50 



feet deeper, water was reached, at an elevation of fourteen feet above 

 tide level, and fifty-one feet from the surface of the ground. Mr. L. Y. 

 Schermerhom, Division Engineer, gave the work his careful attention, 



and to his good judgment and intelligent supervision the success of the 

 work, thus far, is in a great measure due. 



SKATING. 



As before stated, the Lake was partially filled with water in Novem- 

 ber. Early in December, much earlier than usual, ice formed, and 

 up to the present time has been in good condition for skating. The 

 Union Pond Patent Ice Planers have been used for planing the ice, and 

 so far as my observation extends, these planers, with the accompanying 

 snow cleaners, are the most efficient implements for the care of ice that 

 have as yet been invented. Cuttings of any required depth can be 

 taken, limited only by the propelling power, and the surface is left 

 nearly as smooth as new frozen ice. 



A temporary skating house has been erected one hundred and sixty- 

 eight feet long, and twenty-eight feetwide, with a platform in front six- 

 teen feet wide. This was was placed over the water, and is supported 

 by stone piers. 



FORT GREENE. 



The improvement of this Park having been authorized, work was 

 commenced in June, and was prosecuted with considerable energy un- 

 til it was suspended on account of frost. The following items are the 

 most important so far executed. The Gant has been graded and 

 paved with coal tar concrete. The Artillery Eoad has been graded 

 and paved nearly its entire length, and since both of these are liable to 

 be used for horses, the paving was made four inches in thickness. 

 The walks were paved with the same material, but like those on Pros- 

 pect Park, the material was laid only three inches thick. These walks 

 are made without side gutters. The depression is in the middle, and 

 the silt basins and gratings are also in the middle. The shaping of 

 the grounds and the re-arrangement of the trees has progressed as rap- 

 idly as possible, with the force employed. The work has been under 

 the immediate charge of Mr. T. P. Kinsley, Division Engineer, who, 

 with his corps of able assistants, have performed their duties in a very 

 creditable manner. 



Mr. F. Mollard has been General Superintendent of labor, and has 

 evinced good executive qualities. 



