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WINNETKA WEEKLY TALK, SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1920 Communication Mr. Laird Bell, President, Winnetka School Board. Winnetka, Illinois. As bearing on the drainage of the West Elm Street school grounds, you may be interested in the ex- perience and observation of the un- dersigned members of the Park Board, who have taken part in and watched the development of the golf course during the past five years. The west half of the school grounds is comparable in a general way to the east portion of the golf course, ex- cept that the school grounds are more advantageously located, and are not as marshy as the golf course before its improvement. First, with regard to the floods: These have never reached the high ground on the east half where the building is to be located. Only the large playground is affected. Tt is at very rare intervals that the Sko- kie overflows have reached this point and then the flooded condition has lasted only for a few days and has done no damage. Furthermore, the ball diamond and football field would not be used in any case. Further, even during the flooded periods the smaller playgrounds could be used; that is, the two playgrounds each 100x200 feet, which on the plat are laid out on the slope running west from the school site to the large ball field. Each of these is larger than the present Horace Mann play- grounds. it also seems material to point out that just across the street from the school building is a four-acre park, a piece of high land never flooded. This is public property which we are sure the present and future Park Commissioners will regard as de- voted to its highest use if used as a supplemental playground, not only during flood periods, but at all times. The property was surveyed with this idea in view about two years ago, and found adaptable for the purpose. It affords room for half a dozen or more basketball or other games while the main playground is in use for football or baseball, or tempor- arily flooded. We believe your problem is not a matter of controlling the floods which are of little consequence for the reasons above stated, but rather of keeping the grounds in good con- dition between floods, and this can be easily done. The present marshy condition is due mainly to the un- even surface of hummocks and holes, a relic of the past when the Skokie was a real marsh. The Skokie has been growing drier for ten years, and will become more so as the land owners continue to improve their ditches. The golf course, which once much more marshy than the playground, was entirely converted simply by plowing, leveling, seeding and rdjling, supplemented with a small amount of underground tiling to the side ditches. The school playground can be treated in the same way, but with less expense; and when this is done we have no doubt it will be in a first class con- dition for use practically all of the time when any other grounds would be useable. In one respect, it will have a distinct advantage over any other site. The porous condition of the Skokie soil is such that where improved as above noted it dries off more quickly after a rain and after the frost works out in the spring, than the heavy clay soil found in the higher parts of Winnetka. This has been very noticeable on the golf course, which has been usable at times when many children could not play on their home lawns. To more fully confirm the state- ments in this letter, we have sub- mitted it to two other Winnetka citizens who have had special oppor- tunities of observations, and whose opinions should be entitled to weight: Mr. Alfred Runfelt, Park Superin- tendent, who has had charge of the golf course improvements since first started five years ago, and Mrs. Wallace D. Rumsey, President of the Winnetka Playground association during the last year. Both of these gentlemen have authorized us to say that they entirely agree with the statements here expressed. We are giving you the above in- formation in the interest of truth, and in order that the coming ref- erendum may not be clouded by im- material issues. If the West Elm Street site is the most desirable in other respects, we are quite sure there is nothing in the drainage problem to change the situation, and that any one who will fully inform himself will reach the same con- clusion. It is not the purpose of this letter to enter into a general dis- cussion of the school site question but simply to give the citizens of Winnetka the benefit of information, which we have acquired as public officials, and to which they are en- titled. Morris L. Greeley, William S. Elliott, LEGION MEMBERSHIP DRIVE The Winnetka Legion Post will start a drive to get the few remain- ing eligible service men to join the legion during American Legion week, May 2 to 9. An intensive state cam- paign has been planned by Com- mander Milton J. Roreman and the national work under the direct super- vision of National Commander OI- lier. Winnetka Post boast a mem- bership list which carries 90 per cent of the eligible men in the village. TRUCKS RUIN STREET Increase in heavy truck traffic is proving very serious on portions of Center street. This street, village officials say, was never designed to carry the extra loads. Ht. is necessary to expend considerable money in the repair of the damaged places, it is said. We're quite able doing wiring Bill Yes, quite}able and untiring. E understand the cur- W rent eccentricity of electricity as applied to the wiring of autos. Our services are notheavily charged though. Men who do not know the difference between an ampere and a watt or a what-knot trust us to do the wiring for their machines. Let McDonald's Auto Doctor look after your car's health C. M. McDONALD Tel. 224 914. Davis St., Evanston Edward S. Rogers. Mothers: P rotect your Children against i Disease You cannot afford to negelect your health, especially in this kind of weather. Klenzo is an ideal antiseptic to "knock™ that sore throat. Klenzo is also highly recommended for treating the gums, mouth, teeth and 1s a valuable aid in the treatment of Pyorrhea. Adams Pharmacy The Texall store A. L. ADAMS Prop. 782 Elm St., Winnetka Phone Win. 2-3 Going To Move? Read Page 7 Subscribe for Your Local Paper OO =I 0 Em O EI O II OI OI OJ 0 Ee OE OE OE OJ OI © -- =] 0 I] O EI O EI OE O XO Our present Sales and Service departmen efficient repair service to all owners of Oakland Cars, PETER N. JANS Manager Oakland-Phillips Motor Co. 1013-17 Davis Street, Evanston SERVICE Phone Evanston 6020 EDWARD R. BELL Superintendent [i Make Your Reservation Now Garage space is very scarce. expect our capacity to be filled very quickly. limited number of purchasers. E wish to announce to the North Shore Motor Car owners that we will on May lst, in connection with Oak- land Sales and Service, open a Gasoline Garage, with storage space of over 15,000 square feet, in the building now occupied by the Evanston Electric Garage. This is the largest garage between Chicago and Milwaukee and one widely known as the lightest garage in the country. Day and night. It will be a pleasure to have a visit of inspection from all motor car owners. It will be our endeavor to render to our patrons the Highest Class Service Possible, and our unusual facilities, with separate entrance and exit, enable us to do things for our customers' comfort that are ordinarily impossible. Automobiles are increasing much faster than space for their accommodation and we ts are now in operation at this address and we are prepared to render and we can make prompt deliveries of Oakland Sedans to a Our selection of Oakland Cars that have been traded in and then overhauled and repaired by us is exceptionally complete at this time. We also have a few exceptional bargains in other makes. EOI OI 0 EI OI OE] OI OI O10 RE -_- A -- --- 0 -