The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-16
MAPPING OUT ITS WORK.
COUNCIL TO FIX THE POWERS OF
THE PARK COMMISSION.


To BE Given Control of All Walls,
Fences and other distractions
Around the Parks and Squares.
EstiII Park TO BE Placed Under
Control OF the COmmissiOn-The
Old Commissioners Have n balance
of S5O4 to Turn Over-The Work of
Cleaning Up the Old Cemetery
Begun.
The park and tree commission and its
work occupied portion of the time of the
city council last night A communication
was received from the secretary of the
commission, Mr.. W. W. Gordon, Jr., re-
questing the consideration of certain
measures, which. if approved, would aid
the commission materially in it's work.
The passage of an ordinance giving the
commission control of walls and other in
closures around parks and squares was
requested. The adoption of a resolution
or ordinance declaring that part of the
citys property located between the Colo
NAL park and Perry street lane, and
known as the pound lot, park, so that it
might become a part of the Colonial park.
was recommended. A resolution of council
was also requested to enable the commits
sion to secure from the city engineer, the
city attorney and other officials in the en-
ploy of the city such services and advice
as might be needed by the commissioners
in the prosecution Of its work
An ordinance drafted by the secretary
of the commission, was introduced by Al
derman Screven This ordinance gives the
commission power, in its discretion, TO al
ter, remove, replace, erect and regulate
entirely all walls, fences, hedges, ratings
and copings in and around the parks,
squares and grass plats OF the city. The
ordinance was read and went over until
the next meeting. No action was taken
on the other requests. A general ordl-
nance may be adopted at the next meeting
covering all the duties and privileges or
the commission.
A communication was received from
Col. j. II. Estill, chairman of the EStin
park commission, stating that the COM
mission now has on hand balance of
$5O4. AS the Estill park commission is
now defunct he requested Instructions as
to the disposition of this balance. let
ter had been received from the park and
tree commission, he stated, requesting
that this balance be retained in the hands
of the old commission until the city coun,,
ell should signify what disposition should
be made of it.
An ordinance was introduced, amend
ing the Ordinance passed May 10, 1898,
creating the Estill park commission, an
nullng the portion providing for COM
missioners for the park and placing it
under the control of the park and tree
commission. The ordinance further pro-
videS that all money which has been al
ready or may hereafter be appropriated
for Estill park shall be used by and ex-
pended thereon by the park and tree COM
mission, and whatever uneXpended bal
ance may be in the hands of the late COM
missioners shall be turned over to the
park and tree commission. The ordinance
went over until the next meeting of coun-
Gil.
A force of men has been put to work
oil mir lie e tt1,n oil
Broad street cemetery, which is now the
Colonial park, or will be when it is props
erly improved.
The park and tree commission has not
tackled the Colonial park problem as yet.
1t has simply instructed the public works
commissioner to go ahead and clean up
the cemetery so that the commissioners
Will be able to get some idea as to what
work is necessary to be done to convert
the cemetery into a park.
At present the cemetery is so oVergrown
with weeks that the walks can hardly be
distinguished The commission will ask
same instruction from council before pro-
ceeding to tear down the old wall around
and no extensive plan of Improvement will
be adopted without first securing its ap-
proval.
slowly" said Secretary Gordon yesterday
afternoon. I'VE have decided on nothing
as yet except to go ahead and plant some
trees before the season is over DR.. Stone
the chairman, has charge of this work
We are informed that there are 40O0 trees
missing from the parks and streets. The
absence of tree here and there is hard
ly noticeable, but it foots up quite a
total for the whole city. For the present
we will probably stick to water oaks and
magnolias, but by next season we will be
posted on the various native trees which
can be used to advantage in identifying
the streets. The commission is securing
information from various sources, the
idea being to thoroughly post ourselves
on the work before taking any important
step We are obtaining information from
n q of ttnIae
missions elsewhere Essex county. New
Jersey. in which the city of Newark is
situated, has appropriated $2,000000 for an
extensive system of parks Other cities
are making extensive improvements on
this line, and we will have no difficulty in
obtaining all the information desired