The herald., 1896-04-12

| realize tie ideas of those who have
! studied L possibilities and it is certain
that lawer appropriation would be
we'll eXpaded here.
WESTLAKE.
! The joysf Westlake park on Sun
| day afternom are well known to the
pupllc IL sre is in search of fresh air
ana the Dealies of nature and seeks to
get far IRON the madding crowd" let
him not reptt thither then. Its situ-
alton is mag,iicent and it is the most
easily feachec # the city's parks, there
being two dire, lines of street cars to
IL. Every Sunlay these are patronized
10 ana beyond h,ir utmost limit. Peo-
pie are contenttp be packed like sa-
dimes, to hang IN to the steps of the
car by the skin { their teeth or their
eyelids to get to,Westlake. What is
the greatest attNetion? Mans chief
study is man-and dsometimes woman.
People go out andSuffer the greatest
d1scomforts TO see Nch other. There
is no greater attraction for the crowd
than the crowd. The band. for whom
a new and picturesquA band stand has
lately been erected, is ssecondary con-
sideration. The stree\ car company
also constantly providesspecial attrac-
tions, such as high DIVING crack shoot
ing and aeronautics. Tle park is So
acres in area, of which, However. the
greatest portion is water. The aka
line soil-in the old days tie spot was
known by the MeXicans as .he alkali
hole and cattle avoided it-preyents
luXuriant vegetation, thoughthe pres
ent high state of cultivationNi: a tri-
umph of the gardeners art. Pats will
only last but a short season lee and
soon have to be replaced. hence it is
that Westlake is one of the mos ex-
penSive drains on the purse of the oark
commission. 1t is indeed a triblt to
the work of the caretaker, Frank hll-
Ter, and his staff, that so many beati-
tiful flowers and shrubs adorn tie
grounds. The new park at the wes
ern limits of the city, near Westlakt
lately donated by Mrs G.. r. Shatto.
has been called Sunset" and in time
should prove very attractive addition
to Westlake.
PROSPECT PARK.
A delightful little breathing place is
to be found over in Brooklyn Heights
on the East Side, in Prospect Park
The grounds only occupy city block
but provide a most attractive feature
of the neighborhood. The land is laid
out in the shape of a heart and covers
two and a half acres. A speciality of
Prospect Park is found in the beauti-
full water lilies that are here grown,
foremost amongst which are the Vari-
cites known as Nymphia arosea and
Victoria regia.
HOLLENBECK
Hollenbeck park, the gift to the city
of Mrs Elizabeth Hollenbeck, is an
other beautiful spot with which the cit
liens living at Boyle Heights are ia
vored. 1t is situated between Fourth
and Sixth streets on Cummings avenue
and was established in 1892 1t covers
twenty acres of ground. Fine shade
trees and the lakes are it's prominent
features.
Little has as yet been done to develop
the natural beauties and resources of
Echo park. located on North Bellevue
avenue. one block north of Temple, on
the site of the city reservoir No. 4. This
park was also established in 1892. 1t
covers thirty-three acres.
No review of the city parks would be
complete without mention of the Plaza.
one of the oldest landmarks in the city.
the preservation of which a short time
ago was threatened by the scheme to
convert it into public market. Hap
PLY. this proposition was proved to be
illegal and the old landmark will still
remain It's proximity to the Chinese
quarters precludes the possibility of it's
being much patronized by the general
public, but situated as it is. being the
geographical center of the city, it is a
valuable though very limited breathing
space. The plaza is of circular forma-
ton, 210 fet in diameter.
THE PARK COMMISSIONERS
The park commission at present con-
sists of the mayor, Hon. Frank RAIDER
Capt John Cross. Mathew Teed, w.
II. Workman and e. j. Post The sec
retary of the commission is j. +. Men
denhall, courteous and affab1e gentle
man. Andrew T. Carey has lately sue