Transportation In Public Parks 
By H. W. Busch, Michigan. 
THE demands of the public ! When are they reason- 
able ? To what extent should a park official try to 
comply with them? Should he cater to what he 
considers the whim or caprice of the persons who period- 
ically appear with pet hobbies for amusing or comforting 
the public? Should he sink his individuality altogether 
by kow-towing, and like the suave Jap, "Agree with the 
Honorable Sir ?" 
1 believe that parks are a necessity ; they are here for a 
purpose, and the closer we cling to the policy of maintain- 
ing them as originally intended the better satisfied the tax- 
payer will be. The experienced park official knows that 
constant and careful discrimination is at all times neces- 
sary to successfully cope with the many problems sub- 
mitted to him and lie knows that at times he must expect 
to receive criticism. Yes, and even abuse ; and that his 
vindication oft-times comes, like the proverbial truth, with 
leaden heels. 
Another to avoid is the smooth individual, often with 
political backing of some sort or another, whose great in- 
terest in the ''dear peepul" can readily be learned by care- 
fullv ascertaining if the scheme proposed will result in 
financial gain directly or indirectly to himself or his 
friends. It is unfortunate that many well meaning honest 
people are often found advocating propositions engi- 
neered by some of these twentieth century financiers. 
I say, let us keep our parks beautiful and restful. Yes ! 
and inclined to the educational, with sufficient opportuni- 
ties for wholesome recreation. We do not need to ad- 
vertise a park nor annoy that portion of the public which 
does appreciate nature, with a lot of unnecessary noise, 
and in a public park maintained at public expense con- 
stant temptations for spending money should not be 
flaunted before the eyes of every visitor. 
What then, say you, should we provide? Ah, that is a 
question which you probably have already inferred means 
discriminatory judgment. Is the park a watering place? 
Then you will probably need bathing beaches. Are there 
lagoons? Then provide canoes and rowboats. Is it a 
place frequented by vehicles ? Then good roads are 
needed. And that brings me to the subject assigned me by 
the president — Transportation in public parks. When 
and how should it be provided? 
While this question is not likely to arise in connection 
with small parks there is always a likelihood of the matter 
coming to the fore in cities where large parks exist, in 
which cases large areas are embraced and the visitor 
grows weary after walking some time and then feels after 
retracing his steps to the point of entrance, that he has 
reached the limit of physical endurance. It is not for us 
to argue the why's and wherefore's ; we know from ex- 
perience that in such a park but a small percentage of the 
visitors reach the remote corners and the tendency is to- 
ward a congestion in the improved section, which is 
usually within a so-called walking distance of the en- 
trance. 
While we may care less for those who can but will not 
exert themselves to take in all that nature provides, there 
are many others, such as elderly people, convalescents. 
and families with small children, who would penetrate to 
the far corners if means of transportation were provided. 
In order to do this it is not necessary to resort to the 
vandalism of establishing trolley lines with steel rails and 
all the accompanying noises and abuses within the confines 
of the park. If the park happens to be located in or ad- 
jacent to a city or town a car line would naturally deposit 
passengers at the entrance and as more entrances are 
made the car service should be extended to them. The 
more places of access the more likely will the entire acre- 
age be used, and the attendance better distributed. In 
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The old and the new method. Showing the old style vehicles formerly used and the modern motor busses which have 
replaced them in the Detroit Parks. 
136 
