The San Francisco call., 1896-03-10
WOOD WILL Be TAB0OED
Only Stone Will Be Used in
Golden Gate Park Struc.
lures.
The Beautiful Classic Colonnade May
Take Years in Construction.
Work in Concert Valley.

The Park Commission has changed its
original ideas regarding the scheme for
noble peristyle that was to serve double
purpose at the westerly end of Concert
Valley. There will be no peristyle for an
other year at least, and even then there
may not be one. Its existence depends
altogether upon circumstances dominated
by finances in years to come.
As with this proposed colonnade, so is it
with every other superstructure now in
contem plation or to be considered in
future for Golden Gate Park. Time alone
will see their realization, for the commits.
sion has come to the conclusion that from
henceforth all park buildings of any i'm
portance must be of stone or marble, or at
least of enduring materials that will pos
sess the elements of beauty and dignity
This means that the wooden age is thing
of the past in Golden Gate Park; that the
temporary wooden structures lacking
beauty are to no longer spring UP among
the trees and green lawns as unslghtly
intrusions upon the landscape.
The Sharon cottage III contrast with the
frame buildings had powerful influence on
the commission, and now that the new
lodge is almost finished the effect of soft
=
roofs has so far eclipsed the old style
houses doubts have been dissipated on
this score. The commission with these
object lessons in view has decided that
nothing but substantial and ornamental
structures shall be erected. This will re-
ouire years to accomplish, but then, 1t Is
argued, these buildings are for all time,
and, therefore, should be of stone and pos
sessed of all the grace and monumental
character obtalnable only in that material
or in marble.
One thing is certain, the grand peristyle
will not be built of wood. 1t was seen that
since this proposed colonnade was TO be
classic adornment and one OF the most i'm
posing features of Golden Gate Park, fiimsy
woodwork would be wholly out OF place,
and beyond failing to express all the de-
sign intended, be nothing more or less
than an eyesore. So the plan to build OF
wood has been abandoned.
''For the present we have given up the
peristyle altogether" said Park Commits
sioner Austin yesterday.
'All the money at our command for this
fiscal year has been expended, or is already
appropriated for work now in hand. For
that reason further Improvements are out
of the question, at least until the next
fiscal year, when we will have more money
to figure on. The peristyle, however, is a
thing of the future, and it may be years
before it Will have been built. The propO-
sition to build it of wood has bee n dropped.
Our opinion now is that only stone should
be used, even if it costs great deal more.
To build of stone. however, means an
enormous outlay-something like $225, 900
Joe Reddlng estimated it. Now it would
not be possible to expend such large
sum in any one year, unless some wealthy
man came along and generously gave the
money.
But if the peristyle is to be built at all,
and have every reason to believe that it
will, only stone will be ased. Since We
could not appropriate enough in one year
to pay for the whole thing, we propose to
build the peris,yle piecemeal, just as we
have done with other large undertakings.
The boulevard and Stow Lake, for in.
stance, were taken up in this way. In a
few years the work would be completed
and then the park would have an impos-
ing and beautiful structure tnat would
shut out the winds from Concert Valley
and be an object of interest to everybody
visiting the place.
"As time and opportunity offer the
present wooden buildings will be re-
,noyad -