5 



Prior to the appointment of this commission an accurate 

 topographical survey and map had been made, showing the 

 exact location of every tree, ledge, bank, or other natural 

 feature, and the altitude of every point in the tract. 



On October 9th, 1895, the Board of Managers requested 

 the Commissioners of Parks to construct driveways in the 

 grounds, and the matter was referred to the Superintendent 

 of Parks, with directions to confer with the Committee, and 

 Mr. Calvert Vaux, landscape architect of the Park Board, 

 was detailed by the said Commissioners on the same work. 

 Mr. Vaux prepared a preliminary study for the driveways, 

 and copies of it, approved by Mr. Parsons subsequently to 

 the death of Mr. Vaux, were given to the Committee. 



Working from the topographical survey and from this 

 road study, our experts, map in hand, on the grounds, critic- 

 ally and with the greatest care, in consultation with other 

 experts, and with the members of the Committee on Plans 

 of the Board of Managers, developed the main features of 

 the general plan. Supt. Parsons was frequently consulted 

 and was repeatedly on the ground. The Commissioners of 

 Parks were thus represented throughout the work of plan- 

 ning. Meanwhile the study of plans for the buildings had 

 been steadily prosecuted. Architects were selected after a 

 prolonged examination of competitive designs for the main 

 buildings, and were nominated to the Commissioners of Pub- 

 lic Parks on June 18th, 1896, who replied that they 

 looked favorably upon the selection of architects, but stated 

 that they could not approve the plans until they were sub- 

 mitted in complete form, together with specifications, as 

 required in other museum buildings of the city, and asked 

 that we have the plans completed as quickly as possible. 

 They were so completed early in the present year, and were 

 submitted, together with specifications, duly approved by 



