PARK AND CE/AETERN'. 
5 5 
•d PARK NOTES. > 
John and David Snyder, of Springfield, Ohio, have given 
to that city land worth $250,000 for a park. 
Troy, New York, is seriously agitating the park question in 
connection with some proposed annexation, and a large amount 
of money will be.necessarily involved in the project if the com- 
missioners are enabled to carry it out. 
* * 
The receipts for the Chicago park systems for the past year, 
from assessments and other sources, have been, including bal- 
ance from previous year: for the South park system, $1,126,914.- 
74. For Lincoln park, $421,340.74. For West park system, 
$3U754.io. ^ 
The Hoard of Park Commissioners of New York city do not 
regard it as expedient to make further provision for additional 
small parks other than the parks advocated by the Tenement 
House Commission, to be located in the thickly populated tene- 
ment section on the east side of the city. 
* * 
A tribute to the man, who is frequently quoted as the “Fath- 
er of the Park System” of Pittsburg, Pa., Mr. E. M. Bigelow, is 
about to be erected in Schenley Park in that city. It is a bronze 
statue, surmounting a Quincy granite pedestal and will cost 
some $12,000, raised by public subscription. 
* * 
The establishment of small parks in the crowded parts of 
our great cities is receiving much attention. Now that the val- 
ue of such breathing places is acknowledged, vindication of the 
neglected philanthropic ideas of years ago is pronounced, in the 
fact of the immense cost of the property required now to carry 
out the plans. ^ 
The cast has been made for the heroic bronze statue that 
the city of Akron, O., is about to erect in commemoration of 
the late Simon Perkins who gave to Akron land of great value 
for park purposes. The statue is to be placed in one of the 
parks that he presented to the city. This is a movement in the 
right direction, emulation of which would greatly benefit most of 
the cities of the country. 
* * * 
A bill about to be presented to the New York legislature 
contemplates that the state shall acquire the control of the 
springs at Saratoga, and include that property in a State park. 
A fear is developing that continued boring by the proprietors in 
the region of the mineral water reservoirs will sooner or later de- 
stroy the springs. The amount required for preliminary pur- 
cliases, etc., is put at $1,500,000. 
* * * 
The Board of Commissioners of the West Park system of 
Chicago have received the estimates of George W. Dorr for the 
completion of that system. The figures for the completion of 
Humboldt, Garfield and Douglas parks, Humboldt Boulevard to 
Lincoln park, Southwest boulevard to the boulevards of the 
South park system, Douglas boulevard and the Ogden Avenue 
viaduct are $1,892,000. A resolution was introduced asking 
the legislature to appropriate $900,000 to complete the system. 
* 
Another park system is being agitated for Chicago. It is 
proposed to create such a system along the banks of the Des- 
Plaines river, which passes through many of Chicago’s suburbs, 
and is withal, quite a pretty stream. Plans have been prepared 
and meetings have been held to consider the matter. The 
scheme contemplates parks and boulevards each side of the riv- 
er for a distance of about eight miles, between Turner Park and 
Riverside. The river is well wooded throughout this distance. 
li- 
Director Bigelow of the Pittsburg parks has received an or- 
der for a 10 in. Columbiad gun, a donation from Congress. He 
will find a place for it in one of the parks. He is also working 
upon securing an equestrian statue of General Grant, for park 
purposes. The proposed “maze” is also to be constructed in 
Schenley park this summer. The children always delight in 
such attractions, and the few important ones that exist in the 
the world are very popular and excite much interest. 
-» * * 
Lovers of nature all over the country, who have heard the 
progress of destruction of the well known palisades of the Hudson 
River, will be gratified to learn that the New Jersey legis- 
lature has passed what is known as the Palisade Protection bill. 
It provides that hereafter the Riparian commissioners shall not 
lease any land adjacent or in front of the Palisades, unless there 
shall be inserted protective provisions. Public sentiment de- 
manded the passage of the bill, and it was carried by a vote of 
45 to 6. 
* * 
The committee appointed by the mayor of Brooklyn to se- 
cure sites for new parks has reported. The committee secur- 
ed the help of the landscape architect Mr. F. L. Olmsted. The 
committee recommends that new breathing places for the people 
be acquired at Cypress Hills, Bay Ridge, Fort Hamilton, Benson- 
hurst, Canatsie and eight other places in Brooklyn, some 1000 
acres. The total cost of acquiring these properties is estimated 
at some $2,600,000. New York has 5,136 acres of park lands, in 
the ratio of 362 inhabitants to each acre of park land. Brooklyn, 
or rather Kings county, has 2,762 acres of park lands, or about 
2,000 acres less relatively than New York. The weather is de- 
laying further investigation. 
* ^ 
Considerable park extension is contemplated for Boston, if 
the necessary powers can be secured. Jamaica park, one of the 
most recent acquisitions of the Boston parks, and already one of 
the most popular, is rapidly assuming a park-hke appearance, 
but much work of considerable magnitude will be necessary be- 
fore its contemplated perfection is assured. Jamaica pond de- 
mands considerable attention and offers a grand opportunity for 
important work. In front of the refectory near the pond a hand- 
some terrace will be constructed this season, in the center of 
which the beautiful bronze fountain, modeled by Miss Anne 
Whitney will be erected. Jamaica park will enjoy the distinc- 
tion of being both a winter and a summer park. An appropria- 
tion of $1,000,000 is being asked as necessary for present con- 
templated additions etc. 
* * 
The value of small parks in crowded localities in our great 
cities is being appreciated more and more as the race becomes 
enlightened. Philadelphia’s Starr Garden Park, a small breath- 
ing spot in the heart of the slum district, is to be enlarged. It 
is a memorial more enduring than any material to the benefi- 
cence of Charles Starr and the labors of his associates of the col- 
lege settlement established there, who have endeavored to miti- 
gate the conditions of this locality, and the mayor of Philadel- 
phia is to be congratulated on the ordinance passed and signed 
to carry out the good work. An extension to Fairmount Park, 
Philadelphia, is also being discussed. It is proposed to con- 
struct a broad park-like boulevard to extend the park practically 
to almost the center of the city. The cost is estimated at $2,- 
500,000. 
