REPORT OF THE SECKETAKV. 29 



their wishes for entcrtainineiit in return for the outlay which falls 

 ui)ori them eau not be questioned, and so far as this could be reco^;- 

 uized it iiitioduced a tendency to provide an establishment uiore like 

 an ordiiuuy zoological garden, or permanent menagerie, than the com- 

 paratively inexpensive scheme at first contemplated. 



Ill view of the circumstances an ap])ropriation was asked of Con- 

 gress, which was believed to be smaller than was consistent with the 

 proper ultimate development of the park, but on an estimate Avhich 

 proposed to begin on the most economical scale. Tlius, for tlie general 

 maintenance of the collection, $35,000 was asked, which is about the 

 same as the annual sum silent in the Central Park meuitgerie, Xew 

 York, having an area of about 10 acres, and atleast -$10,000 less than is 

 spent either at the zoological garden in Cincinnati or IMiiladelphia, ea.-h 

 haviiig an area of about 40 acres. ^Y]u*n it is rellected that tliese 

 latter enterj)rises are conducted for business i)ur[)0ses by businessmen, 

 that they have their collections already nearly comi)lete and purchas(i 

 but few new aninuils, it will be seen that the sum asked for tin; main- 

 tenance of the 07 acres of tlie National Zoological I*ark witli all the 

 expensive animals yet to be jn'ocured was certainly not extra\agiint. 

 Congress reduced this estimate to $17,o00, a sum Ibr which as ;i y(;ar's 

 experience has now shown the Park can not be maintain(Hl. 



For buildings, an a[)propriation of .$;>0,8."J0 was asked. Jn this con- 

 nection it may be recalled that in the Philadelphia gardens the build- 

 ings and inclosures cost $101,705. Tlie sum estimated was intended to 

 cover all inclosures and structures of every character indispensable on 

 the modest scale projjosed. Congress reduced this to $18,000. 



The average expense of preparing such uncultivated grounds in city 

 parks elsewhere has proved to be at least $2,900 per acre. The sum ol" 

 $20,500 was asked for that i)urpose, as no moic than sufficient to fit 

 such portions of the park as were necessary for th(5 immediate accom- 

 modation of the public. Congress reduced this to $15,000. 



These icihictions have not only obliged me to retard the development 

 on the lines that had been laid down, but have increased the ultimate 

 cost; for where living creatures are in question it is plain that they 

 have not (mly to be fed and guarded but to be housed; and all this at 

 once, under penalty of their loss. Congress has plainly intended that 

 they should be preserved, and that some sort of roads and access for 

 the publi<' should be provided this year. 



The result has necessarily been, that with every elTort to obtain j)er- 

 maiu'ut results there has been a partial expenditure of the absolutely 

 insufticieut grant on enfor(;ed expedients of a temjjorary character, 

 which are not in the interest of economy. 



It is extremely desirable that a sum (or emergencies be secured in the 

 next appropriation. In carrying forward, from the beginning, novel 

 and untried work of such varied clmracter. unforeseen diliicnlties nuist 

 iiu'vitably arise, but no provision has been made Ibi- these, nor even for 

 such readily anticipatecl emergencies as are caused, for instance, by 

 floods in grounds traversed by a stream which has been known to rise 

 C feet in less than half an hour. 



The difficulties which these c )nditions have imposed <m the admin- 

 istration of the park may be laiily called extreme, and the amount and 

 character of what has been effected nnist be considered in this con- 

 nection. In s])ite of these the result, 1 thiidi, may be said to be, that 

 atleast as a sonr(;e of inteiest and anuisement to the people the i)ark 

 has exceeded the most sanguine expectations." 



