THE CONSTITUTION, ATLANTA, GA. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1901.
Council Dedicated Tract Permanently to Park Purposes.
APPROPRIATED $600 FOR IT.
Suggestion Was Made That It Be Called “Mims Park.”
NAME WAS LEFT TO PARK BOARD
New Park Will Be Graded and Trees Will Be Planted Before March 1st.
The city will soon have a new park near the Davis street school, to be known as “Blank park,” or at least that’s the way it appears in the ordinance adopted by council yesterday, dedicating the tract in question as a park and putting it under control of the bard of park commissioners.
An effort was made to have the new park designated as “Mims park,” in honor of the present mayor, but council preferred to leave the matter of the name to the park board and it took that course.
Reports received from the park commission and from the board of education with regard to the matter were read to council. The park commission agreed to take the tract of nine acres, in front of the Davis street school, and situated in both the first and fifth wards, under its care, provided council would dedicate it permanently to park purposes, would have it graded by the commissioner of public works, and would appropriate $600 to put it in condition as a park.
The board of education approved the plan for making a public park of the tract provided the strip of land between the school and Davis street shall be left for school purposes, and provided also that the park shall be properly policed so that there will be no interference with school exercises or with the school children by the crowds gathering there.
The councilmen from the first and fifth wards were anxious to have the matter settled at once, so that work on the new park may begin without delay. Severl of them made speeches urging action at once, and Councilman Fincher, who started the movement, and Councilman Minhinnet were especially anxious to have the matter settled forthwith.
Alderman Welch thought there should be further consideration of the question and moved its reference to a special committee composed of the chairman of the park commission, the chairman of the school committee, the city attorney and the city engineer.
It was urged that such action would defeat the efforts to establish the park this year, because trees will have to be planted before March 1st if they are planted at all this season.
Councilman Minhinnett offered a substitute for the motion of Alderman Welch to the effect that the reports of the park commission and the board of education be received and that council appropriate $600 from the contingent fund for the purpose of putting the tract in shape as a part at once. This motion was adopted, council only voting. Councilman Hill cast the only adverse vote to this proposition.
Later in the meeting an ordinance dedicating the tract which is at Davis and Spencer streets to permanent use a a park, putting it under control of the park commission and appropriating the required $600, was read a second time under suspension of the rules and adopted.
Before the ordinance was adopted Councilman Grady, speaking for Councilman Hill, who was under the weather, and for himself, moved that the park be named “Mims park,” in honor of the present mayor.
Councilman Fincher suggested that the naming of the park be left to the lady teachers at Davis street school, but withdrew his suggestion when Councilman Minhinnett moved that the naming of the new park be left to the park commission. This motion was adopted, and for the present it will remain “Blank park.”
The work of grading the new park will probably be begun this week, and within a few days the work of planting 900 trees there will be begun.
