FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 29 



the Northern Concourse and entrance to Baird Court, in consul- 

 tation with the architects of the Park, presented a number of 

 detailed drawings based upon the original plan. The Executive 

 Committee took these, as well as the whole plan of this important 

 part of the Park, into very careful consideration in connection 

 with the necessity of providing, first, for a very commodious 

 entrance for carriages at the north entrance and approach to the 

 main restaurant; secondly, provision for motor vehicles and a 

 motor road ; and, thirdly, for the accommodation of large crowds 

 of people upon Baird Court. Taking into view all these condi- 

 tions, part of which have grown out of experience acquired in 

 the actual operation of the Park, it was finally decided by the 

 Executive Committee not to carry out the excessively formal de- 

 tailed treatment included in the " final plan," but to adopt a treat- 

 ment less formal and less expensive. At the same time we 

 decided to alter the main axis of Baird Court a few degrees, so 

 as to make it parallel with the line of trees on the w^est side of 

 the Court, and to allow space for a pathway for motor carriages 

 between the west side of the Court and the western line of trees, 

 as well as to preserve certain natural features of great beauty. 

 This resolution, which was the result of prolonged study and 

 consideration, both of the practical and artistic treatment of this 

 area, was unanimously adopted on July 12, 1899, approved im- 

 mediately thereafter by the Park Department, and went into 

 operation by the contract for levelling Baird Court, which was 

 let on September 7, 1899. 



This work began on October i6th. In the autumn, upon the 

 advice of Mr. De Wolf, Landscape Architect of the Park De- 

 partment of Greater New York, the Committee engaged Mr. H. 

 A. Caparn for the detailed study of the Concourse and the paths 

 approaching Baird Court from the north. In consultation with 

 Mr. De Wolf and the Chairman, this resulted in the production of 

 an attractive and satisfactory approach to the Court, providing 

 amply for access for carriages to the restaurant and to the soiith 

 side of Lake Agassiz, and bringing about a treatment quite in sym- 

 pathy with the beautiful natural features of this portion of the 

 Park, and less expensive in construction. Mr. Caparn is now 

 engaged upon the details of Baird Court and its connections on 

 the south. 



In a similar spirit the plans of the original buildings are re- 



