Their Public Parks Are the Pride of the People of Council Bluffs
"It Ifl commonly only nflor American cities
have matured and become populous that
the Importance of public parks Is rcall/ed ,
when It Is often Impossible nnd nlwa > ex
pensive to secure adequate and conveniently
located grounds for park purposes. Such
Is not the case In this city , which hnu al-
rrady acquired no less than CI7 acres of
park land within or Immediately adjacent
to the city limits. The people of Council
muffs nro only hcRlnnlnR to appreciate the
Kreat nnd j-rowltiK value of the magnificent
heritage which has been secured to them
by the efforts of far-sighted pioneers , who
dosrno the \\nrrnpflt prtilno rather than the
criticism they have too often received. It
Is our duty to preserve this heritage to
future generations. I'nrkfl arc the prldo
and ornament of our city , nnd not only
afford plact-H for public recreation , but en
hance the value of property and Indicate In
a mpafltire the culture nnd refinement of our
people. "
So spoke Mayor Jennings In his message
to the c-lty council at the commencement of
the flHcal year last April , and as his words
suggest Council muffs Is more so probably
than any other western city of Its sbo par
ticularly favored In possessing beautiful
parks nnd pleasure resorts within Its midst
or Immediately adjacent to Us municipal
limits. Whllo to Dnmo Nature the cltl7cni
of Council Hluffs owe much , yet to her
nlono Is not nil the credit due. Hnd It not
boon for the generosity and foresight of
some of the pioneers of this city , residences
and business blocks would In all probability
now encumber the two beautiful parks lo
cated In the very heart of the city , which
In summer tlmo are the dally resort of hun
dreds of men , women and children. To the
latter , particularly , are these two parks nn
Inwitlmalilo boon.
i\lcn < of 1'iirlc SyNli'in.
As before stated Council Bluffs owns In
the neighborhood of CI7 acres of park land
divided as follows : Kali-mount park , nearly
100 acres ; bake View park , 120 acrca ; Bay
lies paik , a llttlo short of four acres ; Cochran -
ran park , thrco acres ; Island park , 100
acres.
Of the five parks Falrmount ranks first
and has a reputation nil over the west for
the picturesque beauty of Its hills nnd
glens. It Is the Ideal resort for pleasure
seekers , nnd whllo the hand of man has
been Instrumental In artificially beautifying
portions of It and making every nook and
corner accessible to the visitor , yet the
artistic handiwork of nature has not boon
desecrated and the park stands today as one
of the most beautiful natural pleasure re
sorts In the country. Few places present a
fairer aspect than does Falrmount pnrK wnen
the hills and glens nro covered with the
deep verdure of the luxuriant gross nnd the
trees which cover the sides and tops of the
bluffs and line the avenues nnd pathways
nro heavy with their rich follago.
The park , situated ns It Is at the head of
Graham nvonuo , can bo reached from the
heart of the city In ton minutes by the motor
cars , which enter through ft deep ravine ,
overhanging which nro two bridges. At the
end of the ravlno stands n pavilion , round
which the car tracks circle. The pavilion Is
In the center of n neatly-kept lawn which
forms a resting place- for visitors whllo
waiting for the cars. White Iron rollings
enclose the grounds around the pavilion ,
whllo stone stops load down to the park
proper.
Hero In Immediate vicinity of thopavlllon Is
what might bo termed the children's paradise.
Hera ere the venerable caretaker Fred
Lamb's pots , which are the delight of the
small folk. In a largo wire enclosure struts
the stately peacock , with a small colony of
plegons ns his companions. Here n , number
of squirrels have their homo nnd food from
the peanuts which the llttlo folk delight to
give them. In adjoining cages may bo
scon the monkeys , whoso antics afford end
less amusciment for both young nnd old.
Further up the hill are cages containing
foxes nnd coyotes and last , but not least , Old
Bruin himself. All along the elclo of the
hill from the animal cages to the entrance
to what Is known ns the "horseshoe" swing *
are scattered everywhere and form ono of
the chief attractions for the joungor folk ,
nnd on a flno day In summer hundreds of
children may bo seen enjoying themselves
while their parents nnd older sisters and
brothers enjoy the shade on the many seats
! placed at every convenient and available
point.
The NtMV IliiiiilNdiml , f
Half way between the pavilion nnd the en
trance to the "horseshoe" Is tbo handsome
now bandstand erected nt a cost of ? 1DOO. ,
A band concert In Fnlrmount park never
fnlls to attract thousands of visitors to that
popular resort nnd last summer much re
gret was felt that the park commissioners
were unable to sco their way to provide
music on Sunday afternoon.
