560 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



•with the convention party last August. In New Yorlc lie has 

 made a most excellent record as an organizer and systematizer, 

 and it is unfortunate that he is to leave park work in the metrop- 

 olis. His brief experience in municipal work has convinced him 

 that his former field, that of manager of private estates, is prefer- 

 able, and he is now on the lookout for such a position and will 

 •appreciate information along that line. 



Byron Worthen, a veteran member of oiu- association, who has 

 been superintendent of parks at Manchester. N. H., for many 

 years, is now on the retired list, having been the victim of political 

 interference which seems to have invaded staid old New England, 

 ilr. Worthen served for two years as vice-president and was 

 president in 1906. He has been a regular attendant at conven- 

 tions, has taken a great interest in the association, and hopes to 

 meet with us again regardless of Avhcther he takes up public work 

 again or not. 



The proceedinas of the San Francisco convention will be pub- 

 lished next month and will be sent to all members. 



Charles M. Loring writes from Minneapolis that he will be at 

 Riverside, Cal., in charge of Huntington Park in December and for 

 the balance of the winter. Mr. Loring is one of those lucky indi- 

 viduals who is able to spend his winters in California and his sum- 

 mers at his old home in ilinneapolis. "We fully expected to meet 

 him at the San Francisco convention and have him organize a 

 party to look over the wonderful work he has accomplished at 

 Riverside, but he failed us and we were denied a great pleasure. 

 Mr. Loring is a double member, that is, he was voted an Honorary 

 Membership on account of his public service in moulding the great 

 park system at Minneapolis, and he keeps up an active member- 

 ship by reason of his desire to contribute to the support of the 

 association and to participate in its councils. 



Superintendent .T. W. Thompson and Engineer H. L. !McGJillis, 

 of Seattle, recently completed a study and plan for the improve- 

 ment of the State Training School at Orand Mound. Wash. Last 

 year they made a plan for the State Capitol Grounds at Olympia, 

 and the Board of Control was so pleased with their work that 

 they are being consulted in connection with the improvement of 

 the grounds of various State institutions. 



New York City is certainly attaining a reputation, which can 

 hardly be said to be creditable, of continually changing its park 

 administrative officials. Fully a dozen efficient park executives 

 have been displaced during recent years, largely from political 

 reasons, and each cliangc brings on a general shake-up which 

 naturally results in disorganization. 



It is indeed tmfortunate tliat the uietro])olis of the nation should 

 indulge in such a jiractire for it sliould be a model in municipal 

 affairs. 



The cities of this country which have made the best showing in 

 recreation matters are those which have built up and maintained, 

 absolutely divorced from )iolitics. an efficient park organization. 



The following have been drop]ied from our rolls on account of 

 non-payment of dues, but can again become members by paying 

 full arrears: 



John H. Allen, New York: H. A. Allspach, Sacramento: David 

 K. Austen, New York: .John Boddy. Cleveland: A. H. Browne. 

 Saskatoon; Frank Brubeck. Terre Haute; Ci. H. Burgevin. New 

 York; Nicholas Byhower. Salt Lake City: 0. W. Ci'abbs, Mimcie. 

 Ind.; Thos. E. Davies, Ottawa: \Vm. Donaldson, Buffalo; N. F. 

 Flitton. Baltimore: Fred Caliehuan, Kansas City; .Jose])h Cat- 

 ringer. New York; W. .A. Gorman, Brooklyn; A. J. Graham. Den- 

 ver; Fred C. Hoth. .lersey City; Richard Iwerson. Calgary; C. B. 

 Jones, Baltimore; J. W. Kernan, Lowell: Samuel Parsons. New 

 York; Felix Riesenberg. New- York; .Tas. LTnderwood, Columbus: 

 B. VanderSchuit, Ooden; .Tames Wait. Walla Walla: (has. A. 

 Wliittet, Los Angeles: J. W. Meredith. Toronto: W. C. Nieseu, 

 Chicago: W. O. Thompson, Pi.rtlaiid. :\re.: R. W. Thorutuu. Den- 

 ver: J. T. Withers. .Tersev City. 



CONVENTION TRIP OF PARK SUPERINTENDENTS. 



iC'ontinned from Novcndier.) 



'Monday. August .30. — -\t .1:30 a. m. we entered the plains of 

 Utah, where we saw thousands of cattle browsins. Here and 

 there was a little hut, the home of some lonely ranchman Bunch 

 grass seemed to be the only vegetation for miles and mile-. In 

 fact, from 7:30 till H:3tl. we saw little el.se. The soil was com- 

 posed of considerable alkali :ind sand. Then we passed thiongh 

 about two miles of red cedars and again, the almost liare alkali 



plains, with the mountains in the distance. We saw several 

 whirlwinds sweeping across the sandy desert. At 2 p. m. we 

 came in sight of Great Salt Lake, a beautiful body of water. 

 Along the edge were myriads of butterflies. As we approached 

 the city the land for miles was white with salt. We arrived at 

 Salt Lake City about 2:1.5 p. m. and found that ex-Governor 

 Wells, who is now Park Commissioner, had sent Mr. L. S. Mari- 

 ger. Transportation Agent, to look after our party, as Mr. 

