106 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
“The cost of St. Paul park system 
from the beginning in 1873 to De- 
cember 31, 1911: 
Cost of purchased land ... .$673,237.25 
Value of land donated, about 15,000.00 
Total $688,237.25 
Cost of improvements 929,984.73 
Total cost ...$1,618,221.98 
are water, leaving 1,140 acres of land 
for parks and parkways. 
“The Minneapolis park system 
comprises 3,686 acres, of which 1,287 
acres are water, leaving 2,399 acres 
for parks and parkways, a large part 
of which was acquired during the last 
few years.” 
The research commission, which 
made its report about two years ago, 
Business men have complained that 
the board is doing a little here and 
a little there, and that no one piece 
of work has been completed. 
“To this criticism I wish to reply,” 
says Dr„ Earle, “that this method of 
working is due to lack of funds to 
complete any given piece of work, 
and that the board represents all 
sections of the city, and that each 
RIVER DRIVE, ST. PAUL PARK SYSTEM. 
Cost of Minneapolis Park System 
from the beginning to December 31, 
1911: 
Cost of purchased land ... $4,111,104.89 
Value of donated land... 701,950.00 
Total $4,813,054.89 
Cost of improvements.... 1,643,800.65 
Value of donations for im- 
provements 68,242.54 
Total cost $6,525,098.08 
“These figures are exclusive of 
maintenance. St. Paul limited its park 
board to an expenditure of $90,000 
during the year 1911. During the 
same year (1911) Minneapolis per- 
mitted its park board to spend $789,- 
969.88. 
“The St. Paul park system com- 
prises 1,491 acres, of which 351 are 
water, leaving 1,140 acres of land for 
parks and parkways. 
“The Minneapolis park system 
comprises 1,491 acres, of which 351 
recommended that, in its opinion, 
$135,000 would be a reasonable and 
proper sum to allow the park board 
each year for its expenditures. The 
board has been allowed but $90,000. 
The legislature of 1907 passed a 
law allowing cities of_over 50,000 
population to issue not to exceed $50,- 
000 worth of bonds in any one year 
for a period of not to exceed six 
years for the purpose of acquiring and 
improving parks and parkways. Of 
this opportunity to issue bonds St. 
Paul availed itself of only the first 
three issues, the fourth and fifth, the 
council refused to pass. The sixth 
and last is still available, and the 
Board of Park Commissioners feel 
that it would be most desirable and 
wise for the City Council to avail it- 
self of the last opportunity to issue 
$50,000 worth of park bonds under 
the law of 1907, in order that some 
of the large amount of necessary and 
incompleted work may be finished. 
district and community has for years 
been clamoring for improvements. In 
some instances the part of the cost 
of acquiring land for a park or boul- 
evard has been assessed against 
abutting and adjacent property, and 
these property owners complain if 
some improvements are not made 
since they have been assessed. 
“West End Commons, a tract of 
land 265 acres in extent and four 
miles south of Como park, will afford 
ideal ground and spaciousness for 
much-needed public golf links on its 
lower level. The acquisition of this 
property should not be delayed any 
longer as this district is rapidly 
being built up. The action of real 
estate interests in laying out a so- 
called boulevard through and along 
this contemplated park tract, with 
the avowed idea of blocking the ac- 
quisition of the park, should not be 
allowed to stand in the way of pro- 
viding a public recreation ground so 
