The times., 1897-07-22
Col. Bingham Submits His Re.
port for the Fiscal Year.
SOME THINGS TO BE DESIRED
Larger Appropriations, an Outside
Office for the President, Play
Grounds for the Children, Lights
in the White Lot and More Public
Fountains Recommended.

1T is conceded that our parks, by the
manner in which the improvements are
maintained, evidence more care than is
generally exercised in such work, except
where large expenditures are made. 1t is
believed that less amount per acre is
expended in their care and maintenance
than in any other locality where similar
| park systems are maintained This con-
dition OF affairs is, in some measure, due
to the gEeat care exercised by the Gov
cTLment in making expenditures for the
purchase OF materials and for the payment
for superintendent, labor, etc.
Unfortunately for the next fiscal year
the appropriations for this very important
work have been reduced. 1t is earnestly
| hoped that the Congress soon to convene
! viii evince that interest in our beautiful
| parks tnat thcit Importance demands, and
that sufficient funds may be allotted to
push 10 speedy completion projected and
necessary improvements; not only foI the
purpose Of adjoining the city, in which
al citizens have Il just pride, but TO fur
nlsh an eN ample OF simple landscape gar
dening and park ornamentation that will
have direct influence in aiding TO elevate
the taste of all visitors, and that may
eventually lead to the transformation into
beautiful parks OF many pieces OF waste
ground adjacent TO the cities of the
country
Col. Bingham further on says: Attention
is again invited to the Importance OF pro-
vidinG suitable offices outside of the
Executive Mansion for the President OF
10 I-nf+ 4afA su l.aya.
that this important matter may no longer
be delayed, aud that action may be taken
at the approaching session of Congress
toward erecting "A suitable office building
for the President
Concerning the conservatory, ''the frame
OF which is wood rapidly decaying and
almost III a dangerous condition, u new
iron supeTsrructure, ut an estimated cost
OF 81 900 Is necessary, Repairs are
made frolE time TO time to the old SUPER
structure, but it seems almost waste
OF money to patch up Portions OF an old
decayed wooden frame with wood which
will also decay when a violent storm
might possibly wreck the structure at
any tiEle. The White House stable should
be removed from the grounds fronting the
State Department and the beautiful new
Corcoran Art Gallery
Col. Bingham in the report complains Of
vandals at the Washington Monument, and
says ,4o9 s22 persons have visited the
top since it was thrown open to the pub
lie. October 9, 1888 OF the PARKS, he
says the area covered by the parks and
park spaces in the District is about 105
acres, OF which ell bat forty-eight acres
are improved. There are 30l reserva-
tions, varying in size from few hundred
feet TO eighty-two acres One hundred
and siXty-eight of the little spaces are un-
Improved "hut if the general appropriation
for various reservations could be increased
$4,000 annually they could be gradually
transformed into exquisite little park
lets, and ado greatly to the beauty of the
Capital City"
play grounds" the report says, should
be set aside in various parts of the city
forthe use Of children, not to be monopolized
by grown persons or half grown youths,
nor to be used for games prohibited under
the police regulations OF the district. How
ard University Park, either highly I'm
proved or in its present condition, could
well he selected for this purpose, and many
Of the smaller reservations throughout the
city, which have not been highly improved
could be set aside for ying lawn tennis,
cToquet and kindred games"
Col. Bingham, after advocating the con-
struction of all asphalt walk fifteen feet
wide around the ellipse at a cost of
$4,000, says Of lights on the Monument
grounds:
1T is again earnestly recommended that
the electric light system inaugurated in
1889 ia the grounds south of the White
House he extended throughout the Wash
ing.on Monument Park. There i s now no
method OF artificial Illumination between
B street north and the propagating gardens
south Of the Monument and Fourteenth nnd
Seventeenth streets, and in the interest
of morality and for the protection of per-
sons necessarily crossing these grounds at
night, lights are deemed necessary
The final Improvements projected for
Garfield Park, covering an area OF about
twenty-four acres, are nearing completion
1t is regretted that the reduced appropria-
ton viii prevent the continuance OF any
extensive improvements, the amount avail
able being not more than sufficient 10
maintain the improvements in good order.
Stanton, Folrer and Marion Parks are
highly improved There are fountains in
Folger and Stanton Parks, and Stanton Park
contains q statue Of Gen. Greene.
"a special plea is made for the beginning
of a scheme of fountains to be gradually
brought, as years 20 by, to a liberal abun-
dance ami beauty. or all the capitals i'm
the world cur own Washington is in many
respects the most beautiful, but it is sadly
deficient in fountains
1T is true that much water is needed
for fountains, and If that were to prove
an obstacle it might be obviated by build
ing fountains with pumps, thus using the
same water over and over again. Such
pumps can be operated by electricity. which
can also he used TO make beautiful illu-
limitations at night. Ten thousand dollars.
to he expended in eight fountains of va
rious sizes, supplied by Potomac water,
would enable striking addition to be made
Go the beauty of the nation parks I'm Wash
ington and add greatly to the pleasure
and comfort of citizens and visitors,
Col. Bingham denonnces bicycle scorch-
ing on the ellipse and says: at is highly
desirable that there should be legislation
on the subject which will make the pin-
ishment sufficiently severe to break un
this selfish and annoying nuisance"
commissioners Orders for Work.
The Commits sioners yesterday ordered that {
contract for furnishing paving sand and
concrete sand 70 the district Ia a,rar,o,