BROOKLYN PARK COMMISSIONERS. 5 



known as the Automatic lamp. The illumination is produced 

 by a brilliant gas, the product of a volume of naphtha contained 

 in a reservoir attached to the lamp itself, and which is gener- 

 ated by a simple and ingenious process. 



The use of certain portions of our Park drives is exceptional, 

 particularly in summer and early fall, in view of the fact that 

 they form a direct and very desirable communication by way 

 of the Ocean Parkway with Coney Island, and are very largely 

 used for that purpose. 



The Commissioners, therefore, taking a practical view of the 

 subject, have felt warranted in lighting the roadways at night 

 to the extent described, while they do not approve the general 

 proposition which has from time to time received some public 

 advocacy, of lighting up large parks at night. So far, the lamps 

 have served a useful purpose, and may be continued in use. 



GENERAL MAINTENANCE. 



The appropriations for all purposes for the past year, were 

 in no sense liberal, or even sufficient for the necessities of the 

 parks, etc., and the Commission was in consequence limited to 

 a most superficial treatment of all branches of work. For the 

 coming year the appropriation has been still further reduced 

 to an amount smaller than ever before. It will be utterly in- 

 adequate, even with the exercise of the strict economy and fru- 

 gality which has marked the administration of the Commission, 

 to secure to the public the comfortable enjoyment of all parts 

 of the Park, or to arrest, in any material degree, the general or 

 unavoidable excessive deterioration to which some of the most 

 important portions and structures are needlessly subjected, for 

 the want of reasonable appropriations. 



The comparatively mild and variable weather which charac- 

 terized the earlier months of the year, with frequent alterna- 

 tions of frost and thaw, entailed disproportionate additional 

 labor in attention to road surfaces, drainage, &c, and during 

 the remainder of the year the force was employed upon various 

 portions of the Park in such work as grew out of its use and 



