The New York herald., 1875-12-03
CENTRAL PARK.

PREPARATIONS ron SKATING ON THE PONDS
THE ICE NOT YET STRONG ENoUGH-JUvE-
NILE DISAPPOINTMENT.
Ever since Old Boreas has been among us, whistlng
round our gables and playing his odd pranks with the
and OF rash pedestrians sportive youths and
madens in and about this city OF have been look
ing for dings Of CONCEALED ponds with Joyful anticpA
ton Small boys, TOO who in hours OF ephemeral
aniuence have invested their worldly means skates
have scrutnized passing horse with feverisn
anxiety in search OF the red baed dag To allay the
doubts Of this portion or the community HERALD re-
porter visited Central Park yesterday. II looked
dismal enough with all the brightness Of the sun and
the clearness OF the weather The sas rose OF sum
mer'i has long since been shed from its shriveled
stem, the bright green bushes have passed INTO lhe
and Yellow phase of their existence, and the
gaunt old stretch their skeleton arms imporngy
10 the skies as II supplcatng pity for their nakedness
few visitors loitered around the menagere, where
the animals have betaken themselves to winter quar-
ters with the exception OF the sea on which views us
frozen tank very contentedy no doubt fndnlgins me
patriotic fancy that IL has been restored 10 us nAre
iceberg. More ample provisions have been made Dy
the Park authorities tor the shelter and comfort Of
their dumb charge than formerly The houses
are all snug and heated in most cases by steam
from the arsenal Several new buildings have been
erected notably a cattle house for the accommodation
OF the Parks bovine denizens II may also be men
toned in this connection that the third bridge com
peting the southwest walk system, is almost finished,
thus affording direct communication with the museum
to visitors from tho west side. The reporter next
visited the lakes, which he found in condition for
skating purposes They frozen for the most part
around the margin, but
CREyICEs IyTERsECTED THE ICE
and the dirt washed down by recent showers was every
where mingled with it. Around the large pond various
small boys whose confidence in Jack Frost supe-
ror trust in signals wandered discon-
solaely and and they cast gances Of fierce
malignty at Old Sol under whose rays their pros
poets OF enjoyment fast melting away.
Evidently the cold snap has been anti
cpated in the Park for there evidences scattered
about of active preparations having been made TO
afford accommodations to skatera The houses on both
ponds have been frightened and made ready for the
reception of visitors and the whole corps OF danger sig
nails are gathered together for immediate There
were suggestions entertained by the Park Commits
soners increasing the number of houses devoted to
skaters accommodations, which might in summer be
turned the boats but they concluded to defer
taxing any action till next year.
During the last few months the lower Fifty ninth
street lake has been found be choked up in places
by the accumulated debris washed into 1t
by rain, and IL is announced that
during the present 1t shall not
be open skaters The intention of the authorities is
off its connection with the other bodies OF waters
and In the coming winter months to drain and thor
oughly cleanse it. Other improvements have been un-
der consideration by the Commissioners OF Parks and
ii is thought that If they prosecute the work OF encos
ing they have lately been doing the entire wall will
be completed. The reporters visit showed that
the guardians of public enjoyment are not idle but IL
also went TO show that the sport-loving community
must look for continuance Of the cold snap before
they see the ball up.