The Park Governments of Chicago 167 



boulevard mileage have been added and developed the organiza- 

 tions appear to have been added to and patched together with- 

 out due regard for scientific and economical management. This 

 is especially true in the South Parks, where, owing to more rapid 

 growth, there was more need for a change of executive methods. 

 The titular executive head of each system is a general superin- 

 tendent, although in the West Parks the secretary appears to 

 be the actual executive head. The general superintendents of 

 the South and Lincoln Park systems and the secretary of the 

 West Park system seem to have endeavored to continue giv- 

 ing personal attention to all details of management the same as 

 was possible when the systems were smaller. The natural re- 

 sult has been that the relative importance of matters needing at- 

 tention has sometimes been lost sight of in the endeavor to cover 

 all, and, by going over the heads of subordinate superintendents 

 and foremen, the executive heads appear sometimes to have 

 destroyed the influence of the former with the men under them. 

 Such conditions are conducive to inefficiency and waste. For 

 several years the then president of the South Parks assumed 

 active executive control over the system, and although good 

 results appear to have been secured there was constant friction, 

 due to his efforts to install a new organization. The present 

 superintendent of Lincoln Park, by delegating departmental au- 

 thority to his subordinates and charging them with responsibility 

 for the execution of his general directions, evidences an inten- 

 tion to correct the situation there. 



In 1905, 1906 and 1907, the West Parks, which had sunk 

 to a state of physical dilapidation, were rehabilitated, extensive 

 improvements were put under way, and reorganization estab- 

 lished. Since that time, however, the organization has disin- 

 tegrated. The function of appointing and removing park em- 

 ployees has been exercised by the secretary, and it is not ap- 

 parent that the general superintendent or other executive officers 

 have been consulted often as to the fitness of applicants, the 

 necessity of their employment, or the cause for their discharge. 

 If properly administered the new Civil Service law should correct 

 many of the past evils of employment. 



