USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. I > Part 53
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LOYAL CO-WORKERS
In all his plans Mr. Parker had the constant, loyal support of the members of the Quiney Boulevard & Park Association and the active assistance of its other officers. Among these officers Philip L. Diekhut stood first in his enthusiasm and service for the eause. Mr. Diekhut was the secretary of the association from its beginning to the year 1901. During all of this time he was elosely associated with Mr. Parker, furthering every undertaking intended to bring about the realization of the plans of the association. In those years the association had no salaried superintendent and Mr. Dickhnt in addi- tion to his duties as secretary served as acting superintendent of the parks and boulevards. This made it necessary for Mr. Diekhut to
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devote a large part of his time and thought to the public service which he did at a considerable sacrifice of his private interests, with- out asking or wishing compensation.
The work done on behalf of the parks by George F. Miller should also have special mention. Mr. Miller was a director of the associa- tion and, having retired from business, was able to and did freely give much of his time to gratuitous service for the parks. Many others have from time to time, as occasion offered, given their valu- able services to the association, but space will not permit special mention thereof to be made at this place. In many instances proper credit for this work will be found to have been given in the following pages.
After Mr. Dickliut's resignation as secretary Henry G. Klipstein was appointed as acting superintendent of the parks with a salary fixed by the association. He continued in that position, rendering efficient service, until his retirement on account of age in the year 1916. He was succeeded by Orville I. Wheeler, who for many years had been the faithful and competent care-taker of Riverview Park, and afterwards assistant superintendent and city forester.
OFFICERS 1888-1918
The principal officers of the association have been as follows : Presidents, Edward J. Parker, 1888-1912; Mrs. Edward J. Parker, since the death of her husband in 1912.
Vice-Presidents : First, E. J. Thompson, 1888 to 1894; second, J. N. Wellman, 1888 to 1891; third, J. G. Rowland, 1888 to 1891; fourth, Thomas Sinnock, 1888 to 1891; second, E. C. Mayo, 1893 to 1894; George M. Janes, third vice-president from 1892 to 1894; Thomas Pope, fourth vice-president, 1892; Senator A. W. Wells, first vice-president, 1895; Wm. Steinwedell, second vice-president from 1895 to 1897; Joseph D. Robbins, third vice-president, 1894; G. J. Cottrell, fourth vice-president, 1895; Edward Sohm, second vice-president, 1896; Robert W. Gardner, first vice-president from 1896 to 1907; H. F. J. Ricker, second vice-president, 1899; Fred P. Taylor, second vice-president from 1903 to 1917; T. C. Poling, first vice-president from 1903 to 1917; George F. Miller, third vice-presi- dent, 1908; C. H. Williamson, third vice-president from 1911 to 1916.
Secretaries : P. L. Diekhut. from 1888 to 1901; H. B. Dines, from 1901 to 1904; Floyd W. Monroe, from 1904 to 1917.
Treasurers: Fred Wilms, from 1888 to 1895; G. A. Bauman, from 1895 to 1900; E. C. Wells, 1900: Edwin A. Clarke, from 1901 to 1909; H. G. Anderson, from 1909 to 1917.
SOURCES OF PARK REVENUE
When the Quincy Boulevard and Park Association was formed in 1888 there were no public revenues available for the improve-
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ments which it was created to make. Undaunted by the outlook, it raised a fund through popular subscription, drawn from the city and adjoining townships, and commenced the establishment and im- provement of the Locust and Twenty-fourth streets boulevards. That initial work was completed in 1891, when the association began on the park programme. It first induced the city to authorize the transformation of the old abandoned cemetery at Twenty-Fourth and Maine streets into a public park, which is now known as Madi- son. During the same year (1891) the association also petitioned the city to purchase for park purposes five aeres of ground lying west of Second Street between Chestnut and Cherry, which was the beginning of Riverview Park. The money required for making the actual improvements on these two traets was again raised by the association through popular subscriptions.
All efforts to induce the city to appropriate more money to the purchase of new park sites failed. The city administration, at that time, was devoting all its energies to the payment of the city's large bonded indebtedness and to the creation of a sinking fund for the purchase of the water works.
