562 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



invitation of Mr. August Buscli, the celebrated Auheuser-Buscli 

 brewery was visited, and each member of the party received a 

 handsome souvenir in the form of a lxiol<let entitled "Epoch 

 Making Events of American History," showing copies of cele- 

 brated historical pictures. Then we went to Benton and Gravois 

 parks. South Side Pool. Riverside Drive. 1-50 feet above the 

 Mississippi, where we saw a number of oarsmen in sculls ; then to 

 Carondelet and Tower Grove parks and to the celelnated Jlissouri 

 Botanical Gardens, presented by Henry Shaw to the city in 1860. 

 Then away we si)ed again to Forrest Park, where an outdoor 

 luncheon was served at the pavilion of the World's Fair Grounds. 

 After a much-needed rest, the evening lights showing in the city. 

 we proceeded down-town to Carr Park, where we enjoyed several 

 numbers of the band concert and then to Mullanpliy Pool, to 

 witness the bathing of the working people, wlio are unable to 

 enjoy the pools in the day time. Xcxt we went to Hyde Park, 

 where we saw about 2.000 children and 3.0(_)« grown-up people 

 enjoying free moving pictures: then to one of the combination 

 bath" houses, where tubs, showers and swimming pool are pro- 

 vided, all gratis, the small charge of one cent for towel, one cent 

 for soap a'lid three cents for the suit, being made if the bather 

 does not provide his own. At 10 p. m. we all got back to the 

 depot for the last leg of our journey. The party divided about 

 evenly, half going north and the balance east. With a hearty 

 farewell to each other and to our kind host and hostess, :\Ir. and 

 Mrs. L. P. Jensen, our trains pulled out at 11 ami ll:<l.'i, respect- 

 ively, homeward bound. 



Sunday, September .j. — We were awakened in the morning by a 

 great racket. On looking out we found we were at Indianapolis. 

 Ind. There was a freight train opposite our car. from which was 

 being loaded machinery and cattle. The confusion and noise was 

 awfiTl. After leaving "Indianapolis we soon got out into the corn 

 fields, and bv 11 o'clock we were well into Ohio. At 11:1.5 we 

 pulled out of Dayton and saw the derricks of many oil wells. As 

 we were all verv tired, not having gotten to bed until midnight, 

 no one was up 'early. In fact, several of the party did not get 

 up till nearly noon." As it was raining, everything looked fresh 

 and green. As we passed through Ohio we looked out on delight- 

 ful rolling country, with wonderful fertile farms and frequent 

 droves of hogs and" large herds of cattle. After crossing the Alle- 

 gheny River at Steubenville, we were soon into Pennsylvania, and 

 the scenery became more beautiful, with fertile valleys and moun- 

 tains stretching to the north as far as the eye could reach, with 

 majestic wooded hills and here and there bohl mountains in the 

 distance to the south, reminding one of our own Hudson Valley 

 more than any scenery we had yet seen. And so the day wore on, 

 the rain stopped, and evening came on, bringing with its curtain 

 of darkness an overwhelming desire to sleep. So all retired early, 

 to be awakened by the porter at 6 a. m., who later announced our 

 arrival on time at just 7 a. m. 



Monday, September 6.— M. C. Ebel boarded the train at Newark, 

 and we were all invited to be his guests at breakfast on arrival 

 at New York, which invitation the party accepted. Amid stimu- 

 lating draughts of coll'ee. we told of our wonderful trip and its 

 many exciting adventures. After warm adieus wc parted for 

 our several homes, to talk and ponder over one of the most 

 delightful trips ever taken by any organization from the Atlantic 

 to the Pacific and return. 



This little story is contributed in the hope that all who read 

 may learn that the American Association of Park Superintendents 

 know when, where and how to get enjoyment out of life and \yith 

 the best of fellowship, to return home realizing that "a man's a 

 man for a' that." 



