The times., 1899-07-21

is now sieve against rain. and sure to
fall down under the wind one of these
days.
An inspection only is needed to show
the urgent necessity for storehouse at
the earliest possible date. 1t should be OF
brick and about 100 feet by 49, 1t can be
built for $1,000. We have absolutely no
place of shelter for records, models, val
liable TOOLS such as road roller. road
scrapers, lawn mowers, hose. stakes.
shovels. and hoes; nor for water work and
plumbers supplies, water pipe and ht ines.
tools, lathe, drills. etc. nor for garde-
ners' supplies, flower pots. flower baskets,
wire frames, twine, stakes; nor for car
penters' tools. and lathe. etc.
Also. there being no storerooms at the
Executive Mansion, such a storehouse as
is asked for would almost be paid for by
the money now. expended to pay for stor-
age of carpets, awnings, furniture, cloak
and hat boxes. band stand, chairs music
stands, etc.
Park watchmen.
THE second great need is for more park
watchmen. There are now twenty-three
on the force, eighteen day and five night
watchmen, and the area to be guarded is
401 acres
with the increase of the city population
and the growing numbers of exeursionists
and other travellers ii is impossible TO do
work required. Some idea of the travel TO
Washington is given by the fact that on
! an average 12,000 people visit the top OF
the Washington Monument every month.
These are SO per cent strangers. More
over, our poverty compels us to use the
park watchmen partially as laborers TO
clan up trash, so that it is not possible
, to get full watchman's duty.
Again, large amount of the damage
done in improved parks could be prevented
by having additional watchmen. The one
day watchman now allowed for the White
Lot or Presidents Park is quite unable
to cope with scorching bicyclers. fast driy-
ers and trespassers on the grass and shrub
berry and patrol sixty three acres of ground.
At night this large area with thiekets OF
shrubs is absolutely defencele5s, as there
is no pightwatchman. After dark no de-
cent woman or couple Of them dare go
! through these grounds, and 1t has on sew
eral occasions proved dangerous for men
Robberies and other crimes occur here
every now and then. and this within
thousand yards of the Executive Mansion
1T is a reproach that this part of the
National Capital should be the haunt OF
the criminal classes of the city, especially
in spring and summer, when the parks
, should be safest.
"In summer, owing to the crowds whicn
frequent the bathing beach on the Mohu-
! ment grounds a day watchman Is urgently
needed in that park. There is practcaily
now no watchman for this large area OF
seventy-eight acres in the day time, be-
cause the watchmen at the Monument are
kent busy there all the time looking after
visitors.
still more is a night watchman needed
here. where there is none now good
! deal of travel passes through this park and
its thiekets are as dangerous and unpro-
tected as the Presidents Park. Moreover,
this park contains the propagating gardens
| and nursery, where there is great deal OF
valuable property, much of it infiamable.
The LawIess Element.
Henry and Seaton Parks cover thirty
four acres and are more frequented than
other parks by the lawless element N the
day time two watchmen are necessary and
are now provided by law, but only one
night watchman is now allowed. There is
great need of another night Waterman
here-it is too large and dangerous
patrol for one man at night. For similar
reasons, Garfield Park, covering twenty
| four acres, seriously needs second watch-
man.
II cannot express too strongly the
urgent need OF an inspector OF park watch
men. There is no one now to patrol the
city, see that the park watchmen keep
UP their duty, decide questions OF duty Tor
! them, hear and settle minor complaints,
appear in court as witness for trials with
out leaving the parks unguarded tas now
has to be done). report daily to the ofncer
in charge on discipline of the force and
the performance OF guard duty, etc The
need Of such a sergeant of park police is
imperative, and provision therefor is re-
| SDectfully urged.
ITO sum up the matter of park watch
men. respectfully urge upon the attention
of Congress the imperative necessity for
| the following additional park watchmen
for the preservation of public property and
public good order and decency, all of which
are included in my estimates:
Zone sergeant OF park watchmen, $500;
one additional day and one additional
night watchman for Presidents park at
! S720 each; one day and one night watch
man at Monument Park at S720 each; an
additional night watchman at Henry and
Seaton Parks at S720 each, and one ad-
dtional night watchman at Garfield Park
at $720 making total of s5,220."