96 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
horseback riding and hill climbing, without 
the fatigue accompanying any of them.” 
This machine has been especially de- 
vised for parks, playgrounds and public in- 
stitutions, and every effort has been made 
to have it "boy-proof” in construction and 
as completely self-operating as po ; sible. 
Although the Health Merry-Go-Round 
has been on the market less than four 
years — the first patents having been granted 
in the United States and Canada, May 1, 
1906 — it is already in use in nearly every 
part of this country, in Canada, Mexico, 
South America and Europe. 
It is built throughout of seasoned hard 
wood and iron and so made that the 
children are each five feet from center post 
or ten feet from the opposite child. It can 
also be taken apart and stored for the 
winter if desired, although it is so strong 
it will stand the winter weather in the 
yard. The seats are of hard wood, with a 
comfortable back. 
The track upon which the wheels run is 
of hard wood and is put together with all 
the care used upon the felloes of a wagon 
wheel. The felloes are cut out by accu- 
rate machinery, and joints are made so 
close that the. track presents a smooth 
surface for wheels to run upon. The four 
wheels which support the poles, and which 
run upon the circular track, are of iron. 
The handles and foot rests are of special 
pipe or steel bent to shape. 
The handles are attached to the wheels 
by an oak connecting rod. Thus the pull 
upon the handle and foot rest is communi- 
cated without the use of cog wheels or 
any other dangerous arrangement directly 
upon the wheels. This insures light run- 
ning and the speed will be found fast 
enough to please the liveliest youngsters. 
The speed is at all times under control, and 
even when carrying full capacity can be 
stopped in a moment. 
There are also heavy oak braces con- 
necting the poles and giving' additional 
strength. The axle of the merry-go-round 
is of extra heavy tubing. 
The machine is furnished with or with- 
out a self-operating organ and a canopy 
or awning as desired. It is made in four, 
six and twelve-seated sizes, and varies in 
price from $30 to $125. The machine is 
manufactured by The Health Merry-Go- 
Round Co., Quincy, 111. 
ASPHALTIC-CONCRETE ROAD BUILDING 
The boulevards and park roads of the 
West Park system of Chicago have been 
placed in such excellent condition the past 
few years that comparatively little im- 
provement work, excepting that done by 
the board’s own asphaltic concrete paving 
plant, has been necessary the past year. A 
vast amount of work has been accom- 
plished with this paving plant, and the de- 
tailed figures of the work done, given in 
the last annual report of the board, will 
be studied with much interest by park and 
cemetery road builders everywhere. 
In 1910 a complete equipment was pur- 
chased for laying asphaltic concrete pave- 
ments with the employment of the park’s 
own force. Since that time all of the as- 
phaltic concrete pavement has been laid in 
this manner. Approximately 235,000 square 
yards of pavements have been thus laid. 
The average cost has been 63 cents per 
square yard. When less pavement is laid, 
there is a slight increase in this price, as 
for 1912, the cost being 64 cents per square 
yard. The pavements laid in 1911 were 
laid for about 6 cents less per square yard 
than those of 1910, the first year of opera- 
tion. During 1912 alone, 121,835 square 
yards were laid, at a total cost of $77,- 
789.26. 
This method of laying asphaltic concrete 
pavements is the result of broad experi- 
ence in paving work, and has been intro- 
duced by the Park Board as representing 
the best and most economical disposition 
of the paving problem where it assumes 
the proportion that it does in this city. 
The board in its report says : “It cuts the 
expense about 50 per cent ; the work is 
ASPHALTIC CONCItETE PAVING PLANT IN OPERATION. 
