stands as an oasis in green
in the desert of tall buildings and business rush in the heart of the
city. Surrounded by an iron fence and guarded by the totem pole,
it affords a feast for the eve, if not a rest for the foot, and is not
without its value. Then there is Seattle Park, containing about
five acres, located on Denny Way and Ninth Avenue North; Kin
near Park, located on Queen Anne Hill, contains six acres, more or
less; Lincoln Park, on East Denny Way and Xagle Place, com
prising several blocks, but a portion is set aside for water reservoir
purposes; Volunteer Park, contains forty acres, located on Capitol
Hill, east of Lake Union, a portion of which is also used as a water
reservoir. These are all nicely improved, according to the usual
custom, with walks, drives, grass plots, trees, flour beds, shrubbery,
etc., and afford pleasant resorts for those whose dignity or auster
ity forbids the unbending or relaxation that brings the best re
sults to those who are capable of communing with nature in na
ture's own way. They are faultlessly kept, rare shrubs and plants
are there to gladden the eye. the grass is beautifully green and well
kept, the walks are models of neatness, but to the rolicking.
health}', growing boys and girls, these parks are practically useless,
for everywhere over the greensward and in the delightfully cool
and inviting nooks is planted that unsightly and unwelcome sign,
"Keep off the grass." These "keep off the grass" parks, no doubt
have their value, but how little compared to what they would be if
a bonfire were made of those signs and the parks thrown open for
use as well as to look at. To be sure the grass could not be kept
quite so nice if trampled upon by myriads of little feet, but what
is that to compare to the delights and health that the liberty of
the grounds would bring to the children of the city. Shrubbery,
trees and flowers could be protected, but give the children right of
way over the grassy portions.
Woodland Park, containing 1 about two hundred acres of land,
in the northern portion of the city, is only partly improved, a por
tion is in a state of nature, and the "keep off the grass" restrictions
do not apply, hence is more of an ideal recreation ground. Added
to this the fact that it reaches to and borders upon Green Lake,
where fishing, bathing and boating may he enjoyed, makes this a
popular and valuable resort. Besides these the city owns unim
proved tracts as follows: Washington Park, containing eighty-one
acres, on Union Bay; Queen Anne Hill tract, containing five acres;
Beacon Hill Park, containing one acre, and the City Park, in the
southern part of the city, which contains one hundred and twenty
five acres. It is to be hoped that these parks may be improved, in
part at least, that they may be made available for use as speedily
as possible.
Besides these there are various private parks and public re
sorts that arc open to the public, more freely than are some of the
city parks. Of these Leschi, and Madison Parks on Lake
Washington, maintained by the street car company as feeders to
the lines reaching them, are popular, well kept, and pleasant resorts.
Ravenna Park. Green Lake Park, Y. M. C. A. Park, Old University
grounds, near heart of city, the State University grounds, and Fort
Lawton, come in for recognition under the head of public resorts,
and all together give a variety and area equal to the demands at the
present time.
But as our duty rests not with the present, but for the future,
we cannot as a city afford to stop where we are. Remove or close
the private parks and Seattle would at once be short of park facil
ities adequate to her needs; hence the duty is upon us to not only
improve what we now have, hut to add to the area by the accession
at least of numerous small tracts to he used not as "keep off the
grass" lawns and flower gardens, but, as Mr. Olmsted suggests,
play grounds for the children. Veritable relaxation and rest places
for old and young scattered here and there about the city, near
by the homes of the people. We do not feel the need of these so
much, just now, possibly, with quite an amount of property yet un
occupied; hut the time is rapidly coming when we will, and then
it will be too late to get many ideal lots and blocks now available.
This is a matter that the city council should address itself to with
vigor.
Present valuation of park lands, owned by the city, without
considering improvements thereon, is fixed at a little over $500,000.
Municipal Play Grounds Desirable.
.Mr. folin Olmsted, the municipal park expert now
in this city, while possibly a little extravagant in his
ideas, yet preaches a wholesome doctrine, in that he
urges recreation grounds for the children. In our
mad rush for fortune and to make everything bend
to the getting of the dollar, in our larger cities, we
seem to have forgotten the children, or to make
proper provision for their physical growth and health.
To be sure, we have our suburban parks, but how
seldom do the children in the heart of a great city
get to them. What is needed, according to Mr. Olm
sted's idea, is playgrounds, where those deprived, by
whatever cause, of other space than the public streets,
can daily resort and be children in the good old fash
ioned way. Some provision for the physical and
moral training of children is as much a duty of the
THE SEATTLE BEPUBLJCAN.
fi^v:: . .ifci/fi -.Tiii^^^ffiBBBBHBBIHHB " ■■••vv;:'.'-.^SKS K3)SS
l"Pk t• F' .fur — —n-rrT-rrr~***Wlrtfti>inMTfi<lil w j*tJß B3» IE
community as is the intellectual. Children must have
recreation; force them to find it in the public streets
and the moral standing of the future citizen is low
ered. A little closer attention to the making of good
citizens out of the rising generations, to safeguard
them from becoming physical and moral wrecks, a
benefit, instead of a hinderance in the advancement
of the community is a part of the duty man owes to
his fellowman.
J. Pierpont Responsible.
It is stated that J. J'ierpont Morgan is the "power
behind the throne" that would force the nomination of
Grover Cleveland again for the presidency. When it
is renumbered that Mr. Morgan's entry into the world
of larger financial doing, dates from the time Mr.
Cleveland, as president, gave into his hands the sell
ing of $150,000,00x1 in United States bonds, out of
which deal he. Morgan, is said to have made .SiK.ooo,
Kinnear Park.
Bicycle Path.
Leschi Park.
-000, it is, not surprising that Morgan would be anx
ious to have his patron saint again in office. It would
seem, however, that Morgan is rich enough now to be
satisfied without trying to force the country again
into such conditions as prevailed when Cleveland
found it necessary to sell bonds to pay the ordinary
running expenses of the government, even if he might
thereby make a few more millions.
"I am for men," is a Henry George saying and is
being extensively used in advertising a five-cent cigar
named after the great single taxer. If the cigar is as
impracticable and unsuited to the average American
as the pet theory of the great apostle, no doubt that
the great amount of advertising is necessary to accom
plish its general use.
• •