DEPARTMENT OF PARKS. 169 



The work of improvement is being carried on from plans 

 designed by Messrs. Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot. The work was 

 commenced in July of this year, and continued until the end of 

 November, with an average working force of seventy-five men. 



Bay Eighth street has been graded between Cropsey avenue 

 and the shore of the bay. To obtain the material for this fill, 

 Fifteenth avenue was cut through from Cropsey avenue to Bath 

 avenue. 



THE NEW DRIVE. 



A driveway has been graded from Cropsey avenue, near Fif- 

 teenth avenue, along the eastern and northern boundary lines of 

 the Park. Connecting with Seventh avenue, at the north-western 

 corner of the Park, at the crossing of the marsh, a trestle bridge 

 is now being constructed under a contract with J. and F. Kelly. 

 This trestle bridge is to be about 604 feet long and 40 feet wide. 

 It will serve temporarily to connect the driveway from east to 

 west, and also as a retaining wall for filling deposited north of the 

 bridge, when work on the lagoon is commenced. 



The ground north of the new drive has been prepared, and 

 the nursery stock is at hand for planting. 



A large quantity of stone has been gathered on the line of 

 the cutting and laid aside for crushing or for rip-rapping the shore 

 line. 



The old bathing houses on the beach have been fitted up and 

 seventeen new ones added for public use, free of charge, and they 

 were very freely patronized. 



AT RIDGEWOOD PARK. 



Work on the improvement of Ridgewood, or Highland, Park 

 commenced in May. That part of Highland Boulevard lying in 

 the Park was graded, sewered and macadamized to a point about 

 one hundred feet east of the reservoir; as were also the junctions 

 leading into the Park from both directions. 



Portland cement concrete gutters, two feet six inches wide, 

 were laid on each side of the driveway. The grounds between 

 the driveway and the edge of the bluff were graded into gentle 

 undulations, as were also the grounds north of and adjoining the 



