PARK AND CEMETERY 
109 
REPORT OF PARK CENSUS FOR 1901. 
Read at the Convention of the A. P. <fe O. A. A. at Milwaukee, bj G. A. 
Parker, Hartford, Conn. 
Fifty years ago no municipality in the United 
States had purchased an acre of land for park pur- 
poses. But by last year’s reports, from all but eleven 
of the cities of over 50,000 population there were 
2,360 parks and squares enumerated, and while the 
areas given are not as complete as the names, the total 
areas as given amount to 59,717 acres at a valuation of 
$ 53 I, 57 i> 947 - 00 - The year’s expenses for constructive 
purposes was $4,555,213, and for maintenance $4,349,- 
150.00. 
I have not at all completed the reports for cities 
under 50,000 population, but it is probably within the 
facts when it is stated that the cities of the United 
States have 75,000 acres of land in parks and expend 
$11,000,000 annually in their improvement and main- 
tenance. 
Taken alone these figures are large, yet it is only 
a small proportion of the cities’ expenses. We are liv- 
ing in an age where “million” is a common word and 
are just learning to get used to billion. When we 
consider that it takes $500,000,000 to run our cities, 
the $11,000,000 for parks is a small per cent, only 
about two per cent. 
The report then goes on to state that 38 tables were 
prepared from statistics of 2,360 parks, and that the 
committee has drawn the following conclusions from 
them : 
One twentieth of a city’s area should be reserved 
for parks and squares; a playground at least 300 feet 
square to every mile ; in densely populated sections, 
more; and four other small squares to the mile, of at 
least F2 acre each. A thousand acres would then be 
divided as follows : 10 acres in playgrounds and 
squares, 40 acres for large parks, 100 acres in streets 
and alleys, 5 acres in school grounds, etc., 155 acres 
for public purposes, 850 acres for private ownership. 
Does 15 per cent seem a large proportion to give 
up to public uses ? Yet one-third of the cities already 
exceed that amount and it is probable that 20 per cent, 
one acre in five, if devoted to public use, will go far to- 
wards preventing overcrowding and make the other 
four acres more valuable. 
From what light I have, it would seem as if there 
should be not less than one acre of park to 200 popu- 
lation. Eighteen cities already have more than that, 
yet I believe the ratio will be found a satisfactory one. 
It also fits into the other calculations. If the income 
per capita is a little over a cent a week, that is 60 cents 
a year, then the income from 200 people is $120, 
which is a good average amount for maintaining an 
acre of park without policing or lighting. Then also 
if the cost of construction is $2,000 per acre, and it 
costs that to do thorough work, the amount of bonds 
sold would be $10 per capita, not a burdensome or un- 
usual amount. 
In considering the cost of construction and pro- 
portionate park areas, the report says, “We have not 
yet learned just what is sufficient for parks,” and 
suggests that “one acre in twenty should be set apart 
for parks and squares and arranged for before it is 
too costly, but only developed at the rate of one acre 
to 200 population. As population increases, finish the 
parks, and no faster. The per capita cost for the total 
expenses of the city is from $25 to $40, therefore the 
6 d cents per person for parks is not excessive, and 
if this is considered as the usual fee for its enjoy- 
ment, the investment is a safe one, for the land can be 
sold for more than its cost. 
An attempt was made to determine the cost of 
construction of each park as a whole and per acre, 
but .it was not a success. A great diversity of opinion 
seems to exist as to what constitutes a finished park or 
a thoroughly contructed one. I doubt if any satisfac- 
tory statistics can be obtained without a personal visit 
to each park by one well versed in such matters and 
inspection and inquiries to determine the degree of 
work done. 
What are called completed parks are said to have 
cost from $50 to $24,000 per acre, but unless there is 
considerable masonry and building it would seem as if 
$2,000 per acre is as near a guess as can now be given. 
It may easily exceed it. 
An inspection of the tables shows one thing I was 
very sorry to see, that the cities made up of working 
people, are not only deficient in park areas but their 
development is very imperfect. Of such cities, Man- 
chester, Scranton, Lawrence, Elizabeth, Holyoke 
and Fall River are types. Take one city for illus- 
tration, the name of which it may be best not to give. 
Situated on what must have been a most delightful 
spot with a population of over 100,000, she has only 
about 80 acres of parks, not an acre well developed 
and over only a small proportion is there a pretense 
of even cleanliness. Altogether she spends less than 
$5,000 for park purposes and even that under the poli- 
ticians, $50,000 less than she would spend if reckoned 
by any of the methods proposed. She has 1,200 peo- 
ple to one acre of her neglected parks and the cost of 
all the construction and maintenance per year is less 
than one car fare per capita. What is true of this 
city is true also of many other manufacturing cities. 
The old Bay State may well be proud of the parks 
in Boston and vicinity, but she ought to hang her head 
in shame when she sees the provisions made for her 
working people. Are parks a necessity or a luxury? 
The wealthy cities have them, the poorer do not, but 
if there is any place where parks and playgrounds 
are needed it is among the laboring classes. No child 
should be required to go far to reach its playground. 
I cannot show by statistics, yet I believe it to be a fact 
and if a fact it will be so thoroughly shown that all 
will believe, that there is a direct relationship between 
parks and open spaces and disorder and crimes. I 
could have brought statistics that would have indi- 
cated the relationship very strongly but preferred to 
wait until it can be done quite positively, yet I will 
say that I believe a proper proportion of open spaces 
would reduce what might be called the hoodlum mis- 
demeanors at least 75 cent and the crimes against 
women surely one-half in the manufacturing cities, 
although they may be of no use in lessening the misde- 
meanors and crimes of the race. This may seem im- 
possible and I know only too well that my believing 
it is so does not make it so, yet I expect two years from 
now to demonstrate that it is true. 
In the manufacturing cities, parks and squares, or 
at least some portion of them, should be well lighted 
and protected in the evening— the laborers’ hour of 
rest. 
Let there be tables as well as seats so the evening 
meal can be in the open air if they choose. Stripped 
