THE i^ONUnENTAL NEWS. 
337 
PARK NOTES. 
A committee has been appointed by the people of Baxter, la., 
to provide park improvements for the town. 
* * * 
An active revival in park interest is being manifested in 
Hazleton, Pa. Owing to the condition of the city treasury, no 
money has been available for maintaining and keeping the park 
in proper shape. In view of this condition of affairs the citizens 
are getting together and with subscriptions and voluntary labor, 
backed by the council, will carry out necessary improvements 
and put the park in better condition. 
* * * 
A member of the council of Kansas City, Mo., favors giving 
persons of limited means a chance to invest their savings in 
park certificates. It was the intention of the park board to issue 
the proposed certificates in denominations of |i,ooo each, but it 
is believed they would find a more ready sale in smaller denom- 
inations, say, one-fourth of the denominations of $iooeach, one- 
fourth I500 each and the remainder in certificates of $1,000 
each. This idea seems well worth developing. 
The West Side Park Commissioners of Chicago, have intro- 
duced a feature into Douglas Park, which redounds to their 
credit and excellent judgment. A natatorium and gymnasium 
combined has been constructed, architecturally attractive and 
furnished with every necessary appointment that could be desir- 
ed. The public is entitled to the use of this establishment free 
of charge, and being situated within easy access of a crowded 
district, it will be a boon sure to be appreciated, as well as a 
civilizing agent of great importance. Such a step on the part of 
park authorities is worthy of imitation, and should be established 
in every large city park in the country. 
* * * 
In his late message to the legislature, ex-Governor Werts, 
of New Jersey, thus epitomized the necessities andadvantages of 
parks to a community : “The setting aside of tracts of land for 
public parks, as places of public recreation, rest and enjoyment, 
has come to be regarded as a necessity rather than a mere con- 
venience They conduce to the public health, promote the 
general happiness and encourage citizenship. As public invest- 
ments they are remunerative and profitable. Experience has 
proved that the increased valuations in the vicinity of a well-regu- 
lated park will soon more than p.iy the cost of the original in- 
vestment.” 
» * * 
Dyker Beach Park, Brooklyn, N. Y., will eventually be one 
of the most attractive parks to be found anywhere. It commands 
a magnificent view, covering Staten Island, the ramparts of Fort 
Hamilton, and the Jersey Highlands, in the distance, in addition 
to the charm of the grand Atlantic with Us water traffic. This 
park is the only one of Brooklyn having a true ocean outlook 
with its beach accompaniment. Some of its features will be 
unique; it will have a salt water lagoon, fed daily from the At- 
lantic. bathing and boating facilities, and play grounds especially 
provided for the children. With the means liberally provided 
by a great city like Brooklyn, the future of this park as a pride 
and pleasure of the people should be positively assured. 
* * » 
St. Louis, Mo , has twenty public parks and squares, com- 
prising an acreage of 2180 acres. The principal tracts are; Caron- 
delet Park, 180 acres; Forest Park, 1,375 acres; O’Fallon Park, 
159 acres; Missouri Botanical Garden, 50 acres; Tower Grove 
Park, 267 acres; Lafayette Park, 30 acres, and Compton Hill 
Reservoir, 40 acres. 
French’s statue of the Republic, the last relic in place of 
the World’s Fair, Jackson Park, Chicago, was intentionaly de- 
stroyed by fire the latter part of August. It was rapidly falling 
into decay, and the cost of repairs, or of removing it, was beyond 
reasonable outlay, and it was decided by the Park Commission- 
ers to destroy it in the way mentioned Its magnificent model- 
ling is preserved, however, in smaller sizes elsewhere. 
* * •* 
To December 31, 1895, the area of park property of the city 
of Cleveland, O., amounted to 1100 and a fraction acres. Since 
the above date other large areas have been donated to the city, 
very materially increasing this acreage. There are sixteen parkg 
and parkways, the most important of which are: Garden Park 
122 acres; Wade Park, 74 acres; Doan Brookway, 208 acres; 
Brooklyn Park, 8f acres; Edgewater Park, 89 acres; Ambler 
Parkvvay, 55 acres; Newburgh Park, 15614^ acres; Shaker Heights 
Park, 279 acres. There was expended last year on improve- 
ments and maintenance of the park system, $289,527.84 
* * * 
*Des Moines, Iowa, has acquired some 387 acres of land for 
park purposes, at a cost of $128,000. The people of that state 
are conservative in finances, their policy being “pay as yini go.’’ 
While a good rule in most cases, it necessaiily causes serious 
delays in the consummation of public projects. It has affected 
park affairs, and purchase and improvement both have to wait 
up m the proceeds of a two mill tax, which yields about $32,000 
per annum, to carry out the system. The legislation on park 
matters was enacted in 1892, and was succeeded by two years of 
litigation, with final result as above indicated. The four 
principal parks are: Greenwood Park, 81 acres; Grandview 
Park, 100 acres; Woodland Park, 190 acres; Union Park, 16 
acres. 
* * -jf 
A device for steam spraying conceived by Mr. Pettigrew, 
superintendent of Prospect Park, Brooklyn, is attracting consid- 
erable attention. The old hand pump method was totally in- 
adequate to the economical and efficient spraying of large num- 
bers of big trees, and the steam method was thought out. A 
tank wagon is combined with a portable steam pump and is 
thereby made to throw a stream of the fluid with practically 
the force of a fire engine. The tank holds about 600 gallons of 
water, and when the insecticide has been ph-ced in it, it is neces- 
sary to keep the solution stirred to prevent the settling of the 
dissolved substances. The number of trees in Prospect Park 
make some wholesale method necessary. By this steam device 
the gang can spray a double row of high trees on the outer 
limits of the park, half a mile long, in one day, reaching the top 
of the highest of them with a good and effective stream. 
* * * 
The new animal house for the zoological department of 
Lincoln Park, Chicago, combines the latest ideas connected with 
such structures, in addition to the special requirements dictated 
by climatic conditions. The design is after the Japanese display, 
ing a picturesquely broken exterior. The building, or perhaps 
aggregation of buildings is45o feet long by some 50 to 60 feet wide. 
Its many rooms are so seperated, that either temporarily or per- 
manently, different temperatures may be maintained to suit the 
inmates. It is expected that the central portion of the structure 
will be ready for the coming winter’s use, and perhaps the whole 
building completed in the spring. The carnivora room in the 
centre will be 50 by 180 feet; on the sides of this are two rooms 
each 45 by 55 feet; one of these will be devoted to an aquarium 
and the other to the monkeys. Beyond again are rooms for the 
elephants, hippopotamus, reptiles, etc. Boulder stone will be 
used for the exterior and red tiles for the roof. The cost will be 
$70,000. 
