New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-17
MR.. WALES ON PARK MANAGEMENT
The following letter has been sent by Parl

The following letter has been sent by Park
Commissioner Wales to Assembyman Roosevelt:
NEW YORK, March 10, 1882.
The Hon, THEODORE ROOSEVELT
DEAR SIR: have been requested 70 appear before the
Committee on Cities 10 present my views respecting
now attend and Tor many years past have attended the
administration of the Department OF Ihrks AS IL II h0t
CONVENIENT for attend before the committee, will
write what have to say, and ask You TO present u to
them In your judgment II will be OF any service 1t Is
already known to you that have publicly advocated
siupIe-headed commission Improvement upon the
present defective and inefficient system. have now
no doubt that the highest degree OF administrative
efficiency would he thus obtained provided the right
found and appointed to the place ~ Is evil
city government for which it would he so difficult 10 mud
the right man the Office OF single Commissioner OF
Parks. The difficulty mas been very loclDy presence
by Mr. Frederick Law Oulsted In his recent panpnet
entitled Spells Of the Parks copy Oh %ncn IL nave
handed you, and which needs no communication OF mime
to receive the careful consideration Of your committee
The great difficulty lies in the tact that the parks are
not only works construction but works OF art Their
management not only requires executive aDihty, Dut
finding in any combination OF these qualities
is very great the probability OF their being combined in
any who could be appointed TO shcb position ana
would accept it, is very small confess that the pros
peet OF the appointment Of single conmlssloner be-
cause he possesses either one OF these quancatOns
without the other very discOuraglng III he
be appointed because OF mis- business qualifications, his
Uniformed altogether unaffected by the culture winch
has made the parks what they are II would be sub,
feet of profound regret the parks to be surrendered
the Uncontrolled experiments or subversye notions OF
such man, however economical and efficient his bust
On the other hand if the Single commissioner be Sc
lected by OF his training aud ability az land
scaye gardener the pressure complicated business ad
miIstratiOn the embarrassm entH OF political influence
and the gOadiugs OF the place hunting nuisance would
probably involve him IN speedy and disastrous failure.
1t much 10 De desired that some system should be de-
yised which these Two classes Of duties be
rated the same time the artistic design OF tue
marks may preserved aud the business administration
made effective. 10 this end Mr. Omstcd suggests in MS
nanDhlet provision for Board Of Directors Com
mission rs among whom shall be representatives Of the
arr OF landscape painting, an executive Onccr with
whose duties the directors shall Do restrained rom inter
feTiug ana professional adviser qualified by study and
Iracce in the art Landscape gardening aiu inclined
10 mink that suggestions can be worked Out into
nracIlcable scheme ana snOuid be adopted commits
& Of ay seven could be created, to whom salary
a. he n,i but each member TO receive fixed lee for
eacn meeting attended, not TO exceed cay twenty-five Ia
any one wear following the practice so common III imam
cnl corporations. This Board should DE charged win
me few principal pOintments such as the chlc cAtCu
tive officer OF The Department. the treasurer, secretary,
chief engineer and landscape architect hud should Do
FREE from line burden OF al other appointments, winch
shguld be made either by the chiei executive or ny
beads Of bureaus Ia each case the appointing power
should have the power Of removal at VIII The Board
sh0nd exercise the general control ana manag inet OF
The Department through the officers appointed by
believe that our best and most trusted citizens would
be WI ing TO accent Office Ia such board aud give the
necessary attention TO tts dues, and tbat through them