The New York herald., 1877-12-17
CENTRAL PARK MANAGEMENT.
CARD FROM COMMISSIONER MARTIN.
DEPARTMENT or PUBLIC PARKS,

CARD FROM COMMISSIONER MARTIN.
DEPARTMENT or PUBLIC PARKs,)
NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 1877.
To THE EDITOR HERALD:-
In the management OF the parks for the good OF the
public 1t is gratifying TO learn the course of public
opinion aud the wishes of the people in order to
in the right direction TO meet them. With insufficient
appropriations many things OF great importance
necessarily neglected. The Commissioners are
conscious Of this than any else be- enforces
the desire TO spend the little have the most ad-
vantageous manner
There has been good deal OF adverse criticism re-
Gently, the important OF which appeared In the
HERALD Of the 10th inst under the title Of "A For
saken Garden" II was, after ALL satisfactory to find
that writer who started with charges OF extravaganza
and mismanage found no other support for them
than matters wnich happened eight or ten years ago.
while the Park under the management OF Mr.. Green
There Is justice In holding any that has now
part IN the Central Park management responsible for
the extravaganza and misman agement you mention
or for any other Of Mr. Green's notable mistakes or
absurd projects. The Paleoozic Museum was project
OF Mr. Green's, and all the work done upon it was
done under his administration IL was stopped IN
1870, when Mr.. Swceny became President The Sheep
iod was constructed In 1871, under the adminisra-
tion OF Mr.. Swesny Tue brIdge from tho West Drive
10 the Museum Of Natural History is part OF The
general aesgn the provcment and connection OF
Manhattan square with the Central Park but no
money mas yet been expended upon it, nor has any
plan yet been adopted In the construction of the
Eighth avenue wall foundations two years ago care
was taken TO prepare Tor the possibility Of bruge
beng Out AZ thaL location.
The Maze was planted, under Mr. Green, about
twelve years ago. ana was atlerward neglected that
many Of tho trees ded out or became dapiuuted the
place became nuisance, and IT'S use was ued
before Mr.. Green lett the .depars sncnt The Dove Cot
also erected under mr. Green's admin ration.
The doves were lost IRON want OF part the
material was used IN the construction OF the bird
houses at Arsenal before Mr. Green lett the depart
ment. The Spring House was built IN 1868. under Mr.
Green aud purchased under is direction in 1872
Tho Conservatory the Fiith avenue side OF Central
Park, opposite Seventy street, also a pro-
Ject OF MIR. Green's the plan OF winch was much
larged under Mr.. Sweeny. The foundations were Iaid
IN 1869, but the work on the budng was stopped by
Mr. Sweeny in 1870
any pect chargeabe for these Instances extrava
gance and Encouragement. On the contrary they
nave done their best 10 reform thcm altogether, and
writer OF The article alluded TO has not yet begun
get AZ the examples o exiravagaut mistakes wnicn
characterized every year oil Mr.. Green's The
Park
Tue amount OF money expended for maintenance
oil the parks, except Tor police since 1872 when the
present retrenchment began, has been as io!lows:-
1873. S342, ll6
3oo,410
1910. 3U3, $50
1877 (aEpropriaton). -. 17o 600
Tuis shows a great decrease IN appropriation, ana
the amount applicable 10 PARK work has been de-
creased IN greater proportion.
There have been three general classes for expcnd.
ture oil this money :-First-For tho Museum OF Art
and Natural Hs,ory-gas Office rent, coal, feed Tor
horses aud animals; second, lor men and women
permanent places as IN buildings, IN charge oil
iinals, IN WORKSHOPS as mechanics whose labor
is necessary IN order 10 the working force in
neld; third, the orce In the field, who employed
on tue following works.-Carriage and bride roads.
walks aud paths, turf ano grass. planting trees ana
shrubs, skating pond and care oi ice, greenhouses
transverse roads, drainage, repairs OF buildings
and signs; lakes and water system.
IL 10 OBVIOUS that thfs iast the real work of the
PAX, where the money reaches its proper OBJECT aud
produces results Of permanent value. The nrst and
second cl oil expenditure are more fixed their
character, and could mol be reduced proportion
the reduction on the appropriations, ana the reuuc
Tell necessarily more heaviy on the tara class,
which was Ia lact the most important, as shown ny
~. xI..lo.