Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-22

inviting and pleasing, and the firm,
smooth and finely constructed drive
that skirts the borders of the pond is
greatly appreciated by cyclists as well
as visitors in carriages.
But few new improvements have been
made during the past year. The intro
duction Of a new water supply has al
lowed the establishment of two drinking
fountains and the extension of a pipe
line to a point near the middle of the
pond in the west cove. Here has been
constructed an inexpensive yet suhstan-
tial fountain, where the water Is deliv-
cred with a sufficient head to produce
some interesting and novel effects.
While a part of the expense attending
this work was provided for from the
funds apportioned to this park by the
commission, the larger share was borne
by Mr.. Salisbury.
NORTH PARK.
The year 1897 marks the most extern
sive and successful planting of trees in
this park since it's acquisition, in 1887
About 800 trees of different varieties
were taken from the nursery on Newton
Hill, and nearly 800 evergreens were OBJ
tained from Mr.. Martin Green, on Green
Hill. In thus experimenting the plant
ings of former years, this park, which
was almost wholly devoid of trees and
shade at first, will soon show material
change, which cannot fail of apprecia-
tion by the residents in that vicinity.
Two roomy and durable shelters have
been constructed One is located on a
high elevation overlooking the pond at
the end Of the walk from Burncoat
street and the other on an equally COM
manding hill top near Melrose street.
CROMPTON PARK
The requirement during the past year
of the land between the south boundary
line of the park and Albion avenue,
which has been urged by the commits
sion for several years, has enabled them
to proceed with definite plan of i'm
provement The contemplated extension
of South Harding street across the east
erly end of the park, will delay in a
the treatment of that portion
of the land.
The proposed shaded mall on three
sides of the park has been completed
on Endicott street and Quinsigamond
avenue. The walks are Is feet in width,
with grass border feet wide on either
side. On the outer line Of these grass
plots shade trees have been planted,
leaving a clear space Of 25 feet between
the two rows of trees. The gravel for
this work and for other walks that are
to be constructed in different parts of
the park, was obtained from the excaya-
tion made for the new city hall, at
cost that merely covered the expense of
carriage.
About 400 trees of different varieties
have been planted the past season. A
large group of sugar naples at the top
of the hill and some smaller groups on
the north and westerly slopes near the
play grounds. On the Quinsigamond
avenue side of the park, trees have been
planted in masses with an idea of eX-
Guiding from view the coal dumps and
minor buildings of the gas company.
Included in this work were numbers
of Scotch larcl1, Norway spruce, Ameri-
can white beech white ash, elms eatal-
pas and rock and Norway naples. The
season has been most favorable to their
becoming well established, and with the
liberal fertilizing they have received a
rapid and permanent growth may be
expected.
AS the grounds here are so devoid of
shade, two neat and substantial shell
ters have been erected on the top of
view of the entire park. Seats have
been placed here and elsewhere about
the park and row of hitching posts
along the walk on Endicott street. The
original band stand has been improved
by covering it with roof, and the un-
der part has been boarded and made
into a convenient store room for tools.
The most extensive work of the year
has been the grading of the original
grounds for play fields. Material for
this work has been obtained as oppor-
tunity offered in past years, and distrib-
uted over the low places. All this por-
ton has been levelled, smoothed over
and seeded to grass so as to have 1t in
readiness for use the present year.
The excavation for small pond was
attempted in October, and continued as
late as the season would permit. A
promising beginning was made, and the
allowed the filing of the pond to
depth Of three feet This has given an
opportunity for skating this winter,
which the children in the neighborhood
have not failed to improve. A line Of
pipe was laid from the sewer in Quin
sigamond avenue to this pond, which
will allow of the drawing off of the
water when necessary, and the con-
structiqn of a sanitary building when
needed.
LAKE PARK.
Unquestionably the most difficult
work the commission has undertaken in
the way of park preservation has been
the construction of the long stretch of
retaining and revetment walls on the
lake front
The working space between the waters
edge and the steep embankment was
very narrow, and the danger attending
the delivery of the stone from the top
of the bluff to the wall layers below, has
been the cause of much anxiety. The
character of the work and the existing
conditions, rendered it's execution slow,
laborious and expensive,
The commission expected to have COM
pfeted the remaining section of this
wall the past year, but the unusu-
ally high water in the lake until late
in the season, made it impossible They
were, however, enabled to complete
about six hundred feet, which leaves
about as much more to be constructed
the present year. 49,
The land bordering on the lake. be-
tween the North circuit and the Point
being that portion Of the lake front
where the wall has been finished, has
been thoroughly worked over by hand
labor, smoothed and seeded to grass
1t will require but little labor annually
hereafter to keep it in satisfactory con-
dition. 4
Reference is also made in the report
to the work of the year at Dodge, East
and University parks, and also at New
ton hill.
SHADE TREES.
No more troublesome or perplexing
work has been assigned the commits
sion than to give the needed attention
to the shade trees that are now dis
tributed over every section of the city.
The younger trees need constant super
vision in the way of judicious pruning,
and in the maintenance of sufficient
safeguards that are constantly being
wrecked by the wheels Of heavy carts
and WAGONS