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18 81. 



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The Trustees of the American Museum of Natural 

 History have the pleasure of presenting this,- their 

 Thirteenth Annual Report, to the Patrons, Fellows, 

 and Members of the Museum. 



In 1875, the Commissioners of the Department of 

 Public Parks adopted plans prepared by Mr. Frederick 

 Law Olmsted for drives and footpaths from Central Park 

 to our Square at Eighth Avenue and 77th and 81st 

 Streets, but -for want of funds no progress was made 

 with this important work. The Trustees therefore were 

 obliged to assume the onerous task of asking the Legis- 

 lature to provide the means for completing this neces- 

 sary improvement. The Park Department unanimously 

 approved of our proposition, and we received im- 

 portant and hearty co-operation from the Mayor and 

 Comptroller. The bill resulting from our conferences 

 with these authorities of the City, was promptly passed 

 by the Legislature and became law, and the Depart- 

 ment, at our request, have publicly advertised and let 

 the work which the contracts require shall be com- 

 pleted by next June. 



The improvements upon our Square have been 

 making rapid progress and have been the subject of 

 frequent commendation by the visitors to our build- 

 ing and our own citizens who are interested in the 

 completion and perfection of our system of public parks. 



