The Leon Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa Thursday, September 09, 1915, Page 1 WILL DEDICATE PARK Harvey Park will be Formally Dedicated This Afternoon with Appropriate Ceremonies. ____________ The formal dedication of the beautiful Harvey Park, presented to the City of Leon by Mrs. J. W. Harvey and son, Jas. F. Harvey as a memorial to their husband and father the last Judge John W. Harvey, will be held at the park this afternoon, the program commencing at 3 o'clock. Judge Harvey as always an active worker in the ranks of the G. A. R. and the Leon Post and W. R. C. will attend the dedication in a body. The public schools will also be dismissed and will march to the park in a body. Congressman H. M. Towner will deliver the dedication address, and Gen. D. J. Palmer, Commander in Chief of the G. A. R. will also be in attendance and will make a short talk. The dedication program will commence at 3 o'clock, and Jas. F. Harvey, president of the Park Commission, will be the presiding officer. Everybody in Leon who appreciates this handsome gift to the city, should show their appreciation, and also a tribute to the last Judge Harvey, by attending the dedication services. The following is the program: Overture . . . . K. of P. Band Song . . . . Public Schools Invocation . . . . Rev. G. T. Ronk Song . . . . Public Schools Short Talk . . . . Gen. D. J. Palmer Commander in Chief G. A. R. Dedicatory Address . . . . Hon. H. M. Towner Announcements America . . . . Led by Public Schools The W. R. C. will serve one of their famous bean suppers at the M. E. church, commencing at 5 o'clock, at 7:30 o'clock there will be a camp-fire held in the auditorium of the M. E. church, at which General Palmer and others will talk. At the conclusion of the camp-fire a smoker will be given at the Commercial Club rooms in honor of Congressman Towner, General Palmer and other visitors. The Leon Reporter Leon, Decatur County, Iowa Thursday, September 16, 1915, Page 1 FINE PARK DEDICATED Harvey Park, the Gift of Mrs. E. E. Harvey to the City of Leon Formally Dedicated Thursday. ____________ The beautiful Harvey Park, presented to the City of Leon by Mrs. E. E. Harvey, as a memorial to her husband, the late Judge J. W. Harvey, was formally dedicated with appropriate ceremonies last Thursday afternoon and the enormous attendance testified to the appreciation of this magnificent gift. The dedication program commenced at 3 o'clock, all of the business houses of Leon being closed during the dedicatory ceremonies. The K. of P. band marched to the park and rendered some fine music, and one of the prettiest sights we ever saw in Leon was the marching of all the children from both the schools to the park, each pupil carrying a small flag. Jas. F. Harvey, president of the Park Commission, presided, and after music by the band and High School chorus, the invocation was delivered by Rev. Geo. E. Mitchell, of Weldon. Gen. D. J. Palmer, of Washington, Commander in Chief, of the G. A. R., made a short talk, in the course of which he spoke of his years of acquaintance with Judge Harvey, and to his sterling worth as a soldier, a citizen, and a jurist. He especially mentioned the spectacle of the school children attending and of their carrying flags, and said it was the most beautiful sight he ever witnessed in his life. After another song by the schools, Congressman H. M. Towner, the speaker of the day, made the dedicatory address. Judge Towner is always a fluent and eloquent speaker, and on this occasion he was at his best. His tribute to the memory of Judge Harvey was a beautiful one, covering a personal acquaintance of many years, and we heard many of our citizens say that it was the best speech they ever heard Judge Towner deliver. The large audience enjoyed every word of his address. After everybody joined in singing "America" the services closed with the benediction by Rev. Chas. W. Reeder. Harvey Park is one of the prettiest little parks to be found in the state of Iowa, located conveniently to the business center and comprising more than two city blocks, which is amply large enough for a park in a city the size of Leon. The park was presented to the city of Leon by Mrs. E. E. Harvey as a memorial to her husband, the late J. W. Harvey, being turned over to the city last year, and it is in charge of a park commission composed of Jas. F. Harvey, Capt. J. D. Brown and Dr. J. W. Rowell. No work was done on the park until this spring when a competent landscape artist was employed to make plans for beautifying the grounds, a beautiful pergola was erected, walks laid out, much shrubbery planted and the grounds graded up. A huge red granite boulder weighing between five and eight tons which has laid on the farm of Capt. J. D. Brown, north of Leon, was hauled to the park and on this boulder, a bronze tablet has been placed with the inscription: "Harvey Park, Presented to the City of Leon in Memory of John W. Harvey, 1840 - 1913." The state geologist visited Leon last week and on seeing this boulder said it was the finest boulder he had ever seen in the state of Iowa. In another year or so many more improvements will be made at the park, and everybody in Leon is proud of Harvey Park. Among the distinguished visitors who were in attendance were Congressman and Mrs. H. M. Towner, of Corning; Gen. D. J. Palmer, of Washington, Commander