Leland J. Kennedy Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

- that's not - there's no General Assembly action needed for that. There may be congressional
action needed.
Q: I was going to ask, I was wondering.
A: That's what they say, that the Alton Commons is not supposed to he used except for
- they say it's a historic purpose. They claim it's against the law to put a road through
there. They'd have booths and tents all around down there when they have an affair in
July, some civic affair.
Q: Kind of a carnival sort of thing?
A: Well yes, that, and they show antiques and different people bring in their sculpture
work. But they couldn't get liability insurance this year. They got to where they were afraid
that since it was under litigation that they wouldn't he covered - somehody rould get hurt
and had a big lawsuit you know, why, they'd . . . so they put it hack - if you notice on
Broadway there, as you just come by the mill there's, oh, a parking lot or two, why, they
held it in those places there. They were afraid to hold it in that particular area where
they'd held it before on account of litigation.
That's quite newsworthy in the paper, the litigation that kceps the completion of the Berm
Highway - and there was something in the paper about it the other night I believe that
they wished it would get over with, but the - oh, the press has been active in it, but they've
- I thought they always spoke of the Landmark Association rather gently. I think there's
a St. Peters family that's quite active in it, but they're all Alton homeowners or landownrrs
or businessmen or merchants or ordinary taxpayers. There's quite a suit going on about
it.
Q: Well now, this Great River Road, is it part of the - what do they call it'! the Mississippi
Parkway'!
A: I think so, sure. That - doesn't the Mississippi start in Minnesota, Minneapolis up
there?
Q: Someplace up there, yes.
A: It's supposed to follow that road down to New Orleans I believe as close as it can. It's
become a federal project now. At that time, thirty years ago when it was started, or forty
years ago when John McAdams thought about it, I gurss he was glad to see that he could
get it from Alton ten miles up the river I guess. And he probably livcd to scr it get five
or seven miles. But I imagine that Me1 Price and Paul Simon and our IJnited States senators
were responsible for legislation that then the entire Illinois delegation, arid Ihe Minnesota
delegation too, supported for the construction that lets that be. Of course I guess those
things, are they under the Department of the Interior, or would they he thosc . . .
Q: I'm not sure. I don't know what they arc at the federal level
A: Well if that would put them under there, or not, that would give them Jim Watt, wouldn't
it?
Q: Yes it sure would. (laughter)
A: He makes a lot of noise, don't he?
Q: Yes he seems to.
A: He doesn't seem to back away, does he?