But the association drafted an act and passed it through the Legislature into law, providing for a mill tax to ercate a fund for the purchase of land for parks and boulevards. The tax was defeated in the April election of 1894, but carried at a special election held in February of the following year. This tax of one mill yielded $5,000 a year, and afforded the first dependable income for the pur- chase of park sites. The proposition to increase the tax to two mills was finally carried in April, 1903, and the three-mill tax went into effect four years afterward. Other sources of revenue formed through the persistence of the association were the town taxes paid into the treasury before March 10th of each year and the receipts from dog licenses. With the moneys thus obtained, supplemented by several liberal donations made by private citizens, the association has estab- lished and developed the system of parks and boulevards of which Quincy has a right to be proud.
As stated, Loenst Boulevard was the first to be improved, and was changed from a narrow lane thirty-three feet wide, with steep grades and no regular water courses, into a level avenue of easy grade and hard surface. Twenty-fourth Street was also improved. The boulevard development of late years has made most progress on the thoroughfares around the north, east and south sides of the city. Those improvements are conducted jointly by the Board of County Supervisors, the City Council and the Quincy Boulevard and Park Association.
THE PARKS IN DETVIL
The public grounds now included in the Quiney chain include the Madison, Riverview, South, Indian Mounds, Berrian, Washing-
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ton, Sunset Hill, Gardner, Parker Heights Memorial, Edgewater and Wood's parks.
Madison Park is the veteran of them all. In 1837 Edward B. Kimball deeded the property at the southeast corner of Maine and Twenty-fourth streets for burial purposes. As the plat was found unfit for its specified use, after having been somewhat improved, the original owner, in 1867, conveyed the property to the city for a pub- lic square or park. Some progress in beautifying the grounds was made within the following twenty-five years, although it was not until 1892, under the general supervision of Frederick L. Olmsted, the famous landscape gardener, that the work was begun which has really made Madison Park a gem. The elegant granitoid entrance at Maine and Twenty-fourth streets was designed by Harvey Chatten and completed in August, 1893. The fountain was erected in 1900.
The first piece of ground purchased for park purposes after the Quincy Boulevard and Park Association was formed comprised five acres lying on the bluffs between Chestnut and Cherry streets owned by Binkert & Cruttenden. The City Council ordered the purchase to be made in November, 1891, for $7,000. The original plans for what was named Riverview Park were prepared by H. W. S. Cleve- land of Minneapolis, who had designed Madison Park. These five acres of Riverview, with the eight and a half acres of Madison Park, comprised the park property owned in 1891. Even then Mr. Parker foresaw connections on the north side with Sunset Hill and Locust Street, as well as additions to the south giving more extended views of the river. This beautiful park on the bluffs, commanding a splen- did view of the river, became at once a favorite resort not only for the people of the north end, but of the citizens generally. In 1895 an addition of four acres to the north was made, and laid out by O. C. Simonds of Chicago, other extensions were made in 1905 and 1908, and in 1914, Waller Hill, just south of the park, was pur- chased. From 1895 on, Mr. Simonds accomplished wonders not only in the improvement of Riverview, but of the system generally.
As early as 1891 there began to be talk of a park for the South Side of Quincy. The tract of land to which the eyes of the park association were longingly turned consisted of some fifty acres lying between Eighth and Twelfth streets south of Harrison. There was a magnificent plateau covered with forest trees, while on the lower level in the same tract Watson's Spring bubbled from its rocky bed. The property was owned by Judge B. F. Berrian of Quincy, and his brothers in the East. The property was purchased of its owners by the city in 1895 and Mr. Simonds employed to landscape it. The name South Park was subsequently given it, at the suggestion of Mr. Parker. The Whitney tract of two acres adjoining was pur chased soon afterward. South Park was first opened to the public on Sunday, May 18, 1895, and formally dedicated July 2d following. It was one of the gala days in the history of Quincy. South Park
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was annexed to the city in June, 1896, and in the same year Judge Berrian gave to Quiney as an addition to the park, four aeres lying between Eleventh and Twelfth, Van Buren and Harrison. In 1904 the association leased eighteen aeres south of the park, and two years later purchased the tract. In 1915 a narrow strip of rocky land-rather a rocky ledge covered with vines and trees-on the south side of Curtis Creek between Eighth and Twelfth streets, which had been leased for many years as coveted ground, was pur- chased outright and added to South Park. Some adjoining farms have also been bought and when the proposed drive along the ereek has been laid out, that seetion of the grounds will be very attractive. The latest important aecession to the park was the large and hand- some shelter house, dedicated in September, 1917.
