New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-02
PREPARING THE PARKS FOR THE PEOPLE.
ACTIVE rLANs TO BEACTIFY THE GARDENS OF THE


Easter Sunday proved a disappointment in the
parks OF the city II II was not in the churches. The
bright OF the morning gave rise to anticpations
OF a sprng-ilke day THAT not realized.
Central Park attracted many who found the churches
crowded at morning services and later in the day
tho lower part of tho city began to stir Itself and
pour forth crowds to the elevated trains running
uptown. Just at this point however, the sun
disappeared In the clouds and the air became chilly
Many carriages were ont on the drives early In the
day, but even the riders discouraged by tho
sudden change In the weather.
Several beds Of bright velvet panSieS were bloom
ing aboLt the Mt st. Vincent House in Central
Park They were the first Of tho season and were
set out on Saturday by Mr. woolson who has charge
OF the gardens I'm tho parks. This week the garden
ers under his direction, Will begin tho preparation
Of flower beds In the City Hall, Madison and Union
Squares aud the smaller city paris. Should the
weather continue warm the tulip and lily bulbs
viii soon begin to sprout Dir. WOolson expects to
have lilies during the coming summer in Tompkins
Square and many Of the smaller parks, where he
not able to place them last year. A few robins
were reported in Central Park yesterday, but they
looked lonely and out Of place when the Sky had
cloudcd up. The lakes, which two weeks ago were
covered with nearly foot of Ice and snow, now
almost entirely clear. The black swans made their
first appearance the small lake the Fifth
ave. and Fiffy-nlnthst. entrance, and they sailed
around the shores enjoying thoroughly tho return
of spring, although the water, with a thin covering
of ice in the lower part of the lake, still had
Arctic appearance.
1he animals in Ne menagerie welcomed the
spring with a chorus OF rOars and hOwls as they
watched the throg Of people around their cages dur
ing the day The elephants that had been housed
during the winter were placed by Director Conkllns
instructions in the open air inclosure Crowley
and his companion, Kitty, were bubbling with
life and spirits, and held continuous reception
from carly morning until bedtime I'm the arsenal.
large force &C. of men will be placed at work in
clearing the lawns Of the debris of dead branches
and leaves. In Morningside Park work was begun
last fall and nearly hundred began again
last week grading wallis, laying out lawns and
planting trees. Steps have been completed from
One hundred,and- sixteenth ST. to the stone stairway
the elevated station at Onehundred- andsxteenth-st
pass directly from that station through Morn
ingSldo to Riverside Park
Tho plans for the completion OF Riverside. Central
Park and Mount Morris and East River Paris arc
being made by Mr.. yaux, the landscape architect,
and are now well advanced The work will begin
on these parks, President Borden thinks, within
few weeks. These plans include the arrangement
OF the grounds around the Metropolitan Museum OF
Art. New walks are to be laid out to the main
entrance, which will DO in the new building of the
museum that ~ to be opened In the fall