PARK AND CEMETERY. 
H3 
SOME DIFFICULTIES OF THE PARK SUPERIN- 
TENDENT. 
From the northeast corner of a park in a west- 
ern city, a walk leads in a southwesterly direction, 
descending almost too rapidly for comfort into a 
ravine which has been utilized for a lily pond and 
for various flower beds. Further to the south this 
ravine is crossed by another somewhat broader in 
which a lake has been formed. Some of the effects 
about this lake are very good, and, looking to the 
farther end of the water surface, the view is termin- 
ated by a group of willows. Being a stranger, I 
supposed the park to extend much farther than the 
willows, but, on walking to this group, found that 
they were at the boundary and learned that the 
people living opposite had been making efforts to 
have these trees cut down so they could look into 
the park. Following the ravine in the other direc- 
tion, that is toward the western boundary, I found 
a waterfall and other narrow ravines whose sides 
were covered with thick foliage. The effect was 
very natural and very pleasing. Native shrubs had 
been used, so that one would not suspect that much 
of the material had been planted. The ravines 
curved enough to excite one’s curiosity as to where 
they led to, the upper ends being hidden from view. 
Although nearly ten weeks elapsed without rain, 
the leaves of the hazels, sumachs, thorns, oaks and 
other trees and shrubs were of a fresh green color. 
I learned afterwards that one of the Park Commis- 
sioners recently appointed, wanted to have all this 
“brush” cut out. The ‘‘brush” and the red and 
burr oaks were really the most pleasing features of 
the park. 
Going further, I found a boundary belt of pines, 
and learned that one of the park commissioners 
whose house was on the opposite side of the street 
from this belt, avowed that he obtained his appoint- 
ment for the sole purpose of getting these pines cut 
down so that he and his neighbors could look into 
the park. He commenced first on some maple 
trees and when these were destroyed saw that he 
had made a mistake, and so the pines were spared. 
Some of the elms and oaks in the interior of the 
park had had all their lower branches removed, this 
treatment, of course, destroying their beauty. 
There were rather too many trees in some places 
and one felt that it would be an improvement if 
some of them were removed entirely so that a 
longer view could be obtained. The superintendent 
said he had suggested this to one of the Park Com- 
missioners and in doing so he used the word “vista.” 
‘‘Oh, h-11,” said the commissioner, “if you want a 
vista, go out on to the prairie.” When the park 
was established, an effort was made to keep its 
management entirely out of politics by having 
the park commissioners appointed by the judges 
One would suppose that a judge would use his 
influence to select for a park commissioner a man 
of refinement and good taste, without regard to 
whether he was a republican or democrat, but it 
seems that such was not the case. Instead of giv- 
ing the superintendent authority to hire and dis- 
charge men, and requiring him to secure the best 
results for a given amount of money, the appoint- 
ment of all employes is made by the park commis- 
sioners as a reward for political activity instead of 
on account of fitness. I have often found that men 
appointed as park commissioners do not even know 
the object of a park. Instead of realizing that it 
exists, or should exist, for its scenery, for the con- 
trast it gives to crowded buildings, they supposed 
it exists to form a pleasing front yard for the com- 
missioners and their neighbors who live in its vicin- 
ity, and to furnish places with which to reward cer- 
tain of their constituents. 
O. C. Simonds. 
THE DUTIES OF PARK COMMISSIONERS.* 
Large and small public open air spaces in all com- 
munities, and especially in crowded cities, are univer- 
sally recognized to be of the greatest value in maintain- 
ing and increasing the health, pleasure and knowledge 
of all the citizens and in adding to the attractiveness of 
the city as a place of residence. 
They add to the pleasure and health of those who 
are full of life and vigor by providing for the active 
forms of out-door amusement at riding, wheeling, boat- 
ing, etc., amid attractive surroundings, and to their 
knowledge by providing an opportunity for the study of 
plants, animals and birds under the most favorable con- 
ditions. 
It is of even greater importance that these public re- 
creation grounds add to the health and consequently to 
the producing capacity as workers in the community, of 
persons who are weak, tired, nervous, exhausted and sick, 
by providing and making accessible beautiful landscapes 
and scheduled natural retreats made interesting and at- 
tractive by an abundance of plants, flowers and birds 
that may be enjoyed with a feeling of perfect security. 
It is the duty of park commissioners to see that as 
much of all this is provided as the means at their dis- 
posal will permit; to see that the various forms of recre- 
ation are provided in such a manner that they will not 
interfere with each other; to see that the needs of those 
who are worn and tired are not neglected in providing 
for the demands of those who are vigorous, energetic 
and aggressive. 
It is the duty of park commissioners to seek the 
most expert advice in solving the problems presented in 
the selection of park lands and in designing of the vari- 
ous features of a park system. It is not to be expected 
that such problems can be solved successfully by men 
whose whole lives have been devoted to other pursuits. 
It is true that some men who are not professional park 
designers are so well fitted by nature and so well 
‘Paper read at the Minneapolis Meeting of the American Park and 
Out-door Art Association. June, i8gS, By Christian Wahl, President 
Board of Park Commissioners, Milwaukee, Wis. 