in Chief of the G. A. R.; Mrs. Sarah A. Fox, of Muscatine, Past President of the W. R. C.; Gen. Guy E. Logan, of Des Moines, Adjutant General of Iowa; Capt. T. H. Brown and Capt. James E. Wilson, of Lincoln Post G. A. R., Chicago; Dr. R. L. Chase, of Des Moines, and many of the old soldiers from different parts of the county. The Leon G. A. R. Post and the W. R. C. attended in a body, and a martial band composed of veterans from Weldon and Leon, assisted with the music. In the evening the ladies of the W. R. C. served a splendid bean supper at the M. E. church, the visitors and many of our citizens enjoying the excellent repast. This was followed by an old fashioned camp fire held in the auditorium of the church, at which the visitors and local veterans told of amusing stories of old army life. This was followed by a smoker held at the Commercial Club rooms, where General Guy E. Logan made a fine talk, explaining about the Iowa State Militia, and its equipment, and how application should be made in order to secure a company for Leon when the first vacancy occurred, and plans have been started to secure a local company. Several very pleasant hours were spent, with songs by Gen. Palmer and Capt. Wilson, while others told stories. The dedication of Harvey Park will long be remembered by our citizens and from the attendance the giver of this beautiful park, Mrs. E. E. Harvey, knows that the gift is fully appreciated. ~ ~ ~ ~ A committee representing the citizens of Leon, the G. A. R. and Leon Commercial Club was appointed to prepare suitable resolutions, and they reported the following: Whereas: - Mrs. E. E. Harvey has generously presented to the City of Leon and its citizens a beautiful park known as Harvey Park, as a memorial to her husband, the late Judge John W. Harvey, who for 45 years was an honored and highly respected resident of Leon, a man who was always in the foremost ranks in every movement for the betterment of Leon and Decatur county. Therefore: Be it resolved, that we as a committee representing the Leon Commercial Club, the G. A. R. Post and the citizens of Leon desire to publicly thank the donor of this beautiful park which has been dedicated under such auspicious circumstances, and to assure her that the memory of her beloved husband will ever remain green in the hearts of our citizens. Resolved, that we desire to thank Hon. H. M. Towner, who made such a splendid dedicatory address; Gen. D. J. Palmer, Commander in Chief of the G. A. R.; Mrs. Sarah A. Fox, Past President of the W. R. C. of Iowa; Gen. Guy E. Logan, Adjutant General of Iowa; Capt. T. H. Brown, Capt. Jas. E. Wilson of Lincoln Post, Chicago; Dr. R. L. Chase, of Des Moines; the G. A. R. Post of Leon; the W. R. C. of Leon, the veterans from various parts of the county, and the citizens who attended the dedication of Harvey park, thus showing their appreciation of this magnificent gift. Resolved, that we express our thanks to the teachers and pupils of the Leon public schools who attended the dedicatory services and assisted with the music. Resolved, that we tender our thanks to the Leon K. P. Band and the Martial Drum Corps for the splendid music furnished on this occasion and to the ladies of the W. R. C. for the bountiful supper which was served in the evening. Resolutions Committee. ~ ~ ~ ~ Entertained Distinguished Visitors. Capt. and Mrs. J. D. Brown entertained their Leon guests at a dinner party given at the Hotel Leon last Friday noon in honor of their distinguished guests who came to attend the dedication of Harvey Park on Thursday, Gen. D. J. Palmer, Commander in Chief of the G. A. R. of Washington; Mrs. Sarah A. Fox, Past Department President of the W. R. C. of Iowa, of Muscatine; Gen. Guy E. Logan, Adjutant General of Iowa, of Des Moines; Capt. T. H. Brown and Capt. Jas. E. Wilson, of Lincoln Post, Chicago, Ill.; Dr. R. L. Chase, of Des Moines. A delicious dinner was served, Capt. Brown officiating as toastmaster, and every guest was called upon to respond to a toast. It was one of the most pleasant social gatherings ever held in Leon, and added another jewel in the crown of Capt. and Mrs. Brown as entertainers. ~ ~ ~ ~ Visited the Leon Schools. Last Friday afternoon, General D. J. Palmer, General Guy E. Logan, Capt. T. H. Brown, Capt. Jas. E. Wilson, Dr. R. L. Chase, Mrs. Emma A. Fox, and many of the local veterans marched to the High School building and spent several hours with the school children. The visitors were called upon for short talks. General Palmer of course had to sing a number of his famous songs, and the visit was enjoyed alike by the visitors, the school children and the faculty. ~ ~ ~ ~ SCHOOL NOTES Dewey Long, Editor. Page 3 The G. A. R. paid us a most welcome visit last Thursday morning. About 20 of the old soldiers were present, various ones making speeches and telling stories which were greatly enjoyed. To those interested in modern warfare, Adjutant General Guy E. Logan's talk was very interesting. He exhibited and described a shrapnel shell such as is used by the U. S. He also told us something of the life in the Philippines during the Spanish-American war. Capt. T. H. Brown, Capt. J. D. Brown's brother, of Chicago, related some incidents concerning Capt. Brown's younger days which were enjoyed greatly. Transcribed by Sharon Becker

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