Entering the "horseshoe" a beautiful scene
spreads Itself before the view of the visitor.
Hero Is the cultivated part of the pork. On
elt'ior ' sldo and at the north end are the
green covered nnd troo-topped bluffa , with
thofr winding pathways nnd carriage drives.
Hero the Inudncapo gardener has hod full
Bway nnd the result Is picturesque. Boi-
dorlng the well-kept swnrd are the grovelled
driveways with concrete coping. Clustoro
of trees , many of them stately kings of the
forest , afford ample shade , nnd bonaath their
spreading branches nro to bo found comfort-
nblo seats and tables In sufficient quantity
for the numerous plcnlo parties which are
to bo found scattered all over the park nl-
niost any day In the week during the sum
mer and onrly autumn.
In the mlddlo of the "horsoshoo" Is a
ENTRANCE TO FAIRMOUNT PARK , COUNCIL BLUFFS.
FAIUMOUNT PARK PLAY GROUNDS.
pretty llttlo Inko with a fountain In the
center. Concrete steps lead to the many
winding paths on elthor sldo which bring the
visitor to the summit of the bluffs.
The view from tbo summit of the bluffs
ou a flno day Is one that once seen Is not
easily forgotten. From hero a matchless
view of the surrounding country can be ob
tained. Directly In front lies the city with
Its church spires nnd the roofs of Its many
handsome homes rising above the tops of the
trees. Beyond may bo seen the Missouri
river and the city of Omaha. To the south
the visitor may view Lake Manawa , Its
placid \vatera reflecting the deep blue of the
elcy nnd the soft green of the surrounding
farm lands. To the northwest gleaming In
the sunlight may bo seen with remarkable
clearness the buildings of that beautiful
White City the Greater America Exposi
tion which Is now but a recollection of the
past. At night when lighted with the thou
sands of Incandescent lamps , the exposition
as seen from the top of the bluffs of Fair-
mount park resembled one largo fairy place.
Nightly the bluffa were the resort of countless -
loss numbers of visitors who made the
ascent for the solo purpose of viewing th'a
beautiful picture.
Visitors from I'nr mid Nonr.
Fnlrmount park draws Its patrons and
visitors not only from this city , but during
the summer thousands come from Omaha
to epend the day or afternoon In it. Sunday
nfternoon Is a specially favorite tlmo for
the people of Omnlm to visit It nnd the largo
motors are run direct from the city across
the Ulg Muddy to the park. Fnlrmount park
Is an Ideal resort of the picnicker and Its
many ncoks nnd glens afford that privacy
which & so essential to the enjoyment of
nn alfresco meal , whether luncheon or eup-
por. Hero families spend the entire day ,
being Joined In the evening after business
hours by the father and husband , who finds
rest and recreation In the cooling freshness
of the green-covered sward after the toll
and dust of the city.
This beautiful pleasure report was secured
for the city through purchase at n remark
ably low flgUro. Lengthy litigation , how
ever , ensued , which ndded ovqr J20.000 to
the ccst before the tltlo became perfected
In the city.
Ba > Ilas park , located In the very heart of
the city , takes Its name from the late Sam
uel Bayllss , who generously donated It to
the city. Studded as It Is with magnificent
trees It affords ono of the most delightfully
shady lounging places Imaginable. It Is In
tersected with cement walks , which con-
verga at the center , where n handsome foun
tain stands. Flower stands , bright with
vnrl-colored posies , are to bo seen on all
sides. Bordering tbo walks and scattered
under the trees are se-its which , when the
weather Is favorable , nro rarely without
their occupants. Summer evenings BajlUs
park Is a most popular resort. One of the
features of this pretty llttlo park Is the
number of squirrels who make their homo
among the trees. They are a source of great
Interest to the visitors to the city , who take
great pleasure In feeding the city's pets
with nuts. They are cared for and regularly
fed by the park caretaker. Samuel Bayllss ,
the generous donor of the pretty little park
which bears his name , died in straitened cir
cumstances , whllo today the property which
ho so freely deeded to the people of Council
Bluffs Is worth many thousands of dollars.
homo Smaller I'tirKn.
