USA > Nebraska > Douglas County > Omaha > History of the city of Omaha, Nebraska > Part 65
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HANSCOM PARK.
In October, 1872, a tract of ground, cov- ering fifty-seven and a half acres, was offered the city for public park uses, by two of the earliest settlers in Omaha- Andrew J. Hans- com and James G. Megeath. The tract is situated in what was then the extreme south- western part of the city; was covered at that time by a thrifty growth of young trees, and was in many ways specially adapted to that purpose. No charge was made for the prop- erty, but the gift was upon condition that the city expend in improving it the sum of three thousand dollars in 1873, four thous- and dollars each year for the three years following, five thousand dollars in 1877, and the same amount in 1878; to forever keep the property in good order, and to grade and keep in good repair at public expense the streets by which the tract was bounded. The donation was accepted on these condi- tions, the property christened " Hanscom Park," and for ten years past has been a popular resort for all classes of people. The tract is now of great value, and its donors will ever be held in grateful remembrance for their generosity, foresight, public spirit and enterprise. In the earlier years of the history of this park the city was in financial straits, and considerable management was
required to provide funds to carry out the necessary improvements. Indeed, it is well known that the conditions in that respect were not literally fulfilled, owing to a lack of money, but Messrs. Ilanscom and Megeath, realizing the situation, displayed commend- ahle forbearance in not insisting upon a strict performance of all the conditions em- braced in the deed of gift.
TIIE PRESENT PARK LAW.
At the session of the legislature of 1889 a law was passed providing for a general sys- tem of parks, for all cities of the metropoli- tan class (Omaha being the only one in the State), and the appointment by the Judges of the District Court of a board of five com- missioners, to have control thereof. Follow- ing is the full text of the law:
" In each city of the metropolitan class there shall be park commissioners, who shall have charge of all the parks and public grounds belonging to the city, with power to establish rules for the management, care and nse of public parks and parkways; and it shall be the duty of said board from time to time to devise and suggest to the mayor and council a system of public parks, park- ways and boulevards within the city and within three miles of the limits thereof. and to designate tlie lands and grounds necessary to be used, purchased or appropriated for such purpose; and thereupon it shall be the duty of the mayor and council to take such action as may be necessary for the appropri- ation of the lands and the grounds so desig- nated, and for the purpose of making pay- ments for such lands and grounds assess such lands and grounds as may be specially benefited by reason of the appropriation thereof, for such purpose, and issue honds as may be required in excess of such assessment. Said board shall be comprised of five mem- bers, who shall be resident freeholders of such city, and who shall be appointed by the judges of the judicial district in which such city shall be situated.
" The members of said board shall be appointed by said judges, a majority of said judges concurring, on the second Tuesday of May, 1889, or on the second Tuesday of May following the creation of this act of any
438
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF OMAHA.
city of the metropolitan class, one for the term of one year, one for the term of two years, one for the term of three years, one for the term of four years and one for the term of five years; and after the appoint- ment of said five members it shall be the duty of said judges, a majority concurring, to appoint or reappoint one member of said
board each year on the second Tuesday of May. A majority of all the members of the board of park commissioners shall con- stitute a quorum. It shall be the duty of said board of park commissioners to lay out, improve and beantify all grounds now owned or hereafter acquired for public parks and employ a secretary and also such land- scape gardeners, superintendents, keepers, assistants, or laborers, as may be necessary for the proper care and maintenance of such parks, or the improvement or beautifying thereof, to the extent that funds may be pro- vided for such purposes. The members of the board at its first meeting each year after the first Tuesday in May shall elect one of their members as chairman of such board. Before entering upon their duties each member of said board shall take an oath to be filed with the city clerk that he will faithfully perform the duties of his appoint- ment, and in the selection or designation of Ind for parks or boulevards and in making appointments he will act for the best inter- ests of such city and the public, and will not in any manner be actuated or influenced by personal or political motives.
" The chairman of such board shall receive a salary of six hundred dollars per annum and the other members of said park com- mission shall receive a salary of two hundred dollars per annum.
