PARK AND CEMETERY 
424 
HOUSTON MONUMENT, FAIKMOUNT PARK, PHILADELPHIA. 
Started se\eral years ago by the Senipervirens Club, provides 
for the payment of $50,000 a year for five years. Governor 
l lenry J'. Gage is chairman of the commission. 
5{C ^ 
'I'he monument to 11 . 11 . Houston, shown above, stands 
at the junction of Harvey's Lane and Lincoln Drive, in a 
picturesque wooded section of Fairmount Park. The design 
is a Greek exedra, in the center of which is a pedestal of 
classic design surmounted by a bronze statue of Mr. Houston, 
standing with his hand on the head of his favorite dog, a 
Scotch staghound. The statue is nine feet high, was modeled 
by J. Massey Rhind, and is said to be the only one in the 
country showing the suliject wearing spectacles. Brite & 
Bacon, of New York, were the architects, and the bronze was 
cast by Jno. Williams, New York. The memorial is in a 
rai'ine. through which runs the Wissahickon River, and is 
placed in front of a sloping hillside, covered with a natural 
forest. Mr. Houston was one of the builders of the Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad, and was for many years the head of its freight 
department. His former home is near where the monument 
now stands. 
^ ^ ^ 
The Park Bogrd of Des Moines, la., will add 50 acres of 
land to Grand View Park at an expenditure of $6,000. '' * * 
The Commissioners of Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, have 
condemned land for an addition to that park at Lincoln and 
Wissahickon Avenues. * * * Park Commission of 
Wilmington, Del., have recommended to the City Council the 
purchase of 24 acres of land north of the Brandywine for 
park extension. * * * Phalen Park. Si. Paul. Minn., is 
to construct a new pavilion 60 ,x ico feel, to cost about $8,965. 
The si.xth annual report of the Park Commission of Essex 
County, N. J., for the year 1901, is a thorough and compre- 
hensive report, and a valuable book of object lessons in park 
making. A large amount of construction work has been 
accomplished during the year, and with the $1,000,000 of 
additional funds provided for by the last legislature, the Com- 
mission e.xpects to complete the extensive park system which 
has been in course of development for a number of years. The 
park maintenance bill, passed by the last Legislature, and ap- 
proved by the people at the recent election, provides for a tax 
levy of from to ^ of a mill, amounting to between $116,- 
coo and $174,000 a year, and will place the Commission on 
a permanent footing for maintaining the parks, for which 
they have been obliged to use much of the original construc- 
tion money up to this time. The treasurer's report show's 
the receipts for the year to be $387,547.32 and the expenditures 
lea\e a cash balance of $164,838.78. The county park sys- 
tem embraces an area of 3,548.36 acres, and has been acquired 
at an expenditure of $2,480,941.08 for land and buildings and 
$[,378,524.68 for improvements. The report of Olmsted 
Brothers, landscape architects to the Commission, is append- 
ed, and records the making of 46 maps and diagrams, and 231 
preliminary and general plans, designs and sketches. Trees, 
shrubs, and vines to the number of 40,000 were planted, of 
wdtich only 5.342 were purchased. The report is bound in 
cloth, and illustrated with handsome half-tone views of before 
and after scenes, and plans of the principal parks. 
* * * 
The report of the Department of Parks of New York City, 
e.xclusive of P)rooklyn and Queens, shows extensive land- 
scape impro\'ements accomplished during the quarter ending 
June 30. Defective spots have been seeded, and old, worn 
lawns beyond restoration by ordinary methods are receiv- 
ing especial attention from the landscape architect. The 
])lanting of street trees adjacent to the city parks has been 
carried on to a considerable e.xtent, many old and defective 
trees having been removed and new. vigorous, healthy stock 
planted in new, rich loam. About 110,000 bedding plants 
were set out, including French Cannas, .Ycalyphas, Geraniums. 
.\butilons, Begonias and other similar species planted in 
masses for broad and simple color effects. The parks suf- 
fered much damage from the scattering of rubbish, and de- 
struction of planting by malicious and thoughtless visitors. 
In the report for the Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, 
Landscape .Architect Samuel Parsons tells of the Construc- 
tion of the new' Coney Island Park for wdtich $50,000 w'as 
appropriated. The constructive work was accomplished by 6c 
men, who removed 3,600 cubic yards of fine sand before the 
actual construction began. L^p to July 14.710 cubic yards 
of top soil were spread by park laborers, a bed of coarse 
gravel and sand w'as spread on the walks, upon which w'as 
spread and rolled 2,100 cubic yards of limestone screenings. 
One hundred truck loads of manure and four tons of artifi- 
cial fertilizer were spread on the top soil, and 1,150 pounds 
of grass seed sown. I'he irrigation plant consists of 5.600 
feet of pipe. 28 hydrants. 24 catch-basins, 3 drinking foun- 
tains, and 24 lamps were placed in the park. Over 16.000 
trees, shrubs and plants were set out. Mr. Parsons speaks 
as follow's of the general plan of development: “The main 
part of the area of thirteen acres has been retained entirely 
free from trees, shrubs and walks, in order to display a broad 
expanse of green grass close to the ocean and sandy beach. 
The lines of w'alk lie near the boundaries, but they afford 
easy and convenient access to the park and adjacent te*"- 
ritory. The plantations of trees and shrubs, while they are 
confined to the species that thrive on the seashore, are so 
arranged as to give distinct and long vistas, and to increase 
the apparent size and picturesqueness of the park. An agree- 
able effect has been arranged by using large masses of rhodo- 
dendrons, many of them 5 to 6 feet high, transplanted from 
the Pennsylvania w'oods. Austrian pines have also been em- 
ployed. because they are massive in appearance and thrive 
well on sea beaches. One of the most picturesque features, 
and one which at the same time is remarkably fitted, by habit 
and appearance, to the seashore, will be found in the five 
collections of Cacti. Cereus, Oppuntia, Agava and Yucca, 
planted close to the sandy beach, wdiere their weird and gro- 
tesque forms loom up against the sand, and sea, and sky. 
making a marked and characteristic element of the landscape. 
Carrying out the essential idea of a seaside park, w'here 
hosts of pleasure seekers congregate, the simple and broad 
treatment has been heightened in effect by large beds of 
Cannas, Calacliums, Geraniums, Acalyphas. Rudbeckias, in 
order to lend a brilliant and festive character, wdiich is ahvays 
so agreeable on popular sea beaches." 
