PARK AND CEMETERY. 
3 4 
BUSY YEAR’S WORK IN THE MINNEAPOLIS PARKS 
The acquiring of land for one of the 
most complete, well balanced and nat- 
urally beautiful park systems in the 
world which has been pursued with 
rare wisdom, energy and public spirit 
for several years past in Minneapolis 
is now practically complete, and the 
park board in its handsome annual 
report just issued lays the question 
of their improvement before the peo- 
ple. There is little doubt that the peo- 
ple will authorize the necessary leg- 
islation for an era of park construc- 
tion that will give this city a system 
in many features unmatched in this 
country. The retiring president of 
the board, Hon. J, E. Nortlirup, puts 
the question forcibly to the public in 
these words: 
“The acquisition of land for park 
purposes in Minneapolis may be con- 
sidered as complete, in the sense that 
we are now in possession of those 
strategic points which are vitally nec- 
essary to a well-rounded and properly 
connected park system. Having ful- 
filled our primary duty, that of acquir- 
ing properly related park lands, we 
are about entering on a new era in 
park development, that of improve- 
ment, in some particulars the most im- 
portant work we are called upon to 
do. Our parks, attractive as they now 
are, are but the blocks of marble 
awaiting the chisel of the sculptor to 
bring them into their fullest beauty, 
a beauty that will give us the finest 
park system possessed by any city in 
America, and which, when completed, 
will command the admiration of the 
world. The parks have been secured; 
now the improvements may be de- 
ferred or vigorously prosecuted as, the 
people of Minneapolis may decide. It 
is for them to say.” 
Superintendent Theodore Wirth, in 
his review of the year’s work, tells of 
much important construction and out- 
lines plans for the future which show 
that he expects to continue as busy 
as he has been in the past. 
The appropriation for the mainte- 
nance of the entire park system for 
the past year was $ 124 , 100 . The total 
cost of maintenance was $ 123 , 602 . 64 , 
of which $ 78 , 387.72 was for labor, in- 
cluding policing, and $ 45 , 664.71 for 
lighting, materials, repairs and miscel- 
laneous expenditures. The average 
cost of maintenance for the entire sys- 
tem per acre was $ 35 . 68 . There are 
inclusive of parkways, 2,465 acres. 
SHELTER HOUSE, POWDERHORN LAKE PARK, MINNEAPOLIS. 
