PARK AND CEMETERY. 
107 
much needed and desired for this dis- 
trict of the city. 
“Reserve boulevard, the plats of 
which, together with the final order 
for the condemnation, were submitted 
to the Board of Public Works three 
years ago, has not as yet been ac- 
quired. The proposed parkway con- 
templated will skirt the river bluff 
from Fort Snelling bridge to the high 
bridge, a distance of four miles, ter- 
minating in the heart of the city. In 
connection with this parkway imme- 
diate atention should be given to the 
extensive sylvan prospect of the natu- 
ral wooded riyer bottoms and island, 
the acquisition of which should be a 
leading feature in establishing a park 
adjunct of 740 acres. 
“Como-River parkway, connecting 
Como park with the river drive, has, 
as far as acquisition of the land need- 
ed is concerned, been completed. 
From the River drive Pelham street 
has been widened and extended to 
St. Anthony avenue. From Univer- 
sity to St. Anthony avenues, Pelham 
street must be improved and the 
block bounded by Pelham street, Ray- 
mond and University avenue and 
Myrtle street should be acquired, not 
only for the purpose of forming a 
harmonious connection with Ray- 
mond avenue and Pelham street, but 
for the more important necessity of 
establishing a park on the leading 
traffic street between the two cities. 
Thence Raymond avenue improved to 
the State fair grounds and through 
this parked tract to Como park. The 
general plan of this improvement 
provides simply for a medium good 
driveway and side plantings. Traffic 
regulations would only apply and be 
enforced by public demands. 
“Johnson parkway, connecting Pha- 
len park with Indian Mounds park 
and for the condemnation of which 
final orders were passed three years 
ago, is not yet acquired. The land 
supposed to be taken comprises 110 
acres. It includes mostly all the 
marshy portions at the lower end of 
Lake Phalen. Thence crossing under 
the Northern Pacific railway right of 
way, following the county road to 
Phalen avenue and from Seventh 
street practically on the line of Eng- 
lish street to Indian Mounds park, on 
the whole a most favorable route for 
a parkway. While the locality al- 
most in its entirety has been denuded 
of its natural tree growth, its eleva- 
tion is of a commanding character. 
“West Side boulevard, or Cherokee 
heights, is an important acquisition 
to the park and boulevard system 
which the board has for some years 
tried to acquire, but have been forced 
to let it rest because of no funds. At 
the last meeting of the board steps 
were taken for its condemnation and 
assessing its cost against the bene- 
fited property. 
“Forty acres, west of Como park, 
should be acquired for the purpose 
of establishing public golf links and 
for the purpose of broadening out its 
connection between it and the fair 
grounds. With a view to comprehen- 
sive and long-sighted results in econ- 
omy to public pleasure grounds, the 
State fair grounds and experiment 
station, which are kept up by the 
state, contribute in whatever could 
be done by the city for the purpose 
of public recreation, but we should in 
connection therewith supply the de- 
ficiency not available on either 
grounds. 
“Considering the advantages gained 
to the city by providing a suitable, 
undecorated ground for public exer- 
cises of all kinds and of a character 
which cannot be well provided for 
in a pubic parkway, it becomes at 
once apparent that such a ground 
must be located where it would be 
of easy access by street car or walk- 
ing distance from the population cen- 
ter of the city. This ground should 
be given to the people for open-air 
meetings, plays, military drills and 
exercises of all kinds. A ground for 
this purpose could be provided in 
the West Seventh street district, in- 
cluding a part of Ridgewood park.” 
Speaking of Capitol approaches and 
improvements within the settled up 
city, Dr. Earl said: 
“Wheelock parkway, except one 
mile of its whole distance, needs side- 
lawn grading, planting and graveling 
of the roadway. It is supposed that 
the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. 
Marie Railroad Company can be 
forced to build the necessary bridges 
where the roadway crosses its right 
of way. This may, however, in its 
prolixity, cause a long delay of con- 
struction. The estimated cost of 
these two bridges is $40,500, of which 
the cost to the railway company 
would be $17,500. It would be better 
for the city to go ahead and build 
the bridges and force the railway 
company to reimburse the city for its 
proportionate share of the cost. 
“Linwood park should receive early 
attention. The grounds were graded 
and top-dressed two years ago; the 
trees and shrubbery should be planted 
and the lawns seeded and cared for. 
It will require 3,000 yards of manure 
to top-dress the sidehill spaces be- 
fore any vegetation makes progres- 
sive growth. It will require a first 
outlay of $8,000 to put this park in 
presentable shape. 
“An inside park of comparatively 
large proportion should be made of 
the rugged high ridge and side hills 
just east of the Capitol. Owing to 
the topographical conditions this 
property will never be valuable resi- 
dence property. 
“At the foot of this hill, from the 
State Capitol east to Lafayette ave- 
nue bridge, a broad and much needed 
thoroughfare could be constructed, 
which, extended across the railway 
tracks, will connect with Hoffman 
avenue and Indian Mounds park. 
“The symmetry of our park sys- 
tem, when completed as planned, ow- 
ing to the diversified elements of 
natural beauty and of the topograph- 
ical advantages offered within the 
city and its immediate environments, 
will be most unique in its detail. It 
can never be approached by any 
other city in picturesque splendor.” 
The total expenditures for the 1,140 
acres of parks in St. Paul, according 
to the annual report for 1911, was 
$101,714. 
Superintendent Fred Nussbaumer in 
his annual report says of Como Park, 
the city’s greatest pleasure ground: 
“While generally in a state of high 
cultivation, Como Park needs con- 
siderable attention. The lake shore 
and borders of the lake drive are in 
very bad condition. The fringe of 
greenery, both grass and trees, 
around the lake shore were destroyed 
by an unusual high water level of the 
lake, when almost the entire length 
of the driveway had to be raised from 
one to three feet and the submerged 
border planting has, owing to 
scarcity of funds, never been replaced. 
This should have been done as soon 
as possible. The lake has an area 
of 102 acres and is of paramount ad- 
vantage to the landscape features of 
the park, its setting should not ap- 
pear squalid and incongruous with 
the surrounding. The playfield con- 
taining ten acres provides space and 
every facility for thousands of people 
at one time to play all kinds of rec- 
reation games, has not been com- 
pleted. The plans provide for play- 
grounds, gymnasiums, ball fields, run- 
ning tracks, shower-baths, rest and 
reading rooms for women, men and 
children. While the estimate of con- 
struction seems high, the ground is 
ideally located and the patronage 
would be more than could be accom- 
modated from the first day of its 
opening, and there could be no ques- 
tion that the expenditure of public 
funds could be made to no more 
beneficial purpose.” 