"For the purpose of paying such salaries, providing funds for laying out, improving or benefiting parks and public grounds and providing for the salaries and wages of em- ployes of said board the mayor and council shall each year at the time of making the levy of taxes for general city purposes make a levy of not less than one and a half mills and not exceeding three mills on the dollar valuation on all the real and personal prop- erty within the corporate limits of such city taxable according to the laws of this State; and such fund to be known as the park fund, the warrants thereon to be drawn only in the payments of accounts or claims audited by the said board of park commissioners."
THE PARK COMMISSION.
Under the provisions of this law the judges, May 14th, 1889, selected the follow- ing named as a board of commissioners: George L. Miller, for the term of five years; George W. Lininger, for the term of four years; Angustus Pratt, for the term of three years; George B. Lake, for the term of two years; Alfred Millard, for the term of one year. A three mill levy was made by the mayor and council and a fund of abont $62,000 raised for the use of the board during the remainder of the year.
The first meeting of the board was held May 15, 1889, when Dr. Miller was elected president, and Guy R. Doane, secretary. Correspondence was had with leading land- scape gardeners of St. Louis, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Chicago and Cincinnati, resulting in the employment of Mr. Il. W. S. Cleve- land, of Minneapolis, to prepare plans for the use of the commission and to superin- tend the improvement of the public grounds of Omaha. In June a visit was made by the Board to Minneapolis and Chicago, to view the public parks and gain information as to the methods pursued in those cities for their development. The work thus far done here has been under the superintendency of William R. Adams, William L. Adams hav- ing charge of the surveys. He was suc- ceeded by J. E. Honse, civil engineer, in 1892. During the year and a half ending January 1, 1891, the board expended $70,- 738.22. May 14, 1890, Alfred Millard was re-appointed a member of the commission for a term of five years; May 14, 1891, Geo. B. Lake was re-appointed, and on May 14, 1892, Thomas Kilpatrick was appointed in place of Augustns Pratt, who declined.
The legislative session of 1891 gave to the park commissioners somewhat increased powers and provided that, "the mayor and council are authorized to negotiate for and purchase such lands as may be designated by the park commission within the limits desig- nated, notwithstanding said limits include
439
OMAHA'S PARK SYSTEM.
land within the boundaries of other cities or villages, and if such lands are in the limits of other cities or villages, said cities or vil lages shall cease to have jurisdiction over said land after it is acquired for park pur- poses, by gift, purchase, condemnation or otherwise, and the park commission is given power to purchase or condemn land in cities or villages within the three mile limit. For the purpose of paying for and improving the same the mayor and council may appro- priate money from the general fund or issue bonds to an amount not to exceed $500,000 within three years from the passage of this act, and thereafter not to exceed $50,000 per year. Said bonds shall not be issued, how- ever, until authorized by a two-thirds vote at a general election. Improvements upon streets abutting upon parks or similar grounds shall be paid for from the 'park' fnnd hereafter provided. The board of park commissioners shall be composed of five resident freeholders, to be appointed by the judges of the District Court on the sec- ond Tuesday in May, and they shall hold office five years. The chairman shall be elected at the first meeting after the first Tuesday in May each year and he shall re- ceive a salary of $600 per year. The other members shall receive a salary of $200 per year. For the purpose of providing funds for the park commission the council shall each year make a levy of not less than 1} mills and not exceeding three mills on the dollar valuation on all real and personal property within the corporate limits; pro- vided, that when the total valuation of taxa- ble property exceeds 825,000,000 the rate of levy shall be reduced in proportion to the increase of valnation."
THE NEW PARKS.
Acting under the provisions of the act of the legislature, in November, 1891, on the recommendation of the park commissioners the city council submitted to the voters of the city a proposition providing for the is-
sning of bonds to the amount of 8400,000, to be used in purchasing tracts of land for park purposes. The proposition was carried by an overwhelming vote, and the bonds were issned and sold for a premium of $26,728. The park board recommended to the city council the purchase of the following tracts of land:
The Parker Tract .- The south half of the northeast quarter, of section 33, township 16, range 13, eighty acres, for seventy-five thousand dollars. The recommendation was approved by the city council, and the prop- erty will be bought as soon as title can be procured from the heirs. who now hold it. It is situated just northeast of Fort Omaha.
The Distin Tract was bought for ninety thousand dollars. It contains 110 acres, and is situated in the angle of Ames Avenue and Forty-eighth Street.
