The San Francisco call., 1897-09-26
Fifty Laborers and Many Police
Soon to Go From Park
Service.
BRANNAN.STREET SEWER NUISANCE
WILL REMAIN.
Superintendents McLaren and Ambrose
Tell How They Will Be Handi-
capped for a Year.

1--WE viii have TO thin out
every department.. from the
museum 10 the police. Many
of the ordinary day labOrers
Will have TO go by the latter
part Of next month. and I am
afraid that many of the police
force employed on special duty
in the park viii have 10 go
with Them. we have "a beauti-
proved one of the finest in the
world - but for another year
no Improvements other than
we now have can be looked
for. Ef viii take the whole
a appropriation to keep the
park in its present condition,
and even as it is. sadly fear
that the labor of decade
IA many instances Will go for
maught.''
These significant words were uttered by
John McLaren, superintendent of Golden
Gate Park, when discussing the effect the
small appropriation made for the park by
the Board of Supervisors will have, so far
as the i'm prove ments contemplated for the
ensuing year are concerned. The citi-
zens Of tae comm unlty naturally take a
keen interest in the tax levy and the
closer 1t comes TO the dollar limit" the
more the mai Drity OF them are gratiHed,
but II IS moi I.kely to augment their salts
faction 10 learn that one OF the coroIlaries
Of the low levy, an unusually small appro-
priaion for the benefit OF the celebrated
pleasure grounds wherein they are wont
TO spend so much OF their spare time,
means that for another year the feature,
there not only remain in statu quo, but
that many of them must of necessity Re
suffered to take an enforced slide down
the tobogPan chute of dilapIdation.
Nor Will hearing OF the things contem-
plated in the way OF provement-that
IS the specific instances OF beauilying the
park and increasing the scope Of its
pleasure for the mulIitude-tend to iu-
crease the mental exhilaration resulting
from learning he general truth. Super
intendent McLaren certainly understands
his business, and what he has to say on
the subject cannot Iall to be appreciated.
AT The request OF the WheeImen and
the driving public" he asserted, "the
Park Commissioners intended TO light all
the driveways this winter. The small ap-
preparation makes this practically impos-
sIbIe Wheelmen and drivers VIII have
10 Wall aWO44c uHtl We are AOk 80 Dduiy
handicapped"
While the wheelmen and drivers of
spirited teams are mourning over this in
Ieiligence, they may find small solaCe for
Their woe IN contemplation OF the fact that
'there are others" The riders of mettle-
some steeds are also I'm the soup"
They also intended" continued the
sup,.rIntenient, ITO build brid le-road for
those visitors who ike TO ride horseback,
which would lead through the woods from
Strawberry Hill to the ocean. That pro-
iscr will now have to be abandoned"
When once started well IN telling of the
thIngsthat ''mighi have been" the super
inteGdent's WORDS flowed very fast and
smoothIy-much more so than those on
Ubom their meaning VIII fall so antithet-
icaIly could wish. He continued:
I'VE started 10 work month ago on
the grading ami loaming OF Il meadow
which would have made pretty addition
10 the list OF attractions. We expected
Isrger appropriation or We wouId not
have begun this work. AS it is We shall
try 70 finish 1t.
ok is much overcrowded. l was our in
fent1on to build an additional inclosure
for them west of Strawberry Hill, but the
ezra paddock will have 10 wait another
veIr. There is no help for it in spite of
the lack OF room.
"Of course, we intended to build new
,,usjc stand Tor the next season. The
music grounds have been very much
crowded. and much complaint has been
neard about the people not having a suf-
fcfent number of seats, but they find
themseIv among those who will have TO
wait.
t1iizine of tue trees west of Strawberry
Hill. 1t is badly needed, but we will have
10 discon linue it, although we have about
10000 yards OF loan hauled IN theTe now.
I'VE hope 10 keep the park we'll 10 the
front in It's present Improvements, and
that is about ali that any reasonable man
can expect OF Us. Compared with East
ern parks of the same size we get Just
about half as much allowed per acre.
Consequently they go ahead pretty rap
idlv while we have to play kind OF wait
ing game. :. :. n,oved we have q. fine
a nerk az there is III the world. But even
with en- equal break II the APPROPRIATION
we are somewhat Handicapped we nave
10 pump water, buy coal to do 1t with and
employ about fifty men 10 aistrloute !.
otherwise. After the month Of october
these men are likely 10 be discharged,
though many of them Will be needeu lheA'
"T6e appropriation for the ensuing
wear is $207, ,OC0. Last year II was SZoo, VUO'
and the year prior to that $5Oo uUu. we
expected at least sou, O,uUOIor tnis yeaI' ""u
really needed $29S. 600.
"'Tbose trees of which have spoken are
the worst sufferers by the small appro.
uriation. They nave attained an age OF
10 or Is years, and unless they are prop
eriv fertiiized and loaned pretty soon
thew Will All die. Then the sand VIII pe
drifting in again anu the work OF a oecaoe
in some instances more than that-"lli
have been wasted.
Boston was allowed over 81, OOO, 600 last
year for her parks, New York annually