322 



Martyrs, has been prepared, and is under advisement "by the 

 board. The matter will continue to receive that degree of con- 

 sideration which it so justly deserves. 



Tompkins Park, which is laid out in a rapidly growing 

 quarter of the city, was recently placed under the charge of 

 the board ; but no provision seems to have been made for its 

 improvement, and. the Commissioners have consequently been 

 unable to do anything further than to protect the property from 

 depredation. They trust, however, that authority will be given 

 by the present Legislature to raise money sufficient to improve 

 this park in a style corresponding with the other small parks of 

 Brooklyn. 



The parade ground is now in complete order, and has during 

 the last season witnessed some of the finest displays of our citi- 

 zen soldiery ever exhibited in Kings county. In addition to 

 the trees planted and roads worked, a substantial shelter-house, 

 with suitable accommodations for the military on parade days, 

 has been erected on the ground ; the main building being forty 

 feet square, with wings extended to the distance of sixty-four 

 feet on each side. 



During the past year nothing of any importance has been 

 done towards the improvement of the City Park. It is, in fact, 

 becoming every day more evident, as the superior attractions of 

 Washington Park are being developed, that the City Park is 

 not likely, for some time to come, to be used to any extent as 

 a pleasure ground. "When the population of that quarter of the 

 city shall have crowded Washington Park beyond its capacity, 

 and shall require greater park facilities than are now afforded 

 by its beautiful slopes and hills, or when our city's debt shall 

 have been brought within such easy and reasonable proportions 

 as shall cease to be a serious burden to our taxpayers, the 

 discussion of the best method of fitting up the City Park as 

 a place of amusement may be resumed with advantage ; but 

 at present the Commissioners deem it unwise and impolitic 

 to expend upon it that amount of money and of labor which 

 would be required to render it at all suitable for such a 

 purpose. 



It may be many years before the public accommodation 

 will justify such an expenditure : but in the mean time the 

 property may and should be put to some profitable use. Its 