As heretofore mentioned the Bemis Park Company, in 1889, donated to the city a narrow strip of land about two hundred feet wide, extending from Thirty-third Street on the east to Thirty-sixth Street on the west, being mostly a narrow, deep ravine. The park commission then recommended the purchase of the ground lying between the donated strip and Cuming Street, making the park contain about ten acres, at a cost of thirty thousand dollars. This purchase was also made.
ELMWOOD PARK.
Fifty-five acres of this park were donated in 1890, by Lyman Richardson, John T. Bell, Leopold Doll and others. The board realized that this was where the large park of the city could be made, and recommended the purchase of the remainder of the quarter section, in which most of the donation was located, being the southeast quarter of sec- tion 24, township 15, range 13. The re- mainder of the quarter section, about 115 acres, and twenty acres in the section on the west of it, have since been purchased for nine hundred dollars per acre; also twenty
440
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF OMAHA.
acres of ground northeast of said park, and extending north to Dodge Street, was pur- chased for twelve thousand dollars. This park contains about 210 acres, and has cost the city, by purchase, about $135,000.
Of the $426,000 received from the sale of bonds there remains a balance of about nine- ty-six thousand dollars, which it is intended to use partially, or wholly if necessary, to purchase land for park purposes in the south- east portion of the city.
BOULEVARDS.
It is the intention of the park commis- sion to eventually connect all the parks in the city by handsome, wide boulevards. Lands for this purpose have been donated in various localities. One of these will run from Ames Avenne north to the Parker tract, and thence north to connect with the Forest Lawn Cemetery boulevard, which will be turned over to the city. This boule- vard will be one hundred to one hundred and twenty feet wide. Most of the land has been donated by property owners. There are a few persons having small holdings who have not donated. The city attorney has begun proceedings to condemn the tracts not donated.
The engineer of the park board is making a final survey of a line from a point near Hanscom Park, southwest, running to Ruser's Shooting Park, and from thence to Elmwood Park, for a boulevard two hundred feet wide.
As the boulevards will add greatly to the value of property where they are located, there is scarcely a doubt but that most of the land necessary for them will be donated by property owners, and that it will not be many years until the city will be well sup- plied with these beautiful drives.
Up to October, 1892, the following amounts had been expended on the various parks by the park commissioners since the work came into their hands. The amounts cover all expenses, including improvement, mainten- ance, etc .:
On Hanscom Park. .$72 850 47 On Capitol Avenue Park, between Eigh- teenth and Twentieth Streets ... 1 481 91
On Jefferson Square. 6 453 32
On Bemis Park. 758 90
On Himebaugh Park (formerly Belt Line Park), a strip of land dedicated to the city in platting Saunders & Himebaugh's addition. 42 00
On Elmwood Park, including bridges .. 22.295 58
In addition to the above, there has been a small sum expended on boulevards.
SYNDICATE PARK.
Syndicate Park, owned by the South Omaha Land Company, adjoins Omaha on the southeast. It contains 108 acres, with an abundance of forest trees and never-fail- ing springs of water. The company has ex- pended about $30,000 in improving the park.
A strong pressure has been brought to bear upon the park commissioners to induce them to purchase Syndicate Park, for the southeast park, but up to the present time it has not been done, there being much division of sentiment among the people in the southern portion of the city as to the best location for a park in that section, many urging that Syndicate Park is in South Omaha, and object on that account. Some of the influential property owners and citizens claim that Syndicate Park can never be diverted to any other than park purposes, as the surrounding property was sold by the original owners with the understanding that it should be a park, and that this being the case it is unnecessary for the city to pur- chase it. A great many recommended a location further east for the public park, and favored purchasing what is known as the Clark tract, on the bluffs, overlooking the river. The question has not yet been decided.
In October, 1892, Syndicate Park was enclosed with a high board fence, and watch- men placed in charge, to keep the public off the property, the owners thus giving notice that it was considered by them to be private property. If the people desire to use the park, the company which owns it demands that it shall be paid for by Omaha or South Omaha.
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LOOKING NORTHWEST FROM FOURTEENTH AND FARNAM STREETS-1873.
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DRUGS.
