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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 9, 1908)
TIIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN. PORTLAND. AUGUST 9, I90S. COLOR LINE IS NOT DRAWN ON NORTH PORTLANDS3 ARK BLOCKS ZSSS , - ..I, s- .-vN rZ- -..-.? ; .... -J .V-UiuL-r.''' p- - ij-rir vwJ J nit BT NANCT 1.EE. XT afternoon of the week If you walk down the park blocks as far as Burnside street, you will hear a merry conglomeration of childish voices, chiming out the old familiar tunes. "Lon don Bridge's Falfing Down." "King Wil liam was King ' James' Son," "Beney, Meneey. Miney, Mo." interspersed with "Tag You"r It" and "Hide and Go Seek" sung from the throat of happy little tofs from North Portlano. This playground Is one of the most commendable charities of the People's Institute, whfch has fitted It with all the paraphernalia dear to the heart of a small child, swings of various kinds, sand piles, climbing poles, see saws and a baseball ground for the boys, all of them full of infinite possibilities for fun. Prom Burnside street north three blocks have been set apart by the Park Board ax a playground for the children of the Peoples' Institute, presided over by a sympathetic policeman, and a matron, ilrs. Bertha Davis, who Is dearly beloved by all of her small charges, for she It Is who listens to their tales of woe. teaches them embroidering, plain sewing and basket-making and is ever ready to ad minister kindness and sympathy. Fully to appreciate the splendid work the People's Institute has done, in pro viding this fairyland of youthful delights, one must go down these warm Summer afternoons where you will find from 100 to 3ft) children of all colors, types and na tionalities. Every European race is represented and their outland neighbors, the Chinese, Japanese. Indian and negroes, all shades of humanity forgather there to play the 'merry hours away, amidst the blessed surroundings of fresh air and wholesome moral Influence. An added feature of their enjoyment, is the bronze drinking fountain which was recently presented by Mr. and Mrs. George F. Russell In behalf of their daughter Nan. This has. been Installed In the girls' playground, and consequent ly is eyed with envy by the bovs, who I might add. would not return with thanks ny contribution of this nature. Owing to the novelty of the recent acquisition, the children continually hover about the water and consume veritable quarts. Here the color line is not drawn, and in spite of the large numbers there Is ap parently the greatest harmony. In a sand pile was discovered a tiny plcka niny, with head of kinky curls, who bore a striking resemblance to the Gold Duet Twins, with a smile that wouldn't come oil. Building rare architectural triumphs In the same sand pile was a group of Chinese children with well groomed hair, black sateen costumes trimmed In vivid shades, their tiny Ivory hands and arms covered with carved jade bracelets all delightful, moist and dirty. Under the shade of spreading trees were grouped a number of Syrian women, watching their little ones, who come In regular Rooseveltian sequence, - at the same time fashioning garments by the aid of a tiny portable sewing machine. Nearby stood an Indian girl neatly dressed with strong regular features totally absorbed In doing artistic em' broidery work under the guidance of Mrs. Davis, while a tiny Swedish boy, his face the worse for pie, assisted a beauti ful Syrian child fan a diminutive baby asleep in a perambulator. A Syrian child with a wealth of raven black curls, a skin that suggested carved marble and beautiful swooping lashes which long ago had reached the braiding stage, derived apparently great satisfaction from swing ing a tiny pickanlny and a dear little golden-haired girl. So the various occupations and amuse ments of these little ones might be de scribed and elaborated upon. Sufficient, however, to say, that the People s In stitute playground Is supplying a certain definite and important need In the social and economic life of a big and growing city. There is no more useful or better directed charity to which a local philan thropist may lend his aid. It is buildlag for tomorrow; and -the children who are developing their little bodies, growing healthy and well-kept minds, will pay back some day the money with compound Interest. investment PARK BOARD VIEWS TRACT Purchase of Melinda Heights by City Is Under Consideration. Mayor Lane and members of the City Park Board visited Melinda Heights, otherwise known as Washington Heights, yesterday afternoon, and spent three hours inspecting it. There la a proposi tion to purchase it for an addition to the City Park, which lies Just north. No decision was reached as to what recom mendation. If any, will be made to the Council, as that question will be settled when the Board meets again. "I think the city should own the prop erty," said Isadore Lang, the member of the Board who first suggested the pur chase. "Our City Park is already too mall to accommodate the present popu I '-1 f : '!isi V- ' ' """'r'"' ' JUMI'T - " . &JftpB. -r r -: f t vl h iW. j, 't; '-ms Ap-: - k i v. I A) -ST -wnV -V4-? -C. ivf - ijir T-r.;1 n- " lation, to say nothing of the future. We can now purchase the property for much less than we will be able to buy it in future, and this Is the opportune time to secure It. if the city is to ever own it." A special meeting of the Board will be held soon, at which this and other sub jects will be discussed. Tomorrow. Monday, will positively be the last day for discount on West Side bill. Portland Gas Comjauur. . J. . . ' - f J t. HOUSE BURNS ON HEIGHTS Three Other Small Fires Are Easily Extinguished. The fire department was called upon to -quell several incipient blazes yes terday, the most serious of which was the bumling- of. a vacant house on Port- land. -HsisUla ovaed by T. C Brown, This blase was discovered yesterday afternoon and, before the engine com pany on the Heights could reach the scene, which is near the observatory, the structure was badly damaged. It Is understood that the loss Is covered by insurance. An explosion of a tube in the boiler of the Oregon Furniture Factory, on the Macadam road, yesterday morning, was the cause' of a slight blaze that was .extinguished by the firemen, of I .. ill 111 fc' ----I5L'-. Engine Company No. 10, with but slight damage. Two roof fires were extinguished after small loss. ' The first occurred at 101 Ninth street, north, and the other at 846 Sandy road. , . :,, ... Baeball for f 130 Purse. Golden- West colored ball The team will battle for supremacy this after noon with the J. G. Macks at the Will lams avenue grounds for a purse of 1160. Game called at 2:30 P. M. Um pire, Buck Keith. Bath Makes Tolstoi 111. ST. PETERSBURG, Aug. 8. Count Leo Tolstoi is again lndisposed.f At the con clusion of a long walk, through the coun try he took a bath la' .the river, which ; caused an enlargement 'of, the veins. -in' one of his feel. He, .has .suffered con-, siderable pain, buL.he rta 'now a iUtla better. . .. ..., ".".'' . '..-, Rosenthal'.)) wjnaows are ' mony-(Tara t 4
