VI 

 PLAY-GROUNDS CONTINUED 



William H. Seward Park is situated along East 

 Broadway, with Jefferson Street, Division Street, 

 Suffolk Street, Hester Street, Essex Street, and 

 Canal Street bounding it. This spot was a few 

 years ago one of the most congested in New York 

 City. The tenement houses which were cleared 

 from this location to make way for the park were 

 dilapidated and noisome in the extreme. The 

 area is less than three acres, but around it is carried 

 a real park effect of trees, shrubs, and lawns, 

 with a central mall extending from Canal to 

 Hester Street. On one side of this mall is a 

 children's play--ground with every game and amuse- 

 ment for girls of all sizes. A high fence surrounds 

 it in order to afford every means of protection to 

 the little ones in this crowded part of the city. 



High fences also surround the exterior boundary 

 of the park, and around all grass plots are lower 

 fences with pointed crestings to increase some- 

 what their effectiveness. A double row of trees 

 is planted along the mall. 



On the west side of the mall are a large gymnasi- 

 um ground and running track, and back of that, 

 adjoining the extreme west boundary, is a hand- 

 some building affording music and shelter for the 

 mothers and little ones. Underneath it are many 

 baths for public use. The walks are asphalted 



[27] 



