72 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
would be a masterpiece of engineering to accomplish 
by the most skilled appliances of man. 
This American Pillar of Hercules stands on the edge 
of a deep canyon filled with pine trees, and is an object 
lesson to the student of geology as well as to one inter- 
ested in the fantastic in nature. The story of the pil- 
lar is easily told. It stands as a remnant of the moun- 
tain, which has been cut away by the constant washing 
of rains of untold centuries. At first a cloudburst, pos- 
sibly, formed a channel ; this became a canyon, and as 
the sides of the mountain washed away, a column- 
shaped mass, which was more resistant and harder 
than the rest, was left. Accident made the top of the 
column larger, as chance shaped the lower portion. 
This monument, due to the disintegrating power of na- 
ture, is formed of a rough conglomerate which but 
adds to its attractiveness, huge blocks and bowlders 
clinging to its sides, standing out in such relief that 
it is almost possible to use them as stepping stones and 
climb to the summit ; yet so tall is the pillar, they are 
not seen at a distance, and do not interfere with the 
regular outline. 
On the right side, part way up, are projecting bowl- 
ders which weigh several tons, and the strength and 
nature of the entire structure can be realized by the 
size of the surmounting cube, which shows from this 
point of view two level faces, and which it is estimated 
weighs one hundred tons or more. This remarkable 
piece of Nature’s carving is known as “The Sheep- 
eater’s Monument,” but the origin of the name is not 
known. 
Washington Monument, a replica of the one erected in 
Paris as a gift of the school children of America, has been 
completed at the entrance to Washington Park, Chicago, and 
k plaza is being laid out around it. The foundation has 
also been erected in McKinley Park for the McKinley monu- 
ment, which is to be completed this summer. Twenty-nine 
acres of made land have been added to Grant Park by filling 
in along the lake, making the total of 104.3 acres made since 
1896. 
* * * 
Professor John F. Cowell, superintendent of parks at Buf- 
falo, N. Y., who recently returned from Jamaica, brought 
back about $1,000 worth of botanical specimens for the Buffalo 
Botanical Garden. He was authorized to go to Rochester 
to look over nursery stock for replenishing the parks under 
his control. 
* * * 
The Grand Rapids Park and Boulevard Association, Grand 
Rapids, Mich., which was formed in a burst of enthusiasm 
last fall, has been quietly awakening better opinions in favor 
of its movements, by addresses given in the schools, in busi- 
ness men’s clubs, and in ladies’ literary clubs, until there is a 
genuine and cordial interest in the work. The plan of the 
organization is somewhat similar to the one at Madison, Wis., 
the objects sought being the development of beautiful streets 
which shall utilize prominent embellishing features of the city. 
The association has already acquired the title to the only pre- 
historic monument in that locality — the Indian mounds, on 
the border of Grand Rapids, and the first projected Boulevard 
extending for six miles along the bank of the river, and cross- 
ing at the village of Grandville, returning to the city on the 
other side, will have these as a feature. The farmers along 
the east side of the river have their back fields bordering on 
the river, and a bit of primitive forest has been left as a 
fringe along the river bank. The finest trees in all this region 
have thus been preserved through accident. The association 
proposes as an important part of its work to save these beau- 
tiful remnants of the original forest, for the pleasure and edu- 
cation of the people. The Indian mounds fortunately are sit- 
uated in the midst of a considerable area of second growth 
forest trees, and the plan is to increase this by planting native 
shrubs and trees, so as to make the conditions as natural as 
possible, having in view as a leading object the awakening of 
an interest on the part of children in the accompaniments of 
woodlands. This is expected to be the beginning of a larger 
work, which shall spread itself over different suburbs of the 
city, and include the embellishment and the improvement of 
the city streets. Charles W. Garfield, President of the Michi- 
gan Forestry Commission, is one of the leaders in the work. 
* * * 
Col. William F. Vilas has presented to the Madison Park 
and Pleasure Drive association of Madison, Wis., a tract of 
25 acres of desirable suburban land on the shore of Lake 
Wingra, to be used as a public park and to be named Henry 
Vilas park, in memory of the only son of the donor, who died 
three years ago. The work of the Madison Park and Pleasure 
Drive association has extended over the last twelve years, 
and in that time $116,000 has been raised and expended in 
public improvement for parks and drives. John M. Olin is 
president of the association. 
* * * 
The Chicago Great Western Railway is to plant trees along 
its right of way to protect its tracks from drifting snows. 
The company has ordered several hundred thousand ever- 
green trees from an Iowa nursery and will plant them thickly 
along the right of way on all of the main track. In time 
the trees will take the place of the board snowbreaks, which 
are continually getting out of place, need almost constant 
repair and frequent replacing at considerable expense. 
* * * 
FROM THE ANNUAL REPORTS, 
The report of the board of park commissioners of Wilming- 
ton, Del., is a beautifully illustrated book of 26 pages, con- 
taining a resume of the work done in the report of Superin- 
tendent A. J. Taylor, financial statements, park rules, and 
statistics. Wilmington has a population of 76,500, an area 
of 10.18 square miles, and a total park area of 289.71 acres, 
thus giving one acre of parks to every 264 inhabitants. The 
four large parks include 260.02 acres of the park area, the 
largest of these being North Brandywine, with an area of 
100.6 acres. The expenditure for the year was $21,698.93, 
and the balance December 31, 1903, $5,774.93. Among the 
improvements was the grading of Rockford Park Drive, which 
was finished at a cost of 56 cents a square yard. 
The 31st annual report of the Board of Park Commissioners 
of San Francisco, Cal., is one of the completest and hand- 
somest of the park reports. It contains 106 pages, is printed 
