FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 43 



it might relieve the Bird House, and make possible the erection 

 of the Flying Cage, was begun so late in 1898 that the severe 

 winter weather delayed its completion until spring. 



The winter of 1898-99 began on November 24, 1898, and held 

 the Zoological Park with a grip which never relaxed until March 

 I, 1899. The snowstorm of Thanksgiving week stopped all work 

 by the Park Department on the Aquatic Mammals' Pond, and for 

 nearly five months left the excavation an expanse of black muck. 

 The contract for the construction of roads, walks, sewers, and 

 water lines was approved so late in the year that no work under 

 it was possible until the spring of 1899. This left the Park for 

 the entire winter without the service road which it was hoped 

 could be built in 1898. The delay in the building of the service 

 road resulted in such distress to all parties who were obliged to 

 haul building materials into the Park that the numerous disasters 

 to teams compelled the Society to expend nearly. $2,000 in build- 

 ing temporary roads of plank and stone. 



During the winter, in all mild weather, the Park roads were 

 extremely muddy. The Society maintained its bureau of admin- 

 istration in the Park and improved each day of working weather. 

 Contractors were urged forward, and co-operated with in many 

 ways. At the earliest opening of spring, work began all along 

 the line, and by May ist the Park presented a scene of general 

 activity. Walks were excavated and filled with stone, trenches 

 were dug for sewers and water pipes, and the Park became a 

 chaos of upheaved earth, yawning pits, piles of stone, sand, and 

 iron, tool-houses, trucks, carts, horses, and men. For a long 

 period the number of teams engaged in hauling heavy materials 

 into the Park, and working on the grounds, was seldom less than 

 forty, and some weeks numbered over sixty. At one time work 

 proceeded simultaneously at twenty-six different points. The 

 working hours of the officers in charge extended from early morn- 

 ing until nearly sunset, and holidays and vacations were luxuries 

 in which they could not indulge. 



CONTRACT WORK. 



As far as possible the work of the Society was given out by 

 contract to the lowest bidder. The following is a list of the prin- 

 cipal firms and individuals who executed contract work for the 



