New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-05
CENTRAL PARK.
A REPORT BY SUPERINTENDENT JONES.

| II MI OhI Dl oOIlsNlNI IN I)EN j JONES
NOT a SINGLE LIVE TREE CUT DJwN-THE PRIScT.
PIES or LANDSCAPE GARDENING MAC.
! LEANS CIVIL SERVICE PRINCIPLES.
At the meeting of the Park Commissioners
yesterday Mr.. MacIean kept pulling himself up IA MI,
chair and sliding down In IT, sprn1ng around On IL
like top Commissioner Lane lacked his usual spirit o,
| combatvencss. Commissioner Wales almost SPRAYED
in his chair Mr. Ouine, who presided, also much
| given 20 introspecton The meeting proiracted
until the middle Of the afternoon but very little business
| was done q.
A communication read IN effect that, unless tho
Board complied with the order Of the Supreme Court in
regard 10 awarding certain contracts, The COmInsson.
ers would DO charged with contempt, and punished
| The Board adopted q resolution complying with this
order. Mr.. MacLean who had defeated similar motion
at previous meeting for some opposed It again.
Some resolutions regarding the payment Of bills were
also opposed BY Mr. MacLean. Mr.. Wales said that he
would dispute his colleagues right TO vote as 10
liked but he thought he ought 10 give the Tor 50
| doing.
Mr.. MacLean next handed resolution regarding the
appointment OF park policemen TO the secretary, with
the remark that lie hoped it would receive favorable
| consideration. II read a. follows
No person shall hereafter DO appointed 20 the police
force without the presentation OF certificate that he
has successfully passed the final examination OF the
York or has certificate from principal OF grammar
school that the applicant has passed an equivalent
az be may have associated with himself
The resolution was adopted almost without dis
cusslon.
long report was received from superintendent Jones'
which consisted in part OF review Of the work be has
accompshedsince his appointment Superintendent Of
Parks and also In large part of dissertation the art Of
landscape gardening Long quotations from welknown
writers landscape gardening were made in support
OF the theories advanced respecting tho treatment OF
the plantations and landscapes OF Central Park One OF
rho most striking features OF the report was the severe
structures made on the management OF park grounds be-
fore the present superintendent was put IN charge Inc
report was in substance "a follows:
II ia only just say that entering upon my dnties
found the service OF the Department dsorgahHed.
This not from want Of ss or materials blI ron
want of proper direction The whole force -ee'h 70 %
in confusion, knowing what TO 90 Ny nrst duty
was to acquaint myself with az tne PARIS anu 90 or
oil OF the small parks, found, had been so neglected
thao IN ina hHy oc Tn TnonsonaTe and Madison square
the walks have been put In thorough ORDER the Mall
walks have been completed and the grass borders have
been graded and laid Many other walks in Central
PARK have been put in order Crave has been laid over
the drives, and necessary repairs have been
made The Riverside drive and walks have
been weeded and the grass borders trimmed Attention
ia called 10 the fact that there are only two landing
places along the drives and that the streets Lad
Inrny report Of October 20 spoke n the progress
made In clearing ont underbruh and cutting deadwo3d
work has been continued, and shall carry on fnrther
THIS will at the same time improve The landscape ana
q ID
the PURPOSE Of THE work there should IN my opo 10
much done Of wider scope than have nnder ken ior
have not cut down sineeEye tree Tree culture a.
science IN America u'longs 70 tht IusItc iuI M W
Genital Park have shared the Lack OF the dcFeop~ OF
not only have they been allowed 30 struggle
with each other for existence, hut aduuohs nave ue'n
giving picturesque effect 10 starvation Al me WOODS
above reservoir not worthy OF being cfed
coppicc-wood Tor barrel hoops ana IVl lne IeaSo3
that underoruII Suohf e,r iy I ~ afteon YEAR.
out properly nay, s,tn a ,h w tbese goods
They are only brakes and brushwood II appears thst
those who have had the care Of the park never cHs
cred that light and air necessary !or we le OF
Of the park has lamentaby suffered Tor
scape ia acceptaby defined as portion oi ihnd
no all the objects II contains and landscape gardening
IL the art LAYING ont grounds and ARRANGING snTnD9efy
so as 10 produce the finest effect Accordingly nc smut
ting mp Of views Of land or territory from Slsht ny
e oyergrowth OF trees and shrubs IS 9ue te @
ths, aud IN Central ParK the uoIoo "2lA Lac n't
Of destroying the trees and the views al
a Visit 70 Central Park will show the work that has
been done in clearing away the underhrlsh But only
f tBa there es IL Very little room IN Central Park
for planting or for the continuance OF
room FOR it. The nursery has shared the fate rs
the other parts Of tie parS rom 80 9 o
twned with another that they cannot be separated
inc has been the sole object in view heretofore without
any care Whatever for the preservation OF the plants
1n bSya been able to sustain life Tomplins square
}u Illustrates this want OF The plots haye
been allowed deteriOrate IN quanty ana Deconc ossy
ows have been plowed, and that, the
srrds failing to grow, weeds natural 10 tho
soil have sprung up. | learn also, that the cOndliOn
of the Backgrounds owing 10 the spreading over the
the accommodations at the DOttoh oI tue aAe "o'hB
could have been worse than TINS
II cannot denied that the greatest delect OF mo
mark INTELLECTUALLY well as IN the general designs
of the roads and paths, has been the iaek OF utiy
peon are constantly trcspassng the drives because
OF tie defects the planning OF the Walks being some
times left suddenly dri"e hnG at l0ls 20 hhu
path designer may De persuaded 70 Imagine tha inc
pbc may follow his ideas, because they appear pleas
ing il waite! colois D1t Ia experience INC '"-9 mary
plan proves impractcahle -
I'm tlis part OF report suggestions were made 10 re-
gard 10 new walks that would overcome this difficulty.
II WAS also recommended that the Park should Do
pIcted above Ninety -sixtlst owing to the fact that
Fftbaye. ia being rapidly built up The report con-
timed:
would also beg 10 call yOur attention 10 the abuse OF
c of the mo4 prominent architectural features OF Cen
raj Park-the Terrace VITA lt5 costly ornamental work
it has turned into restaurant IN We sumner anu
storehoIse in winter. This use which borders on van
dalism should be discontinued, and the boa'housc m
frnnt of 10 should be removed; the incomplete WORK
nier the Terrace should be- finished and cafe should
be bnilt in convenient and suitable place
After long review OF the history OF landscape garden
in from the time OF Babylon, the report concluded WITH
a ouota,ion from lecture on Architecture IN india
by Lord Napier
Commissioner Wales very much pleased with the
reunr and said that Mr.. Jones had been subjected 20
,t deal OF harsh criticism and charged with mercess
t. 6"ckinr down trees AS matter OF fact, here " was
asserted that he had not hacked down single i've ce
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suspicious NOT CONFIRMED.