Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1898 — A Fine Park Proposed. [ARTICLE]

A Fine Park Proposed.

A Movement to Provide Rensselaer With a Much Needed Pleasure Ground. Jacob Y. Wallick, now a resident of Rensselaer and the owner of a large farm property near town, wants to provide the people of Rensselaer with something they are greatly in need of; namely a well arranged public park, assembly and pleasure grounds, and fishing and boating waters. Mr. Wallick was before the city council Monday night and explained his plan at length. Briefly stated it consists of buying about 40 or 50 acres of timber land and river bottom, about one and a half miles down the river. By means of a dam in the river and the dredging out of some low ground, a lake of about ten acres is to be formed, which will have a good depth of water at all times; and be a great place for fishing and boating. The river, from the creamery bridge to this artificial lake is to be dredged and blasted until a good, deep channel is formed, and in this channel Mr. Wallick will establish a line of small steamers, to transport people to and from the park. It is from this source mainly that Mr. Wallick expects to make his money. The park, which will be free to all, will be well improved with trees, walks and drives. It is also contemplated to provide facilities for a “Chatauqua” or summer assembly, something after the model becoming so popular in many places.

Mr. Wallick has had many years’ experience in establishing and managing establishments of this kind, in other places. The last one was at Urbana, 111,, where he transformed a small creek and a much less promising region than the one here selected, into such a fine park and fishing and boating place, that it not only proved a very profitable investment but did wonders in building up Urbana. He also mentions several other places where he Tias carried out such plans and always to the great and immediate benefit of the places. Besides the cost of the land, the improvement as proposed will cost about SIO,OOO. Mr. Wallick asks that half of this sum be furnished in Rensselaer, himself furnishing the rest.

This plan of Mr. Wallick’s looks to us not only feasible but entirely cominendible and attractive. At all events it should not be turned down until its merits have received full and fair consideration. A good park has been a long felt want at Rensselaer and the need for it grows every year more and more pressing. Let us consider Mr. Wallick’s plan in a friendly spirit and if found practicable and meritorious let us give it a boost that will make it a success.