WAUPACA COUNTY POST

March 17, 1921

COUNCIL VOTES TO PURCHASE PARK TRACT

COMMUNICATION IS RECEIVED FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

STATING GRIEVANCE

            At the regular meeting of the Common Council Tuesday evening, the usual routine business including payment of bills and pay rolls was quickly transacted.

            A letter from Waupaca Civic and Commerce Association was read, as was a lengthy resolution from the same source reviewing the entire negotiations for the purchase of the property between South Park and Shadow Lake, first with Congressman Browne and later with Mrs. Browne in which she repudiated the alleged offer of Mr. Browne, how Mrs. Browne had, after condemnation proceedings had been authorized by the council, consented to sell at the price Mr. Browne had named.  The resolution further recited the reported sale of a portion of the tract at $700.00, and the receipt of a final letter from Mrs. Browne, refusing to sell the remainder of her holdings unless she should receive for the portion she now held, the full amount asked last spring for the entire tract owned when negotiations were began.

            The resolution goes further and petitions the council to buy the remaining tract for $3,000, the price at which it is claimed that Cong. Browne offered the entire tact to the city one year ago.

Votes Stop Litigation

            The Council then unanimously voted to quash the condemnation proceedings and voted again to purchase the tract for the control of the natural bathing beach on the shore of Shadow Lake and the prominence looking out over one of the city’s two beautiful lakes.  Thursday morning acceptance of Mrs. Browne’s offer was dispatched by wire, with instructions to send the deed to one of the city banks where the funds will be ready for the transfer of title.

            The satisfaction to members of the Common Council, to directors and members of the Civic and Commerce Association and to the people of ht city will be greatly diminished by the recollection of the unpleasant incidents that occurred while trying to get Mrs. Browne to live up to the reported offer that Congressman Browne made to the ten gentlemen in the board of directors and officers of the Civic and Commerce Association of the congressman’s home town.  However, it is better for the city to procure this tract of lake shore even though there was disappointment in having to pay the full price for part of the property.