5 



Park to the meadows near Pelham Hay; this railway was in operation 

 until 1904; traces of its position still remain in a cut between the propa- 

 gating houses and the stable on the eastern side of the grounds and also 

 in another cut east of the long lake. 



On June 17, 1896, the Managers referred the preparation of the general 

 plan of development to a commission, consisting of Dr. N. L. Britton, 

 Director-in-Chief, Mr. Robert W. Gibson, who had been selected as 

 the architect of the museum building and other minor structures, Mr. 

 John R. Brinley, Landscape Engineer, Professor Lucien M. Underwood, 

 of the Scientific Directors, Mr. Samuel Henshaw, Landscape Gardener, 

 and Mr. Lincoln Pierson, Secretary of Lord & Burnham Company, 

 who had been selected as architects of the horticultural houses, this 

 commission to work in cooperation with the committee on plans pre- 

 viously appointed. Using the topographical survey and map prepared 

 by Messrs. Napier and Brinley, this commission completed a general 

 plan and description of it.* The Committee on Plans received the report 

 of the Plans Commission on November 30, 1896, and on its recommenda- 

 tion the report of the Plans Commission and the accompanying general 

 plan were adopted by the Board of Managers on December 14, 1896, 

 subject to such changes and alterations as may hereafter be found 

 necessary, and on January 11, 1897, the Managers directed the plans 

 transmitted to the Commissioners of Public Parks. After some modi- 

 fications requested by the Commissioners of Parks, the plans were 

 approved by that body on June 21, 1897; on July 19, 1897, the Com- 

 missioners of Parks requested the Board of Estimate and Apportionment 

 to issue $500,000 in special bonds for the erection of buildings; this 

 appropriation was duly made by the Board of Estimate and Appor- 

 tionment on September 29, 1897. The first city appropriation for 

 annual maintenance was made for the year 1899 in accordance with the 

 provisions of the city charter (Laws of New York, 1898, §613). 



The plans thus approved included the system of driveways and paths, 

 water supply, drainage, planting, the museum building, the first range 

 of public greenhouses, the propagating house, stable, and minor struc- 

 tures. The first grading was done in the spring of 1896, in preparing 

 the ground for the border screen along the railroad, and in August, 1896, 

 some grading was done at the site now occupied by conservatory range 

 no. 1, followed, in 1897, by a continuation of the work here and the 

 filling of swampy places in the northern part of the grounds. Ground 



*See BuHet'.n, New York Botanical Garden, 1: 23-46. 



