New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-31
PARK MANAGEMENT.
TALK WITH WILLIAM r. MARTIN.

A TALK WITH WILLIAM IL hAiih''
HOW EXPENSES HAVE BEEN REDUCED WITH LII ILi
INJURY TO TnR PABKs-soMs STRIKING FiGuihS'
William r. Martin, president OF the Boaro
Of Park Commissioners, in recent con'erS'"" WI"
Tni.,g reporter defended the Board against charges
Of announcement which have been made from time 10
time in communications to the spapers
Icloim" said Mr.. Martin. that IN the laHi Two year
NJ the administration OF ;hc public parks po'er resu
vp beru obtained with less money thih ever pei"'
The appropriations were greatly reduced LOT 10" an"
1877 While some things have necessarily been neg
lcctcd we taink the general condition oi Tue P'IAs lao
been Kept up fully. since 1873 we have reduced eN'
,sa ~ ner cent In 1873 there was expended Tor tho
pter,nce of Central Park and the parks belo" fl'y-
nirtbst s3f2IfS so; in 1874, S33l2Ol 70; 800
1902 O9I 81; 1876 S2O3,S3l 50 1871 7I'oV'l 7i'
The last named too small by the expense VI wv
,vc, II being the total for eleven and haf noh'hs'
Tns same allowance must be made Tor All itehh III '
comparison belonging to the present year 49,
a large reduction has been made III salaries "n WIZ.
IN 1874 amounted TO S933l7; IN 1873, S77OoO 1870
s,5 900: ST. "a 1000. For the coming year we ohy
ask gas 600 TAe expense OF the park police mas not
decreased IN like ratio In 1874 the police cost TS||oo'
IN 1916 ESQ 500 and far the past year. @S4'7Oo'
We divide our maintenance account INTO three
classes The first two Glasses comprise the expense OF
yettin, ready and keeping ready for work, and Tor
museums which have been growing. burden 10 u'' the
sum to he paid being fixed byOnd our power 10 reduce
In 1879 SCI - was appropriated 10 museums 'H
in 1877. S29.g97 -. in 1874 we were compeitd
for the first time 10 see to the hshtihe oi tn'
parks which in that year cost T3l f93 81. By
encouraging competition we have rrdiceu our
gas bills to S2l,s7l ~ 1876, ana TO Sll +l 10 the
present year. Part this reduction j. due to our having
les,eued the number OF burners. BY engaging ne"
foreman 10 look after feeding Of the horses ana AM
mails we have stopped considerable waste OF feed Inc
expense N 1873 being SlG.25l So; III 1876 TlIoVf Vb
and the pres mt year SlO73j o. The totals Of the r't
class Of cxpense- the items OF which are museums
lighting parks. rent Of Offices feed for horses and ami
mails ID ncidrntas compare rs follows: l91I 911-
5!3 AZ; SO, S66 J92 II; 1877, SGl,27G "a
The second class which tGe items are care and r.
pair Of buildings care Of horses and animals car" OF
tools workshops etc, compare thus: ISL 3DOs o.;
1870 eI2,Sl3 - 1876, $2be9' o. 10 - T-Iy-I ~.
The tlrd elias. comprises the outlay on CSiurH Iark
and the cy parks below Fit-'inih'i lhr,' lai'tI'
ia So amounted 10 si3,949 AZ; III 1870 9'-''oi 81
ot course We take special pride in maintaining the
artistic appea an,c OF Central PARK III - 80
Sl39I23 %; 1876, S771s2 80. and ISL 963sI6 o.;
almost 6G per cent. We think II would take very
critical examination To discover thal thlIal IdIh Ha'
suffered much neglect u Wou!d nave Dtth more Ee'.t
bic o nayr put more gravel the roads sud some OF the
walks have needed more concrete lhe thri IS ~ very
good condition, 1ld Tor u "th's1 49, " o5n
past year, SlOlO5, against SHALL Ia $50 ana f-fV"V
"rhe result OF insufficient appropriations is most appar
90 AZ. and reraps To very colnpynt observer lh
the 10 liter Of pan.hk IT,. IN i'', MO 10 W. IN
$50 5000; ~ $40 only 5000 and during The past
wear - 2G7. Ia planting rces. We consider how they
VIII look when tall grown Every mi ol landscape is
studied and arranged flr the uif', ll,t ~ an aftt
would compose landscape picture. We aIe obliged
however 10 produce certain temporary elect Hence
the young trees are planted very closely log ti' nu
they gro" the Inferior ones ar reno eI 10 Keep up
the elect while waiting fOr the good erect
OF the future. whcn tie trees VIII be mn
ingy We ind al,o that some varieties Of trees planted
10 and 20 years ago are dl lne 0li. Iir ''ie y nou
suited 10 them aui alter Smuggling AKA h'' u ui t
tam number " years they succunn. Hence w Kn0"
tha I'VE years certain parts 81 The PARK VIII pe
almost dtuujcd Of tree, unless We prepare Tor new
growth. Tlc snirpest critics OF Europe. mon WnO have
mad similar work t0 do abroad have pronounced Cen
trail PARK almost perfect with the very favorable and
picturesque topography of the Park, ought 10 pro
ducr the finest tree effects in the world.
We nave not been able to do much Tor the transverse
Park but they have not needed mGeh attention. me
and ,i-u+ were neglected iU 1870 WHEN uht TIL
was OK pended them. This year nave made an out
lay of ~ ,6iS, ana su'piied great many ne" 'ttiN
The improvements which We have completed III Two
years must also be- taken into account. We have in-
slpd about q dozen landscape plots IN Central Park
The new pain the mcnagcrle Ia The entrance OF
the park involved outset arch or bridge over the
bride path aud an usrOpc arch under Tie main drive.
Natural History into our hands almost luciosei
T A. Inn. b.. connie ,,d and opened and in the SprBZ
the metropolitan Museum VIII De ready Tor occu-
II was an idea Of my own to provide 'huie TO the
brdlc-pHh at EIghtayc. and seventy clghtlsi where
have been placed iWO hurdles, three or our feet high
They ar 80 bU there not much danger Of hurt
from fail, aud the hurdles are 1uch used The bali
ground, which pdgchcd and burnt by the hot SUM
Inrr three ago. has been repuugueu &ud
planted large expense was entalcd in cleaning ont
lakes and alterations 20 TIE drainage, The sewerage
Of the buildings In the Park previously emptynS INTO
lakes matter that obviously had t. be rrniedicd
ucri ,ed accommodation has been provide for the adl-
given over he OF private company. which will
Ir,ide the fines, zJJlogicai Garden IN the county"