TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT 91 



GROUND IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE WORK OF THE 

 DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND CONSTRUCTION. 



Hcrmaiui W. Mcrkel, Chief Constructor niul l-OrcstL-r ; 

 Iv H. Co.st;iin, Assistant Forester; 



Paving Wild-Fowl Pond. — The first work undertaken 

 through the Ground Improvement Fund, was the completion of 

 the grading and paving of the bottom of the Wild-Fowl Pond. 

 After excavating over 200 cubic yards of soft black mud which 

 necessitated much laborious and costly hand work, the bottom 

 of this pond was bedded with 1,00(1 cubic yards of earth fill and 

 stone, in order to provide a firm and even foundation upon which 

 to lay concrete. Nearly 450 cubic yards of reinforced concrete 

 were then laid upon this bed. Owing to adverse conditions en- 

 countered on this work, and the failure of the City to provide 

 the entire amount asked, the sum of $750 was expended from 

 the Improvement and Repair Fund, making the total cost of this 

 work, $3,750. Even this sum did not permit us to pave the 

 entire pond, but the bottom is now cleanable. The water can 

 be drained off", annually, and the bottom will be thoroughly 

 scrubbed. By this means further epidemics among the wild- 

 fowl will be avoided. 



Paving Aroimd New Hospital Building. — Around the new 

 Hospital Building, there have been laid approximately, 3,000 

 cubic feet of concrete in the form of pavement and retaining 

 walls, and 1,644 square feet of tar-macadam. Of course, all 

 paving has been laid upon a Telford foundation. This makes 

 it possible to keep the surroundings of the Hospital Building 

 perfectly clean and sanitary. 



In the building itself, the floors of several of the interior 

 cages were re-surfaced in order to provide the proper drainage. 



Some difficulty was experienced with the steam-heating 

 contractor, but after a long delay the building is now in first 

 class condition. 



IMPROVEMENT AND REPAIR FUND. 



(Taken out of the fund for the purchase of animals.) 



Repairs, Walks and Roads. — As in past years, walk repair- 

 ing was the largest item drawn from this fund. Over 45,000 

 square feet of walks and roads were re-surfaced. The favored 



