PARK AND CEMETERY. 
■M 
street trees of the city in fairly good 
condition. A large amount of for- 
estry work in all parks, and especially 
in the natural woodlands, is urged 
for immediate attention. 
C. T. Booth, supervisor of play- 
grounds, tells of the equipment of 
one new playground and the addition 
to the force of six instructors. The 
attendance at the playgrounds has 
been remarkable and exceeds greatly 
that of 1907. During July and Au- 
gust careful estimates were made of 
the attendance where instructors 
were in charge. The estimated at- 
tendance for those two months was 
350,000. 
Road oiling was begun in July and 
60,569 gallons of oil procured from 
the Eastern Kansas Oil Co., of Mo- 
ran, Kas., and the Standard Oil Co. 
The cost of the oil was cents per 
gallon F. O. B. Minneapolis. Both 
oils were of a paraffin base and con- 
sequently had no binding qualities. 
The oil was put on the roadways at 
an average of about one-half gallon 
per square yard. Mr. Wirth recom- 
mends that if an asphaltum oil can 
be procured at the same or not much 
increased cost, it would be better to 
use it on account of its binding quali- 
ties. 
In his recommendations for this 
year’s work, the superintendent urges 
the completion of the important work 
at the Lake of the Isles at an ap- 
proximate cost of $40,000. Three 
plans are submitted for the Lake 
street boulevard. 
Definite plans for the west shore 
boulevard have not yet been pre- 
pared. The approximate estimate of 
cost for the lake connections, im- 
provements to Lake street and the 
boulevard, is from $75,000 to $80,000. 
The bridges are to be either solid 
stone or reinforced concrete struc- 
tures with natural stone facing; some- 
thing. similar in character to the de- 
sign shown here. 
In discussing the problem of road 
construction Mr. Wirth says: 
“The South Park Commission of Chicago, 
after trying almost every other method of 
road building and all kinds of improved 
pavements has decided in favor of bitullthic 
pavement. The cost of entire new con- 
struction of such pavements is from $2 to 
$2.75 per sq. yd. Such expensive construc- 
tion is, of course, beyond our means. Near- 
ly similar results, however, may be achieved 
through a thorough method of tar macadam 
construction. I have in mind the follow- 
ing method: 
A 6-in. footing of broken limestone from 
1 in. to 2 V 2 in. in size, rolled dry to a smooth 
surface. This bed to be treated to a coat- 
ing of hot coal or pitch tar, applied by 
gravity or under pressure. On top of this 
I propose to lay a 1-in. layer of ^ to 1-in. 
stone previously mixed wilii tar in a regular 
mixer similar to those used for concrete. 
On this layer will be spread a thin layer 
of screened roofing gravel, which will be 
rolled into the tarred stone. The surface 
will then be covered with a light coat of 
Tarvla, which will be dressed with screened 
pea gravel rolled to a finished smooth sur- 
face. .lust enough of pea gravel will be 
applied to take up all the Tarvia. In this 
manner we will secure an impervious wear- 
ing surface of about 3 in. in thickness, and 
the gravel being much harder than the lime- 
stone, will form a firm surface not easily 
gi-ound up. 
I estimate that the expense for such a 
road will not exceed the cost of the ordi- 
nary water rolled macadam by more than 
30 per cent while its life will be four times 
longer and dustless. The cost of mainte- 
nance will naturally be less than that of 
the road that has to be watered. I believe 
an application of Tarvia every two years 
with a pea gravel dressing will constitute all 
the repairs necessary, at a cost not exceed- 
ing 4 cents per sq. yd. 
“I strongly recommend that this exper- 
iment be carried out. as I am reasonably 
confident of satisfactory results.” 
On the proposed transformation of 
a dilapidated triangular space in 
front of the Union Station into a 
park Mr, Wirfh says: 
“The importance and value of the Gate- 
way Park is not so much in the proposed 
small park itself as a beauty spot and rec- 
reation ground, as is its influence towards 
the improvement of the .surrounding prop- 
erty. There is probably no other city in 
the country that possesses a similar oppor- 
tunity to create for itself such a dignified 
and attractive entrance as has Minneapolis 
in this proposed Gateway .scheme. If once 
carried out it will not only sati.sfy those 
that are now' opposed to it for one reason 
or another, but it will create a demand for 
more civic work and betterment along the 
same and other lines, and will lead towards 
the building of the “city beautiful” such as 
Minneapolis w'ell might be. 
STONE BRIDGE WITH CONCRETE ABUTMENTS FOR MINNEAPOLIS PARK SYSTEM. 
