Salt Lake Telegram | 1936-05-07 | Page 13 | Liberty Park Neighbors Lodge Vigorous Protests at Zoo Gardens Removal

Liberty Park Neighbors Lodge Vigorous Protests At Zoo Gardens Removal Odors Property Value Urged as Reasons for Opposition By AL FERGUSON Alleged commercial interest mingled mingled min mm- with objectionable odors and expert opinion at the public hearing hearing hearing hear hear- ing Thursday in the city commission commission commis commis- sion slon chamber over the proposal to return the city zoo from Hogle Gardens to Liberty park Two hours of oral testimony testimony- some of it spiced with spirited argument argument argument ar ar- ar- ar and acrid expressions expressions and and various petitions were referred to the committee of the whole with the assurance by Mayor E. E B. B Erwin i of early decision After Dr George A. A Allen Alien former former former for for- mer president of the Salt Lake Zoological Zoological Zoological Zoo Zoo- logical society related that national authorities on animal life had pronounced pronounced pro pro- flounced the Hogle Gardens site excellent Virgil Smith representing represent represent- ing several hundred property owners owners owners own own- ers in the Liberty park district launched into a spirited protest against the proposed move Defends Home Values The humble cow horse and hog he said ar are prohibited by city ordinance ordinance or or- from living In residential sections How then he asked could i zoo animals notoriously filthy outside their natural habitat be expected to contribute to sweetness sweetness' and light Besides he continued property values would suffer Then J. J R. R Smith also representing represent represent- ing property owners said he was convinced that some of those eager to move the zoo 00 were ere motivated by selfishness Virgil Smith again was moved d to comment It seems to be incidental Incidental and and this probably should not go into the record record but but the fact is that among members of the zoo board who are interested in moving the zoo to Liberty Liberty Liberty Lib Lib- erty park is one engaged in the meat business that business that is selling hot dogs one in the ice cream business another in the linen business all aU closely allied Interests he said Protests JQ ts Edward L. L Vetter secretary of the zoo board holding under his arm arma a huge bundle purporting to be the I petitions containing signatures of persons asking the zo zo- zo zobe 0 be returned to the park said I 1 want that reference to selfish interests deleted It is not true Frank Ward Vard zoo 00 board member who is connected with a dairy corporation corporation cor cor- and is thus in the ice cream business said I accepted ac appointment to this board with a great deal of tance We have sold the zoo some merchandise and taken a loss I Ican Ican Ican can see a lob lot of fine things that could be done up there on the lull hill Hogle Hoile Gardens and jf if the zoo at Liberty ty park would injure property there would be no reason or excuse for putting It there The zoo board has done a conscientious job in making its recommendation that the zoo be returned to the park Denies Selfish Aims W. W R. R Pollock also a zoo board member and connected with the American Linen Supply company said I have bave no ill feeling toward that district Liberty park Our Interest interest interest inter Inter- est has bas been that of working with tho the city commission in solvin solving a nasty problem We Ve have no selfish interest I 1 have given iven 10 times more than we will ever get out of it it At this point Mayor Erwin and City Comm Commissioner Harold B. B Lee expressed opinions that Virgil Smith meant no no slander upon members mem mem- bers hers of the zoo board and assured the board members the city commission commission com corn mission had confidence in their theirs s sincerity and motives H. H B. B Walker Valker Park street said he had circulated petitions asking return of the zoo to the park and that he had received 72 from about donors which he implied had gone for expense of typing the pe pe- Return of the zoo to the park he said was his own idea hit upon one evening when he and Mrs Walker were discussing how nice it would be for tor the children were the animals back at Libert Liberty park Mentions Bears Virgil Smith then wanted to know of Mr Walker how if the park at attendants attendants at at- could not keep four bears now at the park from being an olfactory nuisance an entire zoo- zoo ful of animals could be kept A petition was presented by the Salt Lake real estate board signed by Warner Varner Kiepe secretary protestIng protesting protesting protest protest- ing removal of the zoo to the park on the ground that property values would suffer