Perhaps one of the reasons that the City of Elgin was skeptical about purchasing Tefft's farm and turning it into a public park is because of an incident that happened in their city previously.  A group of men came from Chicago on the train for a picnic.  They got drunk and caused a public disturbance.  Lord countered that by stipulating that no alcohol could be served or consumed in the park.  That rule is in effect to this day.