The Commissioner's Report 



OF THE WORK OF THE 



Department of Parks 



During the Year 1896. 



Office of the Commissioner, 

 Department of Parks, 

 "The Mansion," Prospect Park. 



Brooklyn, January 1, 1897. 



To the Honorable, the Common Council : 



GENTLEMEN — I have the honor herewith to submit to your 

 Honorable Body a report of the proceedings of the Department 

 of Parks for the year 1896. I regret that my immediate prede- 

 cessor in office, Mr. Timothy L. Woodruff, who resigned on the 

 1st of December to prepare for the assumption of the duties of 

 the office of Lieutenant-Governor, for which he was selected at 

 the last election, did not continue in office a month longer, in 

 order that he might have submitted the report of the work per- 

 formed during the first eleven months of the year, a season of 

 great progress and activity. 



I have endeavored, however, during my short incumbency of 

 the office, to familiarize myself with the work of the Department, 

 and with the work that has been accomplished during the year, 

 and from what I have observed I am certain that the year has 

 been fruitful of much in the way of permanent improvement that 

 will add greatly to the beauty of the parks and to the pleasure of 

 the people. 



