The Park Governments of Chicago \77 



Lincoln Park Extension. 



1. The construction methods employed in the Exten- 

 sion of Lincoln Park appear to be well planned and should 

 produce economical results. 



2. The purchase of the farm at Lemont close by the 

 rock spoil banks of the drainage canal was well advised. 

 Both the rock for breakwaters and soil for the park are 

 obtained cheaply. 



Marquette Park. 



L Marquette Park was purchased by the South Park 

 Board in 1903 and 1904 at a cost of $267,733. Between 

 that time and February 28, 1911, the Board expended 

 $305,943 for improvements to the park. The park is lo- 

 cated in a sparsely settled part of the city. Even now 

 there are only approximately 5,000 people living within 

 walking distance of the park. The houses all have front 

 or back yards or both and there are a large number of 

 vacant lots. The Bureau investigators saw more children 

 playing in the vacant lots than in the parks. The nearest 

 street car line leaves visitors one-half mile from the near- 

 est part of the park. Between the car line and the park 

 none of the streets are graded and there are no sidewalks. 



2. The Bureau contends that the land having been 

 purchased, the development thereof as a park should have 

 awaited population in that vicinity and the accompanying 

 demand for park facilities. 



3. The Board has been paying 4 per cent, interest on 

 the money used for the premature improvement of this 

 park. This interest has amounted to over $50,000. In 

 view of the conditions above described this amount to- 

 gether with the annual cost of maintaining the park has 

 practically been thrown away. 



South Park Administration Building. 



1. The South Park Board in 1909 contracted for the 

 erection of a new administration building. (See protest 



