127 



ment, arrangements were made for active operations upon the 

 park. The Board had previously distributed its general ad- 

 ministrative duties between three standing committees. To the 

 first, it entrusted the duty of supervising its finances, of pro- 

 viding from time to time the means required for the prosecution 

 of the work, and of reporting monthly to the Board the exact 

 condition of its finances. To the second, was committed the 

 general management of the work ordered by the Board, and 

 the purchase and disposition of all property pertaining to the 

 commission. While to the third, was allotted the task of audit- 

 ing all bills and claims for services and materials, with the 

 supervision of its books of account. The executive depart- 

 ments of the work were organized by appointing Mr. John N. 

 Taylor Comptroller, who also acts as counsel to the Board ; 

 and by selecting the landscape architects, above referred to, as 

 superintendents of the work, under the direction of the Execu- 

 tive Committee. The latter gentlemen were at the same time 

 instructed to prepare the details of the park plan which had 

 been adopted, and to organize a working force sufficient for its 

 execution. The Board also appointed Mr. Joseph P. Davis, of 

 the Nassau "Water Works, Engineer in charge of operations on 

 the park, and Mr. John Bogart and Mr. John Y. Culyer, his 

 principal assistants. 



After any given measure has been discussed and determined 

 upon by the Board, its execution is referred to the appropriate 

 committee, which personally supervises the performance of the 

 duty by the department charged with the work. Purchases of 

 tools and materials are made by agents selected with speciaj 

 reference to their experience in obtaining the article required, 

 under the direction of the Executive Committee and the super- 

 intendents. The market is canvassed for the lowest cash price 

 — quality considered. The articles purchased are weighed, 

 counted or measured, and delivered at the park office, where a 

 full register is kept of everything received and given out for use 

 on the park ; and the bills, after having been duly certified, 

 are forwarded to the office of the comptroller. 



No bills are paid without : First, a certificate of the super- 

 intendents that they have been authorized by the Executive 

 Committee to make the purchase ; second, a certificate of the 

 purchasing agent that he made the purchase under the direc- 



