The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-08

The expenditures for parks, including
improvements and maintenance, total
ed $50, 661 81, divided as follows: Main
tenance, $1S,S56.63; improvements, $16.-
42631; police and custodian, $2,SS6.25;
salaries, $1,983.27; bills for supplies, ETC.,
$10,575.
The receipts from the street railway
company for privileges amounted to
$1,346.86, and from miscellaneous
sources, $293.65.
The days work for men and teams
was p, 090 days for men and 1854 days
for teams. The report says:
The heavy wind storm of July did much
damage to the trees in the parks; seventy
six trees were blown down in Como park,
and in the other parks considerable dam
age was done from the same cause On
Indian Point avenue north, in Como park,
a storm water sewer should be constructed.
without it much trouble and expense Is
caused by every heavy rain storm in re-
pairing washouts. The sewer should COM
mence on the intersection of the loop drive
and be carried down to the lake, connected
with necessary side branches and catch
basins 1t would require 500 feet of Pinch
pipe and six catchbasins. The estimated
expense for this work would be 1920.
The whole expanse Of 176 acres Of i'm
proved grounds IN the park requires weekly
cleaning and other attention, and of this
about forty acres in the vicinity of
the lake require constant employment of
five men for the same purpose every day.
In the western portion of the park, in
Guiding the large picnic grounds, $50 trees,
consisting Of all the leading varieties Of
shade trees. were planted, in most cases to
replace decayed oak trees.
Owing to the cool and wet weather Of
the past season, the concerts given were
somewhat limited in number as compared
with former years.
The fleet of pleasure boats were not as
we'll patronized as in former years. The
price Of boat rent should be adjusted so as
to bring it within the means of every one
During the season 1S8,445 plants of all
the leading varieties for bedding and or
namental purposes were raised in the green
house, and 5000 good seeding of ANIMALS
in number Of varieties were raised in
hotbeds. All the parks were literally
planted with flowers.
The park nursery is in good condition
and Is well started with 6,579 trees
The expense of maintaining small parks
is nearly IL per cent higher per acre than
the cost of the same work in our big parks
This. in a great measure, is due to the
TACT that the small parks are located so
1ar apart-scattered through the city
which makes close supervision and sur
Veillance of the employees impossible
The maintenance of Como avenue park
way with bicycle paths, tree planting and
sprinkling was s409.25. The distance in
cluded in the parkway from Dale street
to the lake, being three-quarters of mile.
Inc improvements made during the year
at indian Mound park were very effective
an and the entire work is nearly finished. The
hauling of the top soil for planting and
surfacing lawns and lriveways will be done
early in the spring. which will finish the
construction work. The amount spent dur
ing last season was So, SO. This park
contains only seventeen acres, and owing
to its topography, one-half Of its area can
not be used by the public as a rambling
ground. as 1t lies on steep side hill.
Considerable work was done in Merriam
park during the season. The lawns were
thoroughly top-dressed and to some ex-
tent regarded. An ornamental fountain.
Win q tW6lVe-fOOt basin cd
A small foot-bridge was built across the
lake Of a neat and tasteful design. The
total expenditure was $92264
On both sides of Como avenue parkway
bicycle paths seven feet wide were built
and also along the lake shore into the park
The paths around the lake will be built
as the other improvements are progressing
Remember, every Gordon Hat is warranted
perfect. defective hat is replaced by a new