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Two years ago last March, taxpayers voted to issue bonds for $9,000 to for the purchase of what has been since known as the Ackerman park property.

This land extends along the shores of Mirror Lake from the Methodist Church to the Club road. The property is bounded otherwise by Ackerman Street and the Club road from its intersection at the corner of the town hall lot with Ackerman Street. There is also a small lot called for by the deed on the west side of Ackerman Street.

After the election, it became evident that there had been a misunderstanding. What was supposed to have been the basis of the supposed offer was a statement made by Dr. Melvil Dewey in a meeting of the local Board of Trade.

When the matter was taken up, it became evident that the president of the Lake Placid Company could not deliver the property at that figure. The statement is made that his board of directors vigorously opposed the sale of the woodlot at the outlet of Mirror Lake for any such figure, and it is hinted were loath to dispose of it at all.

Negotiations were kept up for some time, and finally within the last several months an attempt to fix the price by the award of appraisers was suggested by the village president and attorney, but it fell through.

The village attorney then took the preliminary steps toward condemnation proceedings for park purposes, a method of acquiring land that had quite recently been afforded municipalities. Meanwhile, efforts to come to an agreement with the owners were continued. Until last Wednesday, an option was taken by the village board on the property extending for two months, for the sum of $16,000.

Dr. Dewey, in his letter to the board, written just previously, expresses the opinion that these 24 lots should be worth $1,000 each (and it is true that rather small lots much farther down on Parsonage Street have been selling at that figure) and expressed his willingness to take two-thirds of the $24,000 which the land would be worth at that rate.

Elsewhere in this paper is notice of a special election at which the proposition to raise $7,000 additional for the purpose of securing this park will be submitted.

It seems necessary in order to secure the public bathing beach and public resting place in the heart of Lake Placid to have the village acquire this land.

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Carpenters strike

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Carpenters at work at Lake Placid Club, part of whom were working for the Turner Construction Co., went on strike last Friday, asking a dollar an hour, eight-hour day and a closed shop. At a meeting of Local Union No. 600 Monday, it was voted to stand by this demand. The Club, having put 35 non-union men at work finishing the rooms of the east wing of the Agora suite, it is understood that it will be impossible for the Turner Construction Co. to finish pouring the concrete of the last two stories of the west wing of the Agora apartments, and a Saranac Lake firm of will probably finish the work.

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