SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT. 37 



thorities, on the other hand, while failing to fully realize and 

 appreciate the scale on which the Society was working, were 

 comparatively liberal in their treatment of the Park. 



The matter stood as follows : the Maintenance Fund for the 

 year 1901 was $65,000, and proved inadequate, as was antici- 

 pated in our last Report. The Society met the deficiency, 

 which amounted to about $4,000. For 1902 the City has pro- 

 vided a fund of $85,000. This fund is less than was asked for 

 by the Society, and will prove, even with strict economy, insuf- 

 ficient for the needs of the Park during the coming year ; es- 

 pecially as the cost of maintaining the Lion House, which will 

 be opened during the last months of the year, will be greater than 

 anticipated. This building is likely to be completed some months 

 ahead of time^ and consecjuently the Society may again be called 

 upon to make up a deficiency during the coming year. 



The Ground Improvement Fund, supplied by Chapter 432 of 

 the Laws of 1900, became suddenly exhausted during the Spring, 

 owing to the unexpectedly large cost of the Lion House, and 

 the Society has been obliged to complete out of its own Park 

 Improvement Fund, certain work which should have been done 

 by the City. 



The Director's report contains an itemized statement of the 

 work accomplished with this fund. Special attention should be 

 called to the completion of an elaborate system of sewerage and 

 of water supply, the lack of which has been a source of great 

 inconvenience. The motor road, except in its eastern exten- 

 sion from the Rocking Stone restaurant to the Buffalo Entrance, 

 has also been completed, and a large amount of work for the 

 preservation of the Park forests has been done under the direc- 

 tion of the Chief Forester. 



BAIRD COURT. 



During the past year the work of erecting the large buildings 

 located on Baird Court was begun. This Court, when finished, 

 will be characterized by a classic formality, in contrast to the 

 remainder of the Park, which will be left, as far as possible, in 

 a natural state. Of the great buildings to be erected here, the 

 House for Primates is nearly completed, and was opened to the 

 public on December 21, 1901. The contract for this building 

 was awarded to Thomas F. Cockerill & Son for the sum of 



