REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. G9 



Al'PKNDIX III. 



REPORT OF THE ACTING MANAGER OF THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL 



PARK. 



Sir: I li;ive the honor to submit the foHowiiii;' report of the ojx'ratioiis of the 

 National Zoological Park for the rtscal year ending .June 30, 1892: 



At the close of the last year the jiark had but Just been occupied ))y Ihe animals 

 of the collection.. The expei'ience of tiie present season has been valuable as indi- 

 cating the lines along which development should proceerl. 



The main road having been laid out, the permanent locations for the aninaals 

 were established at convenient distances near it. The bridge across the creek was 

 contracted to be built, and a temporary bridge established until such time as the 

 permanent structure should be completed. The work of com]ileting the bear yards 

 was also continued. 



On September ,5, a disastrous rain storm occurred, during which Rock Creek, the 

 small stream that flows through the park rose to a height nearly equalling that which 

 it reached at the time of the famous Johnstown flood in 1890. The rise was extra- 

 ordinarily rapid, being, according to the watchmen of the park, at the rate of 6 feet 

 within two hours. Within a short time a cavity 10 feet deep was excavated by the 

 stream alongside of one of the bridge piers, undermining one of its corners, the 

 temporary bridge was swept away, a large quantity of earth and rock was precipi- 

 tated from the cliff above into the bear pits, the banks of the creek were eroded and 

 a considerable amount of tilling waslu'd away, and the roads and gutters of the 

 ])ark recently laid were cut out and injured to a very great extent. The cost of 

 repairing the damages thus occasioned was nearly $.5,000, a sum that could not well 

 be spared from the scanty appropriation, and the loss embairassed the park very 

 seriously during the entire season. 



The bridge pier damaged by the storm Avas rebuilt iind this delayed the linal com- 

 pletion of the bridge, which was not finally opened for travid until about October 1. 



For the same reason the occu])ation of the bear yards was ])ostponed until a retain- 

 ing wall much larger and stronger than had been anticipated could be built, it be- 

 ing considered dangerous to place the animals in yards wliere sonu! tons of rock and 

 earth might fall alter any serious storm. 



The main animal house, although far from complete, Wiis hastily jjrepared for the 

 reception of animals by closing it up with temporary work and substituting ff)r the 

 metal roof designed by the archite(;t a ielt roof of cheaj) construction. The com])le- 

 tion of the tower at the eastern end was deferred until irinr<> funds should be avail- 

 able. 



As soon as the cooler autumn weather set in the numl)er of visitors to the ])ark 

 greatly increased. There was during each Sunday of October and until nearly the 

 last of November an average attendance of about 7,000 ])eople each Sunday, the 

 number reaching over 10,000 on some particularly line days. The dnily .-ittendance 

 • luring the week was considerably less. 



This largo influx of visitors tested the arrangements whi(di had been made, and 

 they were found wanting in several respects. The bridge was found to be too nar- 

 row and dangerous for foot passengers. The road was in some localities so narrow 

 that it Ixicame inconveniently and dangerously crowded. The number of watchmen 

 was found to be entirely inade,(iuate, and the crowd was so great in tin; principal 

 animal house as to be extremely uncomfortable. 



