FIFTY-FIRST CONGRESS, 1889-1891. 1427 
Mr. WueEE ER, of Alabama. They have examined the reports of 
expenditures, and I believe that is about all that they have done. 
Mr. Roeers. That is about what I expected, Mr. Chairman. 
Mr. WHEELER, of Alabama. And they have inspected the plats and 
the designs of the work to be done at the park. 
Mr. Rogers. And everything else, including the expenditure of 
this public money, is turned over to a gentleman who, I understand, 
is a very superb astronomical man, but who, I suppose, has never 
devoted two hours and a half in all the days of his life to the arrange- 
ments of any park until he was placed in charge of this matter. Now, 
that will not do; that is not a proper way to expend the public money. 
J think the committee acted wisely in cutting down the appropriations 
for this year one-half. I think the committee ought to have made 
some practical investigation in regard to this park; they ought to 
have looked into these plans and designs of improvement; they ought 
to have examined what sort of improvements are being made out 
there. I understand that stone houses have been built for the accom- 
modation of the animals. I do not know whether that is true. I 
assume it is true, because I regard my information as authentic. Ido 
not know whether the opossums and the monkeys that my friend from 
Tennessee [Mr. Enloe] talked about the other day are to be put into 
these stone buildings or what other kinds of animals are to be accom- 
modated with such quarters. 
Mr. Burrerwortu. If the gentleman will yield a moment, I wish 
to say, and I believe my information reliable, that there were two 
meetings of the board, and at the last one, held recently, every mem- 
ber of the board was present except my abe They considered the 
entire matter to which my friend calls attention, and approved these 
items of expenditure and these plans which have been aaaei by the 
Committee on Appropriations. 
Mr. Rocrrs. That does not get at the real question. A man may 
sit down and look at designs as drawn on paper; such things may look 
very nice, may meet the approbation of the eye. But in the improve- 
ment of a public park you are dealing with a great practical question, 
and the matter ought to be in charge of some man of a practical turn 
of mind—some man, for instance, like General Casey—some man who 
has given his attention to the establishment of parks and the necessary 
improvements connected therewith. And we should have the assistance 
of some man, for instance, like Buffalo Bill or Mr. Barnum of Con- 
necticut, men who know something about animals, who are informed 
as to the class of animals which it is proper should be preserved or 
propagated there. Some man of that sort should look into these 
practical details of the improvement of this park and the expenditure 
of the money there. 
I will only say in conclusion, by way of warning for the future, that 