On account of its large aereage, its magnificent old trees, its sparkling spring, its well-shaded pienie grounds, its ball grounds, delightful walks and drives, tennis courts and attractive and com- fortable rest and shelter house, South Park is easily the most pop- ular recreation ground in Quiney.
While negotiations were pending with Judge Berrian for the pur- chase of the Watson's Springs traet, now known as South Park. the association became greatly interested in another piece of land on the bluffs south of Woodland Cemetery. Not only were there landscape possibilities in this traet of over twenty aeres, but the traet con- tained at least two Indian mounds of interest and archaeological value, one of which had been prononneed not only a signal-fire pin- naele but a burial hill. After negotiations with the owners and the City Councilmen had extended over about three years, a portion of the traet was purchased on long time and the balance leased for a short period. the final arrangements being made in April, 1897. Mr. Simonds took the park in hand during the coming fall, and within the year 60,000 shrubs and trees, mostly of native growth, had been transplanted to the new park. As that talented and energetie land- seape gardener remarked in later years: "I would like to take Indian Mounds Park around the country with ine as a sample of what ean be done in the development of an unpromising piece of land. at a minimum expense, with native flora and other inexpensive planting." In November, 1900, by the purchase of the Meyer tract of over five aeres to the south, five new Indian mounds were added to the two on the original piece of ground, and a new drive was opened to Front Street and the manufacturing distriet, as well as to the Curtis Creek Drive and the South Park on the east. By purchase from Joseph I'rey, made in 1902, the parkway was made a reality which connects Indian Mounds with South Park, and in 1904 the association purchased five aeres of the Meyer estate lying along the bluffs immediately south of Curtis Creek ravine.
The Berrian Park on Twelfth Street was a gift of ten aeres made by George W. Berrian, brother of Judge B. F. Berrian, and thrown
INDIAN : MOUNDS PARK
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open to the public in 1597. An addition of two aeres was purchased in 1913. A beautiful winding drive through the park from Twelfth to Cherry Street was laid out some years ago by O. C. Simonds, the landscape gardener, and a little foot bridge was thrown across the ravine. There is a good baseball diamond on the grounds and other attractions for the young people. The park was first called Primrose, being in Primrose addition to the eity, but the City Council rechris- tened it Berrian as a tribute to the generosity and public character of Judge Berrian, who adorned both the bench and the mayoralty. There is also a beautiful memorial, to the judge in the shape of a drinking fountain, which is the gift of the widow of the deceased.
In April, 1900, the City Council transferred the care of Washington Park to the association, and at onee took steps to improve it. Trees were planted, the fountain repaired, new ornamental electric lights installed and plans made for the ereetion of a handsome band stand. In October, 1908, a granite boulder was placed in the park to mark the spot where the famous Lineoln-Douglas debate was held just fifty years before on October 13, 1858.
At a special meeting of the Quiney Boulevard and Park Association held April 16, 1903, a committee was appointed to review certain park sites, among them the twelve aeres north of Riverview Park, extending from Cedar to Loeust and from Second Street to the end of the bhiff. It was proposed to eonneet this tract, if made into a park, to Riverview, by winding drives and a bridge. During the Civil war the traet named was known as Sunset Hill and had been the camping place of a num- ber of Illinois regiments. It was at first suggested that it be ealled Military Park. It enjoyed a commanding view of the river, being also about seventy-five feet further to the west, and Mr. Parker had long wanted to see it incorporated into the system of Quiney parks. The formal transfer of the property was not made until January, 1907.
In 1909 the City Council voted to change the name of Sunset IJeights to Parker Heights, in recognition of Mr. Parker's services to the city in the development of the park system. It was accordingly known by that name until 1913, when Mrs. E. J. Parker gave the traet on Cedar Creek north of Gardner Park to the eity as a memorial park to be ealled Parker Heights, Sinee that time the Sunset Hill site is known as Sunset Hill Park.