 Hobday, Park Superintendent, had been called away to fight 

 forest fires. We boarded a sight-seeing bus at the depot and 

 were shown, among other things. Pioneer Park and playgrounds, 

 comprising ten acres; the Mormon Temple, Hotel Utah, contain- 

 ing five hundred rooms, and the State Capitol, a most impressive 

 structure at the head of one of the principal streets, right at 

 the foot of the \\'asatch range of the Rockies. The streets are 

 100 feet wide, with 16-foot sidewalks on either side, and the 

 gutters are flowing streams. The water is afterwards used for 

 irrigation. We next went to Liberty Park, containing 100 acres, 

 presented to the city by Brigliam Young, the husband of 19 

 wives and father of over 40 children. Then we went to the Old 

 Mill, built by Brigham Y'oung in 1852, and to Washington 

 Square, containing 10 acres, in which is located the City Hall. 

 Salt Lake City is 4,260 feet above sea level. At 5:15 we left the 

 city via the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, through the beauti- 

 ful LTfah Valley, where fruits, vegetaliles, grains and alfalfa 

 grow in abundance, passing Lake Utah, a fresh water lake. We 

 ran along the River .Tordan. which connects the Great Salt Lake 

 and Lake Utah, as the Jordan of Palestine connects the Sea of 

 Galilee with the Dead Sea. From the car window we saw the 

 rugged Wasatch Range and to the westward the blue range of 

 the Oquirrh. As evening came on. with a most glorious sunset 

 reflected on the mountains, we passed the Strawberry Valley 

 Irrigation Tunnel of the LT. S. Reclamation Service. At 7:50 we 

 reached the picturesque mountain station of Thistle. Lights 

 began to ap]iear in miners' huts as we climbed to an altitude 

 of 7.4.54 feet, at Soldiers' Pass, one of the highest stations in the 

 Rockies, through the Red Narrows and the crest of the Wasatch 

 Divide. Then down we rushed into the dark of the night, drop- 

 ping down between three and four thousand feet by midnight, 

 when we crossed the boundary from Utah into Colorado. 



Tuesdaj', August 31. — At early dawn we stopped at Glenwood 

 Springs, where the porter told us of the wonderful hot sulphur 

 springs on Mount Sopris, where the Roaring Fork River empties 

 into the CJrand, and where are located extensive bathing pavilions 

 and swimming pools. As the svm lifted its head over the Canyon 

 of the Grand River we began to climb to the Eagle River Canyon, 

 where, from the diner at breakfast, we saw the miners' huts, 

 which seemed to be fastened to the almost perpendicular walls. 

 Up, up, our train climbed, till we reached an altitude of 10,240 

 feet, at Tennessee Pass, the highest point on the road; then 

 down again, soon entering the Grand Canyon of the Arkansas, 

 where, at Texas Ci'eek, an open observation car was attached to 

 the train, and as many as could crowded into the seats and 

 aisles to witness the most wonderful nioiuitain scenery of the 

 whole trii). through the Royal Gorge, with its red granite walls 

 sparkling with mica, towering to heights of upwards of 2,600 

 feet in places. One could reach out anil touch the jacged sides, 

 and we almost trembled with fear lest some of the miihty rocks 

 should let go their hold and crush us under their thousands of 

 tons of weight. Yet. with all our fears, the grandeur of the 

 scene fascinated the most timid and brought us to a realization 

 of our own insianificance. .\fter an hour of this wonderful, weird 

 and awe-inspiring scenery, during which we passed over the 

 hanging bridge, the observation car was taken off and we pro- 

 ceeded down. ]iast busy mining camps, cement works and oil 

 wells. We arrived at Pueblo, a cit.v of ."lO.nOO inhabitants, about 

 4 p. ni. We were met liv Svqierintendent tins Henueuliofer. City 

 Commissioner Tliomas A. Duke and a representative of the 

 Pueblo Chicftiiiii. The city has a wonderful irrigation ditch, the 

 water flowing tlnough the streets, fine schools and a court house 

 which is an architectural monument. We had a ride throuL'h 

 the city in autos to City Park. Bruner Park, with its beautiful 

 Lake ^fiunetiua. oast the iron works and hospital to Mineral Pal- 

 ace Park, and then back to the fine, homelike Congress Hutel, 

 where a delitihtfu! dinner was served liy the City Fathers. After 

 siieeches of welcome and thanks in return, we were invited to 

 tlie home of Suiierintendent TIennenhofer. where a lawn party 

 was enjoyed. Refreshments were served by the wife and daugh- 

 ter of our host, amid colored electric lights, which made the 

 ground.s look like a fairyland, .\fter several hours, all agreed 

 that the day and evening had been one of the most enjoyable 

 we had ex|jerienced. We went back to the hotel for a well- 

 earned night of rest. 



Wedne.?day. September 1. — In the mornins we were joined liy 

 Superintendent Ileneenhofer. his wife and daughter, who pro- 

 ceeded with lis to Colorado Sprinas on the S:15 a. m. train. The 

 run only took about one and one-half hours, through fertile 

 farm lands. We arrived at the Rio Grande Depot at 9:45 a. m.. 



