PARK AND CEMETERY. 
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i)5 
The Elm trees in Court Square, 
Springfield, Mass., have attracted a 
newspaper discussion on their poor 
condition, which one correspondent 
declares to be caused by starvation, 
and suggests supplying them with 
manure water. Probably one cause 
of their failing is their surroundings 
of paving stones, and this condition 
should be improved under modern 
treatment. It is probable that num- 
bers of fine trees in the older east- 
ern towns are suffering from the lack 
of intelligent care, which, however, 
should soon cease to be where city 
foresters are in control. 
* * * 
A report from the Public Buildings 
and Grounds Committee of Yonkers, 
N. Y., was introduced in the Board 
of Aldermen recently, calling for the 
expenditure of $25,000 for grading, ar- 
ranging, etc., the addition to Grant 
Park, recently acquired, and for the 
park to adjoin School No. 8. The re- 
port was filed and an ordinance was 
adopted later authorizing the work. 
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The Syracuse, N. Y., Park Commis- 
sion has been authorized to purchase 
on contract the Kirk Park property. 
The price fixed is $62,500, and it is to 
be paid in five annual installments of 
$12,500 each, to be provided for in the 
tax budget of each year. The matter 
has been under consideration for a 
long time. 
FROM THE PARK REPORTS 
The Eighteenth Annual Report of 
the Board of Park Commissioners of 
St. Paul, Minn., for the year 1908 
comprises a mass of interesting in- 
formation concerning St. Paul’s parks. 
During the year 5 new parks were 
acquired of a combined area of 16.7 
acres, the entire cost of which was 
assumed by interested citizens. The 
city park system, when two con- 
demnation suits are completed, will 
contain 1,131.09 acres. The commis- 
sioners are, however, much cramped 
for means to properly maintain the 
parks, and are moving for an amend- 
ment of the charter provision so that 
the needed funds for the Park De- 
partment would be provided for out 
of a 114 mill tax. Very gratifying 
progress has been made in the park 
and parkway improvements. Th'e 
total expenditures for the year were: 
For maintenance, $54',835.36; for im- 
provement, $84,030.87, making a total 
of $159,239.48. Shortness of funds is 
a serious drawback to the welfare of 
the parks and should be remedied. 
The superintendent states that the 
use of oil is cheaper than water for 
laying the dust; water costs 2.6 cents 
per yard of surface. If oil had been 
used the cost would have been 1.75 
cents, and oil improves the roadway. 
Up to date of report the parks have 
cost a total of $2,088,580.90. 
PARK IMPROVEMENTS 
The Metropolitan Park Commission 
recently purchased a tract of 47 acres 
on the north shore of Olney’s pond, 
in the town of Lincoln, R. I. The 
commission thus gains possession of 
what it considers one of the most 
beautiful places of resort in the state, 
the most remarkable section of un- 
spoiled natural landscape now remain- 
ing within such easy reach of Ex- 
change place and Market square. 
Providence, and it brings the total 
area of Park Reservation up to 500 
acres, and is a little larger than Roger 
Williams Park. The greatest care is 
being taken in cleaning up the tract, 
so that the natural beauty may not be 
injured, the purpose mainly being to 
make accessible the places of greatest 
beauty rather than to alter their char- 
acter. 
A start has been made on the im- 
provement of the Blue River Valley 
as a part of the Kansas City park and 
boulevard system. Preliminary maps 
and plans have been prepared by Mr. 
George E. Kessler, landscape archi- 
tect, for the guidance of the Park 
Commissioners, and the Blue River 
Valley offers an admirable opportun- 
ity for adding lake features and boule- 
vard extensions to the Kansas City 
system. 
The Marlin Commercial Club, for 
the citizens of Alarlin, Texas, has 
received from the International and 
Great Northern Railroad a tract of 
thirty acres with lake, which is to be 
converted at once into a pleasure 
park. 
The Improvement League of Big 
Rapids, Mich., has recently deeded to 
that city a small city park, named 
after the donor and his wife, Holland 
Park, which they have been improv- 
ing for some months. 
The city council of Bloomington, 
111., has appropriated the sum of $10,- 
250 for the maintenance of the pub- 
lic parks of that city. 
An ordinance calling for an ap- 
propriation of $15,000 for additions 
to the city park system of Kokomo, 
Ind., was introduced at a recent ses- 
sion of the council. 
Last month quite a celebration was 
held at Utica, N. Y., the occasion be- 
ing the passing of deeds to two splen- 
did parks, the gifts of Mr. Thomas R. 
Proctor of that city. One named 
Roscoe Conkling Park contains some 
370 acres, and it has been graded and 
improved by Mr. Proctor, and will be 
maintained by him until January 1 
next, when the city will assume con- 
trol. The other gift is the Thomas 
R. Proctor park, comprising about 70 
acres in the eastern part of the city, 
which was improved by the dOnor 
some years ago and thrown open for 
the use of the city. 
Lincoln Park is the name of the 
new park recently opened to the pub- 
lic at Grand I'orks, N. D. 
Governor Hadle}^ on returning 
from his outing at Hahatonka, Cam- 
den county. Mo., expressed himself 
so enchanted with the scenic beaut}' 
of the wild and rugged country in 
which Hahatonka is located that he 
intended to recommend to the next 
general assembly the purchase of 5,- 
000 acres for the establishment of a 
state park there. This would call for 
an outlay of $150,000. 
An addition of six acres has been 
made to Eden Park, South Wilming- 
ton, Del., donated by the Lobdell Car 
Wheel Co. 
A committee has been appointed by 
the Quincy, III, Historical Society to 
co-operate with other committees to 
provide in a suitable manner for the 
dedication of Parker Heights, in 
honor of E. J. Parker, who has done 
so much toward the accomplishment 
of the work of giving Quincy an ade- 
quate park system. It will take place 
before fall. 
The Board of Park Commissioners 
of Westfield, N. J., has recommended 
to the Town Council that more prop- 
erty be acejuired for park purposes 
and that the town be bonded in a 
sum not to exceed $20,000 for the 
purpose. 
Monroe, Wis., has a new city park, 
Mrs. Caroline Bingham donating to 
the city a twenty-four acre tract ly- 
ing north of the Illinois Central 
track along the west side of the Ai- 
gyle road. The gift is made to the 
city on condition, that it be used for 
(Continued on Pa^e VII i) 
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