Gardner Park, a twenty-three aere traet of land north of Sunset Hill, which was purchased mainly by a bequest from the late Robert W. Gardner, to whom it is a memorial, was originally bought in May, 1908. In the fall of 1910 O. C. Simonds laid out the driveway between Sunset Hill and Gardner parks and, in. the course of its completion. construeted a massive stone bridge aeross Whipple Creek. It then became possible to drive from George Rogers Clark Terrace to River- view Park through what was then Slab Hollow. crossing through Sun- set Hill Park aeross Loenst Street, following the curves around the hills across the new bridge over Whipple Creek, through Gardner Park. Vol. 1-32
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with its fine high plateau and grand views of the river, and into the grounds of the Soldiers' Home.
The terrace noted gets its name from the heroic statue of George Rogers Clark, which stands on the elevated ground south of River- view Park, and is an impressive memorial to the brave soldier who con- vinced the governor of Virginia that the Illinois Country was worth saving from foreign dominion-and saved it for the United States and posterity. It was dedicated with quite elaborate and formal cerc- monies in May, 1909. The big monolith of Barre granite weighs twelve tons, and the crect figure of the statue shows the strong body of the seasoned soldier with the intellectual head of a statesman. The ground where the memorial stands was originally granted by President Monroe to John Groves, a soldier of the War of 1812, on July 12, 1818.
PARKER HEIGHTS MEMORIAL PARK
The first suggestion for a park north of the Burlington Railroad tracks was made in 1908, about the time that land was bonght for Gardner Park, when President E. J. Parker, with William Somerville and George F. Miller, made a tour of exploration through the tract north of Gardner Park along Cedar Creek. After passing over the Cramer land they came upon the eleven acres which now comprise the grounds of the City Hospital. On top of the bluffs they discovered three Indian mounds, part of a chain running along the high ridge to the northeast. The scenery along Cedar Creek is wonderfully strik- ing, and is perhaps the most unique and attractive stretch in the present park system. The president believed that the city would undoubtedly in time turn the hospital site over to the association for park purposes.
In 1911 about ten acres were acquired east of the city property,
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having a frontage of nearly 400 feet on the North Fifth Street, In the following year the buying of the Cramer traet was brought to the attention of the association, and in 1914 both properties were pur- chased by Mrs. Parker, repaid into the treasury of the association, and presented to the eity, as a whole, under the name of "Parker Heights Memorial Park," in honor of her late husband. In the meantime Mr. Simonds' plans for laying out the grounds had been accepted, and soon afterward the main road was constrneted winding from Fifth Street to the top of the mounds.
In 1909 Edgewater Park, a miniature traet near the intersection of Jersey and Front streets, on the river front, was laid out, and soon became the headquarters of several of the eity boat elubs, as well as a lounging place for tired dwellers in that part of town. Considerable disenssion has been going on of late years as to the advisability of
WABASH TRACT, ONCE KNOWN AS "SLAB HOLLOW"
giving special attention to the improvement of the river front as a whole, which, as it stands, is rather an unsightly streteh, and many look to see Edgewater Park as an entering wedge in the solution of the problem.
In 1949 John Wood gave a site to the eity for the establishment of a publie market, which was maintained for many years on the strip of land on Payson Avenue between Sixth and Seventh streets. In 1906 the old buildings were moved away and, although the land was graded and made into a neighborhood park, Daniel Wood, the only sur- viving son of the governor, with other more distant relatives, still held the title to the property. But in 1913 the heirs agreed to surren- der their interests to the city and deed the land to the municipality, or the association, with the sole proviso that it should be improved and named Wood's Park. This condition was gladly accepted.
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For many years there was an unsightly locality on both sides of Cedar Street, between Front and Second, covered with tumble-downs and the haunts of a most disreputable class of people, which became the property of the Wabash Railroad Company. After a long period of complaints. both verbal and through the public prints, the com- pany finally agreed to clean out the fifteen acres long known as Slab Hollow. At first it was thought that the railroad company might make a gift of the Hollow to the city for park purposes, but finally in the fall of 1910 leased it to the Quincy Boulevard and Park Association for the accomplishment of that end. About two years before this, the association had secured permission of the Wabash to use a strip across the property as a driveway connecting Riverview Park with Sunset Hill. Now the entire fifteen acres is a pretty park and breathing space for the people in that section of the city.
Besides the boulevard and parks mentioned, the association has charge of the ornamental triangle in Lawndale, so much admired on account of its fine white birch trees, and Park Place, with its well planted central grounds, around which are clustered a number of hand- some residences.
