BEPOKT OF C. C. MARTIN, 



ENGINEER IN CHARGE. 



Park Commission, City of Brooklyn, 



Engineer's Office, January 1st, 1869. 



Messrs. Olmsted, Vaux & Co., 



Landscape Architects and Superintendents. 



Gentlemen : — During the past year the paving of the interior por- 

 tion of the Plaza with Belgian blocks has been completed. The in- 

 terior curbing has all been set, and the corners properly placed. 

 The foundations, steps, and brick paving for the flagstaff areas have 

 been completed. The sewer, water and gas pipe were laid before 

 the paving was done. The railroad track of the Flatbush avenue 

 line has been laid around the side of the fountain with curves of two- 

 hundred feet radius as designed, but it was found impossible, with 

 the ordinary construction of road, to keep the cars upon the track 

 without elevating the outer rails on the curves, and this having been 

 done, seriously interferes with the symmetry and harmony of the 

 general grade of the Plaza. This can only be rectified when the 

 increase of traffic becomes sufficient to warrant the railroad company 

 in making some improvement in the construction of the cars to meet 

 the serious difficulties that unavoidably occur at this important 

 point. At Manchester, a central guide wheel has been successfully 

 used for several years, and this or some similar arrangement should, 

 as soon as practicable, be experimented with on the Plaza cars. 



ROADS. 



The park roads made during the season do not differ materially 

 in construction from those described in my last report ; the principal 

 portion, however, having the Rubble foundation. The Rubble foun- 

 dation is mucli cheaper than the Telford ; and so far as observations 

 have been made upon the park roads during the year, there are no 

 indications in favor of the Telford. This result might not hold for 

 traffic roads, but for light driving on a park it is undoubtedly true. 