Cochran pane , situated in the southwest
part of the city , was donated by the late
Colonel Cochran and.adjoins the grounds of
the Twenty-second street school. This park
has sprung up , It mabo said , with the
growth of the city westward with the now
homos and the now schools. Its trees and
shrubbery are still In their Infancy , but
each year adds beauty to the place , which Is
much appreciated by the people residing In
that section of the city. Hero special at
tention Is paid to flowers and thousands of
beautiful plants fill the beds every summer.
Lake View park , which Is situated at the
northern boundary of the city , Is as yet un
improved. Big lake , whoso waters form part
of the reserve , affords at times capital fish
ing , and on that account Is a favorite resort
of some. The Fort Dodge & Omaha rail
way's right of way cuts through Lake View
park and Its long trcstlo spans the lake.
The land comprising Lake View was granted
to the city by the government.
Island park consists of 100 acres located
outside the city limits. Not so many yearn
ago It was little more than a more swamp
covered with a thick growth oflllows. . To
day the greater part of It Is drained and
covered with gross. The park Is lot out for
grazing purposes , ns It Is too far at present
from the city to bo of any practical benefit
as n pleasure resort.
The management of the city parks Is In the
hands of a board of park commissioners , con
sisting of three members elected by the peo.
plo. The present members are Martin P.
Schmidt , chairman ; William Arnd and A. C.
Harding. N. C. Phillips , city clerk , Is sec
retary to the board. Formerly the com
missioners served without pny.i but under
the code of 1897 their remuneration wns
fixed nt $1"0 per annum. The parks are
maintained by a 1-mlll levy In the city.
* * ME w MAKING MONEY , " " *
$300.00 $750,00 $1,500.00 , $3,000.00 $ , $5,000.00 ,
Annual Income ,
We irt an Incorporated Company , under the lawiof the Sttta of
IlllnoU , with > Capital Slock ol $100 000 , and lef ally reciilered in the
Republic of Moilco.t own H 000 acre * of the flne l lende In
Mellco , on It" Pinned Rltcr , and ! > ul Inlrl ; mlnutci rlJelrora the Urftit
trt in Ihf Republic Tao Mtllctn Central H. R patm along our
loperlr tor a dl lins ol oil rollee We > ara deleloplnl 6,000 acrea
torour StiHkholJm , and lao remainder for onr Inteotora Ten acrea
hen ( nil ; do.loiJ. planted lo Vtnanat orangcl , lemont , irtapc ( mil , etc ,
III net lae otner $1,500 per annum. Onr prlca lor thii Inn v r ) >
retnotell luie lm. li , oill t jou $12 BO cath ind $1180 p r
month lor J monlae % ou will U let out trrj thorUr , tl the Company
Ul Kll onlj J 000 aim UOtUU WAHT AftV HAHTOF TIIIST | | M
rite ul ted we w.ll mall jou our | rotueclui ted other reading matter
TEHUAN'TEl'EC MUTUAL PLANTERS COMPANY ,
Guile [ oo , JOURNAL BU1LDINO , CHICAGO , ILL.
GLIMPSE OF BAYLISS PARK , COUNCIL BLUFFS.
FOUNTAIN IN FAIRMOUNT PARK.
, . Telephone 1531 . .
THE AMUSEMENT HOME OF THE
LADIES AND CHILDREN
Omaha's Society Vaudeville Theater
IN CONJUNCTION WITH
THE GREAT ORPHEUM CIRCUIT.
AViUtcr Oriilicum Co. , ( Incorporated ) Proprietors.
5l7 MEYERFELD , Jr. , President. JACOIJ IIOSENTHAI , , Resident M r.
Performance Every Night
Matinees Wednesday , Saturday and Sunday.
Crowded with the Mont KiiHlilonnhle AiiiIlenoeN Nothing hut
the llent nnd IIlKhext Priced Vaudeville ArtlntM lire
I'HICCS NEVEIl CHANGING.
Evenings Reserved Seats , 25c and EOc. Gallery , lOc. Matinees Any Part of the
House , 25c ; Children , lOc ; Gallery , lOc.
\
VIEW OF PORTION OF ONE OF THE FOUR FLOORS OF SIUVERICK FURNITURE
CO. , 14TH AND FARNAM STREETS. \
THE new Furniture received by this house
the past two weeks certainly surpasses
anything of the kind ever oiTeied. in this city.
The many variety and the very latest designs
gives opportunity to find just what ono wants
and at prices which compel them to buy. This
store would be a credit and be appreciated by
any city twice the size of Omaha.
Shiverick Furniture Co.
14th and Furaain Sts. , Omaha , Neb.
