PARK AXD CEMETERY. 
034 
with which to get the system in shape 
for the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposi- 
tion in 1909 and some very extensive 
improvement work was carried on in- 
cluding the construction of the Lake 
Washington Boulevard system from 
Mt. Baker Park to the Exposition 
Grounds. The work accomplished by 
the expenditure of these funds, 
brought the citizens of the city to a 
realization of the possibilities of the 
Olmsted Plan and public sentiment 
demanded that the work proceed. 
The Board, tlierefore, again sub- 
mitted a further bond issue in 1910, 
this time in the sum of .$2,000,000, 
which was by the vote of the people 
duly authorized and supplied the nec- 
essary funds for improvements and 
extensions ior 1911-1912. 
Prior to 1904, the city possessed six 
improved parks, no boulevards and 
no playgrounds. The year 1911 finds 
it with sixteen improved parks, twelve 
improved and equipped playgrounds, 
and fifteen miles of improved boule- 
vards and parkways. The total ex- 
penditures to January 1st, 1911, on 
Seattle’s park system amount to 
$2,696,246.54, while its appraised valu- 
ation is $6,410,755.91. The total ex- 
penditure ’ for 1910 was $704,667.53. 
The handsome illustrated report of 
the Board recently issued summarizes 
the chief improvements in 1910 as 
follows : 
Volunteer Park received the most 
extensive treatment during the year, 
the formal gardens, lily ponds, walks 
and drives, music pavilion, comfort 
stations and children’s shelter being 
constructed at a cost of $30,922.95. 
Woodland Park received second 
consideration, the new animal house, 
progress on the new athletic field and 
general improvement work, total- 
ling $19,703.64. 
Roanoke Park, a small unimproved 
tract in the Denny-Fuhrman Addi- 
tion, was beautified as a neighborhood 
park at a cost of $6,449.05. 
Any unimproved portion of Alt. 
Baker Park was improved and a pub- 
lic boathouse and pier were con- 
structed at a cost of $7,900.14. 
At Jefferson Park, on Beacon Hill, 
a considerable amount of clearing of 
this wooded tract was accomplished 
and a greenhouse and propagating 
plant for the department were estab- 
lished, the total expenditure being 
$4,371.76. 
The City Council turned over to 
the Park Board an appropriation of 
$10,000.00 to be used in the care of 
the former Exposition Grounds, until 
the state legislature should meet and 
provide for it. 
ON r..M<K \V.\SHINGTON BOULEVARD, SEATTLE, WASH. 
In the matter of playgrounds, the 
department made remarkable pro- 
gress, this feature of the system being 
more than doubled during the year. 
In 1909 there were seven playgrounds, 
four of which were improved and 
supervised. In 1910 nine additional 
sites were acquired. Seven sites were 
improved and made available for use 
and five grounds were supplied with 
apparatus and equipment. Seven 
.arounds were supervised and in oper- 
ation during the season. 
During the year $51,902.95 was ex- 
pended for playground improvements, 
apparatus to the amount of $9,419.23 
was installed and $164,668.88 was ex- 
pended on new sites. 
Superintendent J. W. Thompson in 
his annual report, gives the Board 
the following excellent advice con- 
cerning playground development; 
In connection with the rapid progress we 
are making in the development of our play- 
grounds, I would call your attention to a 
mistake which I believe we are making in 
the installation of apparatus on grounds 
which are otherwise lacking in essential 
features. I mean by this, that the first es- 
sential feature of an improved playground 
is a Shelter House with toilet facilities. Ap- 
paratus and equipment should not be in- 
stalled until the Board is prepared to main- 
tain supervisors or caretakers, as an un- 
attended playground is a menace to a com- 
munity. ' 
I further believe that our playgrounds 
should be enclosed so that they cannot be 
used as a rendezvous of the rowdy element 
during the hours when they are not in 
charge of a caretaker. T believe that it is 
better that we should have fewer play- 
grounds than to have a large number in- 
adequately equipped or supervised. 
Alki Bathing Beach, a tract of ap- 
proximately 10 acres, has just been 
