The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-26
OUR PUBLIC PARKS.
First Annual Report Of the Park Ccmmis.
sionerS-The "Biggest Thing" Of
the Kind on Record.
What Has Been Done to Beautify
Cur Breathing Places.

The first annual report OF the Board Of Commits.
sioners OF the Department of Public Parks, cover
ing the period from the organization OF the depart
ment to the lst OF May last has just been furnished
to the press. IL is the most complete document OF
the kind ever issued and contains in concise and
lucid form large amount OF information which
must be OF great interest to the public and espe-
cally to the taxpayers and property owners OF New
York. II consists of rhe report OF the Board proper
End the reports Of the heads OF the various bureaus
in the department.
THE REPORT or THE BOARD PROPER
refers the extensive powers devoyng upon the
ai @ in Sa they found the e
partmen ana the force under Its control into bureaus the
the Psre at 0PS rs
and the vast ann 81 %
msni accomplished in respect to these duag the period
Of NE Qa, cry parks and finally the pS Of surveys
90 %S's ips
msnt Of improvements in these localities, which hal been
The drives, rides and walks in the Central Park received
The Of he West Side Boulevard no portion of
which had b. finished at the accession OF the department.
ninth to sevenylrs and from osd to osth street
were TO pubic travel November last with prospect
Work Che Sixth and Seventh avenue ST.
Of @ II e
of island and wsschester county with tho business
designed by the late
n,snsa state Terraces Espanass Fountain
the the stables the Dairy were either finished
h and IS
to modify original plans while others had advanced TOO
s OK
e @ ss as .n OF
"sa % condition was
devoted to variety OF purposes neither of which then
oces for the exhibition the collection
Around series ornamental convenient buildings
opportunities the exhibition of the many specimens
The report also points out the great dlcues 10 be
S''' " A PROPER SYSTEM or SEWAGE
for filth from roads, walks &C. which, great
tent collects IN the several lakes rendering them Mt times
The police force OF the department made
i've BY the Of a o S and an Of the
The established ordinances restricting the
of sidewalks and streets adjacent parks
hiot mpedmsns to 'raye Or the city parks.
before they s IN s The s9no OF the the
and lie minor parks Canal street, street. Beach
a bas es and or
squares places surveys were made q Moninssie Park
Serious Difficulty operations department existed
j. tho severe drought during the summer Of 1870.
provemeni Of the Mornnasde riverside PARKS, the
%ea 70 their construction Of bsidses or
s II. k, S &c OF
alterations OF the highest Importance.
Of he VARIOUS laws a. different tines to
the and duties Of the and viii prove In.
REPORT OF THE COMPTROLLER.
Accounts in the department gives complete and detailed
M 5 ss ants FROM
Of the aIsren, works carried on by the department.
sS as
n ss % as ssrns
original Of the land OF the Central Park subsequent
ton Central Park statements to the operation Of the
during the past winter the improvement OF the sheep dock
the additions by donation , and Otherwise to
and table, homag me number 81 yo At Cenra
q employed BY The department.
area as 4snira Park is soo other parks,
total s 'sf tie 9s For ss
ags w.s ls Nav 81 Gsnna IS
s ss,. Of the Park spa to the city,
Ssa a4 acres il2 i5 900 covered BY rSscr
acres BY drives; rides and walks ''''' - ''''''''
, nns sash 6 i ds yts miles
fns ZOE ON TnE LAkrs
furnished ll5 musical entertainments in the parks
last year 4 az average cost Of $i for each
cepts from license to sell refreshments $i54
sales Of sheep and wool clippings si,O3 a3 from Of
Ss sssa
crease Of over the previous year An appendix to
the Geological and botanical collections names and
residences Of the donors another contains schedule the
never before been Exhibited. - "''''
- REPORT, OF. TIiE EsoIsEEa;IN cHIET. o,,., :,
the Bureau OF Construction and Repairs contains
o. e A%s
H e the a and
the drive in the Park have been remeded
s' SesS 'o drive Nv ..aa
Building for the accommodation of visitors to the
| aroun IL bli.d <anuar
fee, q walks were eonstmc,ed the GSors Of nanIe
rapidly .pEro.Snns n ssmgeS Sn the Psy
built 5oOo caoc earth aud 1000 ards Of rock
% ss wall On rs sss ow p qs wne a.
to enanse the aas Eighth avenue ranging son
enteen ihreeauarers fee. above Tue original grade IN
% he % the % a drives
walks to the grade. In connection with this 1000 cubic
'"''' $3.50 CUBIC YARDS ROCK
cubic yars OF foundation wall built; 1880 cubic yards
sg Were used in GRADING the Eshh from
The or more IA saop 81 water for a
ossa,nsa @ dsyf
eapo I
'ss s %sS' a
9, Of s er and m 'a e 81 old
al f s 81 ss se ss
urnas constructed 4OO locust and 81
posts and lamps furnished and SET Battery
ground renched and graded and par
tally ferzed, M,DN cubic yards of nllIng placed In
bapkments, 22a.U feet of walks graded, 3507o
square OF walks pved $3.50 square yards d street pave
laid read H. 06s feet OF curb furnished
35O feet OF drain pipe and 8s feet Of water pipe laid 4OS
aud 9$5 yards of garden mold furnished
| and l ia locust posts furnished and set.
proportionate of work on other parks
nj foot Canal street, at Five Points Duane Hndson
Streets reach street ard Vest Broadway the Sixth
PARKS Tompkns square, Cooper Institute Park Reservoir
square, Fourth avenue parka and Washington sluare.
The OF constructing the Boulevard from Fifty ninth
street lJh the Sixth avenues nor OF
Central Park the avenue ST. Nicholas from the PARK 55th
other streets and upper part of tho
island in magnitude all the operations Of
the department.. This work has been prosecuted with
extraordinary yignr aud the OF and earth
e1cavad, earth dcd in, Teliord McAdam pavement laid
curb furnished and laid immense work on the
Boulevard Is done by men employed by the department
wbe portions OF the work Sixth and Seventh avenues
and the avenue ST. Nicholas The toaI
length Of the Boulevard course OF
construction by the department during year 1870 was
fourteen miles They employed under the imme.