, 1876-09-19

DOUGLAS PARK,


TIE COMMISSIONERS.
Near the southwestern boundary OF the city
lies an tnc1oscd tract which the people Of the
West Division hnrc some interest In, at least to
tho extent Of the tax whicl, they pay for It's i'm
pFuvcmcnt. Although The tax for the purpose
indicated has been regularly asscsscd and coll
lectcd for the past i've years, few Of the people
who contribute their mite annua1fy know how
this muney las been expended, or what
the city has to show for tho outlny,
III the great system Of parks and boutcvards
Which has been planned and projected, first on
the south comes tho South Park; next, three
miles farther northwest, comes Douglas Park.
One milo and half further northeast IL Central
Park. About tic same distance. ina littlemoro
casterly direction, lies Humboldt Park; and,
completing the halt-circlc ut the lakc-shore end,
lies Lincoln Park, All these Enclosures arc
eventually to bo connected by continuous
boulevard, which has been laid out, but upon
which few improvements have thus far been
made.
The object Of this article Is chiefly to lay be-
fore those Interested 4 brief account Of tho
work which has been accomplished In tho sec.
ont-naucu public lnelosurc.
DOUGLAS rARE.
The park Is bounded by California avenue,
Twelfth street, Ogden avenue, anil The prtr
tcctctl boulevard. Great progress las bcc'l
lnade n bcauttdfylnE tho place turing the pres
ing condition about 7,0c0 trees u'l shrubs, and
The gardener In cfnTgo OF the grounds, Afr. Asp
man, states that over 1,O00 1nDre trees Will 6c
SET out tho present autu''in' Misfortune LAS
PLANTING or TREES
this year, many nt them having fnilcl to take
root, 60 that within few weeks sofnr hundreds
Of dead trees have been removed and will be re-
plneetl. Tic lDss resulting from this failure
falls un tho tree contractors, US they gayn u
Tic walks ani lriycs have progressed very
rapidly during the summer. Seven thousand
rart gravelcd and rolled. Sonic $500 feel Of
driveway l.nyo nsa l'ccn lutl out, tic turf bor-
dcrs lnl, the cutters paved with cobblc-stoncs,
md the ground well rollett, giving hard bed,
which will still farther improve With time.
TIE GftavELtNd PROCESS
will be pushed forward as fast u possible until
cold weather arrives. Tl.u material used Is
delivered within three bloc1;s Of tic purk by
tratt1s on tho 0rcat Eastern Railroad, ard DUR
Along these drives and walkB many nnd
piyERs-st1ArEp FLowEn.HEps
have been laid out, whict, wfl, WHEN planted
another summer ntld much to the beauty of the
place., between tho great 'lrivcways leading
SPACE some hundred feet squire llal been re-
served, tho origi.Iai Intention tDciug to crcct 4
statue III the late Stephen a. DOnglns thereon.
The funds hive not SO fur warranted
tic Commissioners III carrying out
this rlatt, ard they hare thcfcfuro had
this space devoted to circular rrowll-l,cd with
II large tluwrr-p1nt III the centre a1,l numerous
smaller onca around Its outer border. These
spnces will next snrlng ho tfllcl with the elsoIc-
est flowers, and will lmre very pleasing effect
Oh tho visitor entering the park Mt tint point.
Quo of tho most beautiful features OF the
mark is tile lakc, which has surface Of about rs
fcrcs, and tho depth of which is from four to l3
feet. Thu lake Is supplied fron MI nrtes!an
we'll located III the centre OF tho park, nrl thu
supply Of water is ut ali times aduudant. The
shores ot this beautiful slrct Of wnter lAre for
tho nlpst part l,een paved SUING feet below the
water's edge, ana present
4 VERT NEAT APPEARANCE.
The entire distance aruuntl tic 1altc Is nearly
ul.e mile, and the width Is from 1D0 tn 20O feet,
which gives the loycr Of the oar plenty VI room
to cxcrctsc his muscle. .-
Connected with tne water system Of the park
is IN engine a,ll reservoir the la.ter capable OF
lpldng 10, ,0O0 galIons OF wntrs, which IL forced
up by neal.s Ut tho former. Connected with
tits reservoir aro sonle fifty hyirants sttuated
III different parls Of tho grounds. BY means Of
which tho trees, shrubs, mud plants aro watercd,