GOODS
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LOOKING NORTH FROM FOURTEENTH AND FARNAM STREETS-1873.
CHAPTER L.
THE POSTOFFICE - CUSTOM HOUSE - INTERNAL REVENUE DEPARTMENT - EXPRESS COMPANIES.
THE OMAHA POSTOFFICE.
The Omaha postoffice was established May 6, 1854, by the efforts of Hon. Bernhard Henn, then a member of Congress from lowa, who also secured the appointment of A. D. Jones as postmaster. The first build- ing used for postoffice purposes was a small house on Thirteenth Street, directly in rear of the Douglas House. David Lindley, who conducted the hotel, taking charge of the mail as Mr. Jones' deputy. Mr. W. W. Wy- man was then appointed postmaster, and a building at the corner of Eleventh and Harney was occupied as the postoffice. Mr. Wyman erected a two-story brick at the northwestern corner of Thirteenth and Douglas, using the first floor for a postoffice and the upper floor as a printing office, he being then the publisher of the Omaha Times. Mr. Wyman was a democrat and in conse- quence of Mr. Lincoln's election lost his official position and George Smith became postmaster of Omaha. The office was then moved to the building at the northeast corner of Farnam and Fourteenth. A few years later it was moved to the store room under the Academy of Music, on Douglas Street, and here for a year or two Jolin II. Kellom was postmaster. In 1871 Joel T. Griffin was appointed postmaster, and the office was moved to the A. J. Simpson build- ing on Fourteenth Street. Then Casper E. Yost became postmaster and, following the example of all his predecessors, secured a removal of the office, this time to a store room in the Creighton Block, on Fifteenth Street. The present postoffice building, which cost $300,000, was commenced in
1870, and when it was completed, in 1874, the office was moved into it. In 1876 Thomas F. Ilall succeeded Mr. Yost as post- master, and at the close of his term he was succeeded by C. K. Coutant. When the democrats came into power, in 1885, C. V. Gallagher was appointed by President Cleveland, and was succeeded in the fall of 1890 by T. S. Clarkson. For twenty years James I. Woodard, the present deputy postmaster, has been connected with the office in various capacities. In 1873, when the delivery system was established, there were but six carriers, and the business for that year was as follows: Stamps sold, $31,860.10; box rent, $1,103.50; unpaid post- age collected, $18.54; waste paper sold, $20.00; Money order business, $1,053,- 458.20; total, $1,089,660.34. In contrast with this may be given the business of 1889 and 1890, as follows: Stamps sold 1889, $228,108.47; 1890, $260,394.18. Box rent 1889, $2,036.00; 1890, $2,030.00. Total 1889, 8230,204.47; 1890, $262,424.18; in- crease over 1889, 832,219.71. Money orders paid 1889, 890,958.00; 1890, $101,238.00; increase over 1889, $10,280.00.
There are now sixty-seven carriers regu- larly employed and seven substitutes. Eight of the carriers are mounted. There are also forty-five clerks. 'One hundred and eleven mails are received daily. During 1890 there were 19,935, 834 pieces handled. The office expenses for the year were $76,481,94. There are 212 letter boxes distributed about the city for the receipt of mail. Joseph E. Cramer is superintendent of mails.
For the year from July 1, 1891, to July 1,
411
442
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF OMAHA.
1892, the following is the amount of busi- ness which was done by the Omaha post- office: Stamps and envelopes sold, $277,- 740.95; box rents received $2,076.75. Num- ber of mails received, 111; number of mails dispatched, 111; annual allowance for office expenses, $37,800; cost of free delivery, $57,807.67; salaries railway postal clerks, $100,285.74; making a total of $195,893.41 for expenses. Number of male clerks, thirty- seven; number of female clerks, eight. Total number of street letter boxes, 212.
THE NEW POSTOFFICE.
