533 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
BRIDLE PATH BUILT WITH TEMPORARY LABOR OF UNEMPLOYED MILL 
WORKERS. 
ily identified by the crouching pan- 
thers on either side of the approach, 
and crossing a ravine of the wildest 
type. The sides are mostly covered 
with native trees and shrubbery, 
many different species being repre- 
sented either singly or in dense 
masses. Frequently there is an out- 
cropping of the native rock, and on 
one of the treeless slopes rhododen- 
drons have been planted in quantity. 
At the farther end of the bridge is 
a monument with life-size bronze 
statue erected to the memory of Gen 
Hawkins, who died on the return trip 
from service in the Philippines. Fol- 
lowing a winding path of 150 steps, 
one may descend into the heart of 
the ravine. An artificial lake large 
enough for boating, and a natural 
spring reader the place a favorite one 
for picnic parties. The path crosses 
under the bridge and out upon the 
other side, rustic bridges, arches, and 
cool retreats rendering the walk most 
delightful. 
The accompanying illustrations 
show some fine views in the park and 
also some interesting landscape work 
that has been carried out by George 
M. Burke, superintendent of the Pitts- 
burg parks. One of the pictures shows 
a drive that is now 14 years old. It 
may be noted on the right-hand side, 
where every other bush has been cut 
out in order that the remaining 
shrubs will have room to .develop into 
perfect specimens. Mr. Burke says 
of this improvement: “This is one 
of the things in landscape work 
where many a superintendent’s heart 
often fails him. But it should un- 
doubtedly be done at the right time; 
especially where planting has been 
set out to obtain immediate effect.’’ 
In the view at one of the turns on 
a drive it is interesting to note that 
all lines in this picture are in har- 
mony with the curves of the drive. 
The three sister trees in the fore- 
ground are Salisburia adiantifolia, and 
are fine specimens. In the back- 
ground is a fountain. 
The famous ravine in Schenley 
Park is one mile and a quarter in 
length. This view of it was taken 
from the center of a high bridge, 
which spans the ravine over the two 
lakes. Two years ago, during a panic, 
the City Councils appropriated .$220,- 
000 in order to give the iron-mill la- 
borers employment in the various 
parks of the city Mr. Burke con- 
structe.d in this ravine with this la- 
bor a bridle path 24 feet wide and a 
mile and a quarter long, with two 
I am to speak to you of “The Rea- 
sons for Parks.” It seems especially 
fitting, in the first place, to get some 
understanding of what parks are or 
have been considered to be. I have 
therefore taken the trouble to look 
up the definition of the word “park” 
in Webster’s Dictionary of 1804. The 
third definition there given is: “A 
piece of ground in or near a city or 
town enclosed and kept for ornament 
and recreation.” I have also looked 
up the Century Dictionary’s definition 
of forty years later. It is this: “A 
concrete bridges, and two wooden 
rustic bridges. The light streaks in 
the photo on the left-hand side show 
the line of the bridle path. 
Concrete bridge No. 1 is on the 
bridle path, in a ravine called “Little 
Panther Hollow,” at a point known 
as “Horseshoe Bend.” In the con- 
struction of this bridge, as may be 
seen, there is not a particle of the 
concrete visible in the picture. The 
surface shows a rough and ancient 
style of work, which is Mr. Burke’s 
idea for covering concrete work in 
parks. 
Another picture shows concrete 
bridge No. 2, which is constructed of 
concrete and veneered with Tufifa 
stone, obtained in Ohio, which resem- 
bles very much a slag. In doing this 
work the superintendent set up 
wooden frames; then on the inside of 
all frames he set up this stone and 
placed the concrete against it, work- 
ing it with wooden rammers, until 
the water from the concrete floated 
on top. He was compelled to exca- 
vate to a depth of 13 feet from the 
spring line of the arch for a founda- 
tion. This bridge was constructed 
by men picked from the mill workers, 
and cost $5,000. 
This picture also shows the ex- 
treme end and turn on the bridle 
path. In making this Mr. Burke was 
compelled to cut into the side of the 
hill in order to extend and get out 
of the ravine with the bridle path. 
Another picture shows a stretch of 
the bridle path between bridge No. 1 
and bridge No. 2. The job of super- 
intending five hundred mill-workers 
on this kind of work was some ac- 
complishment in itself. The plan 
was to work 500 men for a month 
and then lay them ofif, and then take 
on 500 others in order that all of the 
idle men would have an opportunity 
to earn a little money. 
piece of ground, usually of consider- 
able extent, set apart and maintained 
for public use and laid out in such a 
way as to afford pleasure to the eye 
as well as opportunity for open air 
recreation.” Thus, in forty years, the 
dictionary makers have come to have 
a new idea in respect to the purposes 
of a park. I doubt not that a re- 
vision ten years hence will give us 
a yet broader definition. 
I insist then that one reason for 
parks is that we have a crowded 
working population, to which we need 
BROADER USES FOR THE PARKS 
From an address before the American Association of Park Superinten- 
dents by J. Horace McFarland^ President American Civic Association 
