BROOKLYN PARK COMMISSIONERS. 29 



The use of the parks by the great body of visitors was marked 

 by the observance of good order and an intelligent appreciation 

 of the purposes for which these public pleasure grounds were 

 designed, the occasion being rare when active intervention of 

 police authority was necessary. The homogeneous character of 

 our people and the frequency with which they availed themselves 

 of the facilities for recreation which the parks afforded, rendered 

 unnecessary the imposition of stringent rules and tended to 

 develop an observance of comity which contributed largely to 

 the means at our disposal for adding to their comfort and 

 pleasure as visitors. The few occasional violations of this orderly 

 state of things, amounting in some instances to specific infringe- 

 ments upon the rules, may be mentioned in the order of 

 their importance. The first, are the violations of the ordinance 

 as to fast driving; these are not frequent, but they occur at a 

 time of day when the roads are in greatest use and when acci- 

 dents are mostly to be apprehended, and the persistence with 

 which a few reckless and thoughtless persons abuse the privileges 

 of the road and endanger the pleasure and safety of the greater 

 number who observe the rules in this particular, render it often- 

 times desirable to resort to summary means of restraint. The 

 disposition to disregard the cautions of the keeper on foot, due 

 largely to the immunity which a fast horse affords to the driver, 

 suggests the desirability of the equipment for occasional use on 

 the roads, of one or two mounted keepers in order to check a 

 practice so dangerous to others. 



It is the habit of many women and young people to drive alone 

 in the park, a means of recreation much to be commended, and 

 for which the park affords many advantages. 



On the parkway, the principal road is sufficiently commodious 

 to permit of more freedom in the movement of horses and 

 vehicles, and it has been the policy of the Commission to relax, 

 within reasonable bounds, the restrictions upon fast driving. 

 The driving, however, as is well known, is considerable, and 

 accidents from one cause or another frequently occur. The use 



