FIFTY-FIRST CONGRESS, 1889-1891. 1489 
The complete establishment of the park in a manner befitting its national charac- 
ter will be a work of considerable time, and now that the natural beauties of the site 
are secured from the danger of destruction, it would seem best to set aside first some 
of the more attractive and picturesque parts of the grounds, into which the public 
may be admitted at an early day, and where the animals now on hand and shortly 
’ to be exhibited, will be cared for at a small part of the expense of opening the whole 
park. 
Nearly 40 acres, selected on account of accessibility and moderate elevation, as 
well as on account of being adapted to the purposes of the park without great expense, 
will be thus set aside for immediate improvement, while a tract of some 15 acres more 
will be so arranged that the public can ramble through it, although it will not have 
at first a strictly park-like and expensive cultivation. There will thus be opened to 
the public, it is hoped by next year, between 50 and 60 acres, which is an area larger 
than that of the zoological gardens in the Regent’s Park of London, or of the Jardin 
des Plantes of Paris, and this will be done at a comparatively small cost. 
A distinct area of some 10 or 15 acres will be reserved in another portion of the 
park for administrative purposes, including a lodge for the resident superintendent, 
offices, stables, infirmary for animals, a proposed laboratory, and for other purposes 
requiring seclusion. 
The explanations accompanying the estimates given below are not submitted as 
forming the subject of specific itemized appropriations, but only as giving briefly the 
principal considerations which have determined the gross amounts asked for; and it 
is further desirable to remember that in an undertaking like this, where everything 
is untried, the precision of estimate attainable in long-established expenditures is 
not possible. 
Improvement and care of grounds.—The cost of improving this area of nearly 40 acres 
is estimated by Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted at about $2,700 per acre, exclusive of 
buildings and bridges. There is inclosed herewith a copy of his estimates (marked 
Exhibit 1 following) relating to the subject, from which it is hoped that some reduc- 
tions may still be made in practice. It should, however, be remembered that the 
cost of improving Central Park, New York, has already been not less than $14,000 
per acre, and that of Prospect Park, Brooklyn, $9,000 per acre, while that of the large 
Franklin Park, Boston, is estimated at $2,900 per acre. Itis thought that at least 
$29,500 should be appropriated for this work during the fiscal year ending June 30, 
1892, and this amount is arrived at as follows: 
Under way and projected: 
Se MOME WOT Ree Donte. Situs tee eae en ad SOM Bie gs EE $5, 000 
Wooler sippry, includime Teservolr 22.52. 2222222 Je. oes eet ree 4, 000 
PERT RSLONCEATNARO: 5 oc Jip shpat sone ce saeoe eae seen 4, 300 
ne eee Pel leds ooo. wah eo. Steel os nr boas fete. 10, 000 
i eee ees SITS CIPOE A, 382 os ieee ROY POR sk 3 15, 700 
Cultivating, planting, and miscellaneous work......-.-------------.---- 14, 500 
53, 500 
Items of the existing appropriation properly falling under this head: 
Item 4.—For the creation of artificial ponds and other provisions 
OPED ES LETS I Rap ta PR I iy 6 ne eS Re ae $2, 000 
Item 5.—For water supply, sewerage, and drainage.........---.. 7, 000 
tiem 6.—F or roads, walks, and bridges..--..........----..--.-- 15, 000 
24, 000 
Amount recommended to be appropriated .........---.-.-------- 29, 500 
Buildings and inclosures.—It is desired to at first proceed only with work which is 
absolutely necessary to creditably exhibit the animals now in the possession of the 
H. Doc. 732: 94 