In this issue the story of the adventures of the Park Superiti- 

 tendents and their friends on their convention trip to the Pacific 

 Coa.st and return is concluded. It was probably one of the most 

 remarkable trips ever undertaken by any organization, ofl'ering as 

 it did every opportunity to the travelers to accummulate the 

 knowledge they sought while continuously engageil in the pur- 

 suit of pleasure. We are indebted to Mrs. John D. McEwen, of 

 Queens, New York, for the entertaining description of the trip, 

 which was obtained from her interesting diary of the events as 

 thev occurred from dav to day. — Editor- 



As a member of the party that accompanied the ]iark superin- 

 tendents on their trip to the Pacific Coast and return. I want to 

 express my appreciation of the warm hospitality that was ac- 

 corded me by the park superintendents enroute anil also by the 

 park officials' at every one of our stopping points. 



I have traveled much and mixed much, but never in my long 

 experience have I come across a body of men who could equal 

 the park superintendents in the gentiine good fellowship they 

 manifested during our entire trip, and I wish to thank them for 

 all the courtesies extended to me while traveling with them. 



E. W. SCTIONEBERGER. 



Madison, N. J.. December 10, 191.5. 



PROPOSED PARKING SYSTEM FOR ESSEX 

 COUNTY, NEW JERSEY. 



Parkways are man made. Their function is to provick 

 traffic facilities Vv'ith a distinct park character. As such, 

 there are narrow tree hned streets of a boulevard type, 

 broad spacious ways subdivided so as to care for separate- 

 lines of travel, like auto, equestrian, commercial, pleasuie 

 and pedestrian. Thev may be narrow to the point (if 

 meanness or wide to the extent of being luxurious. Some 

 are formal, others informal: some on rolling slope.s,. 

 whereas others are on flat planes. 



People build according to their ideals, their public spirit 

 and their affluence. And there is always the sham to be 

 seen as an evidence of commercialism attempting to gain 

 the advantage of parkway value on too limited an area. 



That a handsome and dignified parkway serves a 

 worthy purpose there can be little doubt; that it is an 

 object for generous community investment is demon- 

 strable. A community inspires admiration of peojile in 

 proportion to the respect it proves by its work it has for 

 itself. Puijlic works and administration are the common 

 means of displaying that self-regard and refinement. 



To discriminate between real excellences and works 

 passing therefor, to iioint the cost of the dilTerent types, 

 the means of seeming them in fit locations, and to out- 

 line the sections to be traversed and connected by pro- 

 posed routes, is the ]nirpose of this report. It was 

 written bv Mr. J. C. Olmsted, of the firm of Olmsted 

 Brothers, in the course of advising the Essex County 

 Park Commission. A copy was kindly forwarded by 

 Mr. Olmsted. 



For more than fifteen years have the Olmsted Brothers 

 been the professional advisors of Essex County in park 

 development. Millions of dollars have been expended 

 there in executing parks, playgrounds and reservation 

 plans of this firm, and later a disposition has become- 

 manifest thai these properties should be connected by- 

 pleasure routes. In the report Mr. Olmsted brings out 

 some novel views, such as proposing electric car routes 

 in the parkways, because they tend to supply the greatest 

 good to the greatest number. Rapid transit considera- 

 tions, park laws, assessment methods, restrictions on 

 abutting properties are discussed in detail. Another strik- 

 ing feature is the proposal to create, possibly with State 

 aid, rapid transit parkways from the Xew Jersey mouth 

 of the North River tubes to Essex, Passaic, Bergen and 

 Hudson Cottnties. involving the congeries of communi- 

 ties on the Jersey side of the river. It is a vast scheme 

 of almost startling scoi)e. 



In breadth of vision, in practical conception of future 

 needs and immediate wants, and in the financial capacity 

 to execute them, Mr. Olmsted sustains in this report his 

 former tradition of being a safe, wise, practical, and 

 talented counsellor. 



And with these merits plainl\- discernible by the lay 

 mind, there is a clear evidence of an artist speaking for 

 the creation of beauty. 



Altogether, the report clarifies the atmosphere by sep- 

 arating the mists of vague dispelling impressions and 

 heretical procedures, too often attempted in parkway con- 

 struction, and gives authoritative and clear dictum of 

 public park works, and outlines the returns they bring 

 if developed according to known formuL-e and principles. 

 Bv this report INIr. Olmsted has accomplished a good' 

 work for the nation quite as much as for the Park Com- 

 mission of Essex County. 