Of all the possible parks to be incorporated into Quincy's already fine system none is viewed with greater interest than the proposed im- provement of the wooded island known as Towhead, which constitutes so picturesque a feature of the river front. This stretch of potential beauty, comprising thirty-two acres, has been owned by the city since 1848, the Government patent having been issued by President James K. Polk in that year.
QUINCY CEMETERIES
There are about a dozen beautiful homes for the dead at and near the city, adding a charm of landscape repose to the fine system of local parks and boulevards. Old Woodland Cemetery, between Fifth Street and the river, the natural and acquired features of which have been mellowing since 1846, is the largest and most attractive, physically and historically. Its development into one of the most beautiful cemeteries of the West, and embracing over forty acres of the old Governor Wood estate, has already been traced. The tomb of the late Timothy Rogers and the Soldiers' Memorial Monument are among the structural gems of the cemetery. It is managed by the Woodland Cemetery Association, which is officered as follows: C. Lawrence Wells, president ; T. D. Woodruff, vice president ; S. B. Montgomery, treasurer ; Elmer E. King, secretary.
Greenmount Cemetery is on South Twelfth Street, opposite South Park, and was laid out in 1875. It is managed by the association to which its name is given : Officers of the Greenmount Cemetery Asso- ciation : A. C. H. Huseman, president; C. D. Behrensmeyer, vice president ; Henry Spilker, secretary ; Jacob Young, treasurer.
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The Graceland Cemetery at Thirty-sixth and Maine streets was established in January, 1895, by the Quincy Cemetery Association. In 1901 the National Cemetery for the burial of the soldiers was moved to Graceland from Woodland Cemetery, and is now its promi- nent feature. The officers of the Quincy Cemetery Association who manage the affairs of Graceland, are as follows: E. Beet, president ; Anton Binkert, vice president ; John Schauf, sceretary ; T. C. Poling, treasurer.
The Valley of Peace is the name of the Hebrew cemetery, located near Walton Ileights in the northeastern part of the city, at Thirtieth and Elm streets. Its board of directors inelude the following: Mrs. Emil Davidson, president ; Herman Davidson, treasurer; Mrs. A. I. Simmons, secretary.
The cemetery of the Illinois Soldiers and Sailors IIome is located in the northwestern part of the grounds.
The Roman Catholic cemeteries inelude: Calvary, on Eighteenth Street ; St. Boniface, northeast corner of Twentieth and State streets and St. Peter's, on Broadway east of the city limits. The burial ground of St. Peter's is also used by the congregation of St. Rose of Lima.
THE POLICE OF QUINCY
As a rule Quincy has been a law-abiding town, although, in special seasons of excitement, such as during the Mormon troubles and the slavery agitations, the place has been somewhat seething and riotous. At all times, with the backing of a vigorous and respectable eitizen- ship, its police force has been adequate, as it is today. The present strength of the police foree is forty-five, including a chief, elerk, police matron, two sergeants, two detectives and the patrolmen and station men.
The chiefs of police, as heads of an organized department of the city machine, date from 1867, when Oliver Gerry assumed the office. His sneeessors were: John C. MeGraw, 1868-9: Isaac Abrams, 1870; Jolın C. MeGraw, 1871-72; Jacob Metz, 1873-74; Gilbert Follansbee, 1875; John A. MeDade, 1876; John C. MeGraw, 1877-81; Dennis Sliney, 1882-83; Ilarry Hale, May to September, 1884 ; Henry Ording, 1884-87; A. P. O'Connor, 1888-89; John Ahern, 1890-1907; JJ. II. Robbins, 1908-10; George Koeh, 1910-12: Peter B. Lott, 1912-14; George Koch, 1914-16; Louis N. Melton, 1917-
QUINCY WORK HOUSE AND HOUSE OF CORRECTION
The old Quiney Work House and, later, the House of Correction, have been useful and necessary adjuncts to the police department. Through them vagrants and petty criminals have been given em-
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ployment, the wages allowed being applied toward liquidating the fines assessed by the police magistrates, or shortening the terms of imprisonment which they are serving. The one-story stone building on Front Street, not far from the southern boundary of the city, was erected on city property, which also extended along the bluff and em- braced extensive limestone quarries. The quarries furnished much of the employment which occupied the time of the prisoners.
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