Tacoma Park Board Erupts in 'Fossil' Feud

The park board last night released its financial condition, showing that when the present indebtedness is all paid the board will have $8,643 left to run the parks this year. According to the report, the board came into a legacy of $34,640 debts left by the old board. It has paid $20,336 for fences, sheds, comfort stations, grading, fitting up the conservatory and other permanent improvements in the parks and has spent $17,129 for maintenance of parks. This makes a total of $72,006 in park warrants outstanding, which with interest will amount to much more. The taxes now coming in will amount to $83,643, so after paying all the outstanding warrants there will be about $8,000 left. The board discussed the recent bond election and showed considerable ill-temper because of the defeat of the project, declaring 'it justifies the only outside notoriety the city has: that of a community of dead, a city of fossils.' The board also showed some ill-temper on the demand made by the people for a site in Wright Park for the Historical Society and Ferry Museum, and for more light on the transactions of the board. It lays in its signed report: 'There has not been, nor will there be any secrecy in this business. But this board will not agree to be swayed, cajoled, bulldozed, or browbeaten by would-be dictators, arbiters, advisers, specialists, meddlers, gamblers, preachers, socialists, anarchists or friendly fools.' The board says the defeat of the bonds will mean the city will have to lose the paved boulevards to the parks, the bluff property offered by the Northern Pacific Railway and the various other things the board had in mind.