In 1889, chiefly through the efforts of Senator Manderson and Congressman Mc- Shane, a government appropriation of $1,200,000, was secured for the erection of a new postoffice building the cost of the site to not exceed $400,000, the present building proving entirely too small for even present needs. Of course there was much strife by property owners in particular and the public, in a general way, to secure the location of this building so as to best advance special interests. Various sites were offered, the choice finally narrowing down to the block bounded by Farnam, Douglas, Eighteenth and Nineteenth, and the one bounded by Dodge, Capitol A venue, Sixteenth and Seven- teenth, a second visit to this city by the agent of the goverment being necessary to settle the matter. The Farnam Street ground had the advantage of being much higher, thus affording a much more prom- inent and striking position for the handsome structure it is the purpose of the govern- ment to erect, while the Dodge Street site was considered easier of access. The latter was finally selected and the various interests therein adjusted by a board of appraisers, appointed by Judge Dundy, of the United States District Court, the wife of ex-Presi- dent Cleveland being the owner of a valu- able portion of the block. The total valuation of the various subdivisions of the
property was fixed by these appraisers at a trifle less than the allowance of $400,000.
The bill for the new building was approved by the President of the United States on January 21, 1889. It provided for an ap- propriation of $1,200,000 for the purchase of a site and the erection of a United States custom house, a court house and postoffice, an amount not exceeding $400,000 to be paid for the site, and no plan of a building to be approved by the secretary of the treasury which should exceed in cost of erection $800,000. The bill also provided that upon the completion of the new building, the present government building should be turned over to the secretary of war for use as offices for the headquarters for the De- partment of the Platte. Since the passage of the original bill, Senator Manderson has succeeded in having a bill pass the United States Senate increasing the appropriation to $2,000,000. The matter is now awaiting action by the house of representatives at Washington.
In the spring of 1892 the contract for the basement was let to O. J. King, of Omaha, and the work has progressed until this part of the building is now nearly completed. It is expected that the contract for the super- structure will soon be let, and that the work will be pushed until the building is finished. The plans of the new building contemplate its erection on the eastern portion of the block, so that if the additional appropriation is made the structure will be extendeded to Seventeenth Street without changing the plans of the building under the present appropriation. Mr. W. H. Alexander was appointed disbursing officer for the new building, and Mr. Charles F. Beindorf was appointed superintendent of construction.
The style of architecture of the new build- ing is the Romanesque. The basement and first story are to be constructed of St. Cloud pink granite, finished in natural rock face, with joints, corners and jambs dressed. The
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THE OMAHA POSTOFFICE.
three upper stories are to be of sandstone. The main entrance is from Sixteenth Street; it is approached from a loggia fifteen feet wide and fifty long, surrounded by a balus- trade. It is composed of a facade of five arches springing from massive piers. These are embellished on each side by groups of polished granite columns with carved capi- tals. The carving is continued on the soffit of the arches. Three doors give access to the interior from this loggia.
Over the center of the loggia is a mag- nificent tower rising to a height of 190 feet, with a large elock and dial on each of the four sides.
To the right and left of the loggia, are gables, projecting toward the street, with grouped triple windows, surmounted on the roof with handsome double dormer windows and produce a charming effect.
The entrances on Dodge Street and Capi- tol Avenue are emphasized by very hand- some gables, presenting the feature of triple grouped windows before mentioned. On the first floor, entranee is had through a facade of three arches, the door being re- cessed. The gables extend into the roof, which is hipped, and which is further broken up by dormer windows grouped to the best advantage.
PLAN OF THE BUILDING.
The basement is devoted to a heating and ventilating plant, elevator and electric light machinery, and offiees on Sixteenth Street (not assigned), and storage purposes.
The first floor is very conveniently ar- ranged; entering from Sixteenth Street into a large vestibule and thence into the office proper, where you stand before the private boxes, of which there are fifteen hundred; on " either side are the various deliveries. To the right of the entrance are the elevators, of which there are two. Around these are the main stairs, leading by easy stages away up into the tower.
Following the wide corridor to the right, on the northeast corner are a suite of offices,
not assigned; passing these is the Capitol Avenue entrance. Directly west of this are the postmaster's and assistant postmaster's offices, toilets, etc. At the end of the corri- dor is a large shaft, with stairs leading above the roof, for the use of the mail superintend- ent and signal service inspectors.
To the left of the Sixteenth Street en- trance and up to the Dodge Street entrance are quarters for the money order depart- ment, toilet rooms, etc. West of the Dodge Street entrance are the rooms of the registry department. The first story is 22 feet in . height and over the working department on a line with the sereen, is a skylight 100x100 feet in size, assuring ample light.
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