The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-03-14
PORTLAND'S PARK SYSTEM.
The Commissioners Make their Annual
Report.
Report.


Identifying Portland-Great Pecuniary
Benefits Arising from Parks.
The annual report of the Park Com
missioners of Portland has been drawn
up by DR.. Smith and submitted to the
city government. It is as follows:
10 the Honorable City Council of the
CiIy of Portland:
The Commissioners of Cemeteries and
Public Grounds have the honor to sub
nit herewith their ninth annual report
for the year ending March 81, 1895.
There was appropriated for the use of
the department of Cemeteries and Public
Grounds the sum OF $4,000, viz:
Public Grounds, 81, 600.
Deering Oaks, 1900.
5000
There was also a special appropriation
or So, 900 to be used in building tomb
at Forest City Cemetery. and it was used
for that purpose.
An itemized account of the disburse-
ments of the appropriation placed in our
hands will be found in the Auditors
Report, showing the amount OF work
done and the cost of same. and we will
take this opportunity to say that we
have always endeavored to require that
kind of efficiency and capability which
would warrant a fair return for the COM
pensation paid.
1t is a fact hey ond question that parks
and public breathing places are of the
uttermost Importance to the real and
practical development of a city, and no
further argument is needed to prove that
money invested in buying and ilnprOv
ing parks help all classes, it gives the
laboring class chance away from the
crowded streets to enjoy nature, which
is always elevating, aud the good they
receive there helps to purify the mind
and make them better citizens; the
church, the school, the home, the work
shop, find here their supplement and
ally. The park is the garden of the
people, and whoever learns to make the
best use of it will find ample suggestions
of Paradise.
The pecuniary benefits of parks to sur
rounding property is clearly denonstra
hle. eleventh annual report of the
Park Commission of Boston contains
comprehensive and exhaustive exhibit of
the increase of valuation resulting from
the Back Bay" improvement. 1t shows
an increase of value from 1877 too 1885
of 81, 1876, 449, and an increase of revenue
of S152, 773.
The value of new buildings erected
upon this territory in the same period
was 50, 996, 900, from which in 1855 the
ing total increase revenue of taxes (and
corresponding value of land) of $3.50, 734.
In Brookline, Mass, town of thirteen
thousand Inhabitants, the pecuniary adj
vantage of parks is thus spoken of by
the Secretary of the Park Board of that
town: Beacon street was widened into
parkwa at cost of $615, 600. In six
years the increase in assessed values of
land on each side of the street, through
out it's entire length, and for all approx
mate distance of only five hundred feet
from the side line, is 81. $50, 400, with no
allowance for any increase in personal
estate incident thereto. The Beacon
parkway, is, therefore, paying for itself
long before its most jealous advocates
thought it would, and is striking proof
that well-considered plans for large pub
lie improvements of this kind are profit
able ventures.
These facts all go to show that the
setting aside of tracts of land TOR public
parks as places for put recreation;
rest and enjoyment has come to be re-
garded as a necessity rather than a mere
convenience, and as public investments
they are remunerative and profitable.
behring's OAKS.
For mum Der OF years the Commission
ers have recognized the demand for
drive along the southerly side of the
Oaks connecting the State street en-
trance with Grove street. A special sur
vuy, made under the direction of the City
Engineer, was required for the location
of this drive, it being desirab BILE to avoid,
as muc CHI as posi- Bile the sacrifice of hand
some trees which are scattered along its
route. The survey was completed in
June and ground broken early in July.
l, l,-ix hnfxS hat ri,
trance and winds along the southerly
side of the Oaks in easy curves to it's ter
minus at the entrance near Grove street;
the Portland street side is bordered by
a walk extending just beyond the gully
near the foot of Mellen street. Ali the
slopes, with the exception of the ill near
the foot of Mellen street and that near
the Stats street entrance, are turfed, rs
are also the edges of the drive and walks.
The drive was opened 10 the public
early in September; it is 1900 feet long,
has a width of Is feet and where it cross
es the gully near the foot OF Mellen street,
a fill of five feet was required TIE
work was done by men in the employ of
the Street Department at a cost of
$67547. The Dlenagerie in behring's
Oaks is doing well. The additions for
the past year are two deer, also two pair
of pheasants. One pair was donated by
q. W. L. Cooling, Esq, aud they are beau
ties. The Commissioners have for a long
time felt the urgent necessity of provid-
ing structure to be occupied as wait
ing room, which should be made conven-
lent for public use; and i'll presenting TO
the citizens of Portland the new stone
building built in the fall of 1894, the
Commissioners feel that they have filed
that long felt want, and the completion
of this improvement will no doubt be
hailed with great satisfaction by the
patrons of this park
(Here follows description of the
building, which was describe in the
PRESS at the time of it's opening.)
WESTERN PROMENADE.
The Commissioners feel sure that the
beginning of improvements on the West
ern Promenade will meet with the APP
proval of every one of our citizens.
There is no spot in the world where ma
ture has more lavishly bestowed her gifts
than on the Western Promenade; its great
height, rising 100 feet above the sea level
its situation lacing the setting sun; its
graceful lines sweeping around the west
ern end OF the city and it's fine drive bor-
dered by beautiful residences along tine
nj Ia