The Portland daily press., 1899-03-22
THE PARK COMMISSIONERS
Make Annual Report and Some
Recommendations.
THEY BELIEVE FREE BAND con-
CERTs SHOULD BE GIVEN.

Once More the Commissioners Call the
Attention of the city Fathers TO the
Availability of Acquiring the Land
on slope of Eastern Promenade
Work which Has Been Done the
Past Year,
Tie commissioners of cemeteries and
public grounds have the honor to present
their thirteenth annual report to the
Honorable Mayor and City Council of the
City of Portland, trusting the result Of
their operations will prove satisfactory to
the city government as we'll as to our
citizens in general;
There was appropriated for the use OF
the park commissioners for the ear 1888,
the following amounts, viz:
behring's Oaks, 1900. 90
Cemeteries and Public Grounds, 1900. 90
behring's Oaks, Especially 100000
$500
$4,000. w
The disbursement OF the above amounts
will be found in the auditors annual
report, showing how the money WAS spent
and for what purpose. Some permanent
improvements were made on our parks
during the past year, but we have kept
within the estimates made at the Begin
ming of the year.
The park commiss toner's will take this
opportunity to state that they bavo not
been exempt from embarrassment and
difficulties in their administration, nor
perhaps would IL be entirely practicable
to adjust the regulations ana rules for
their management SO as to meet the
" nj nf all claasas
They feel gratitled, however, to be able to
record the fact that the greater number
OF visitors have readily recognized the
propriety OF the very reasonable regula.
lions for their observance and have
yielded to them cheerful acquiascence,
and while an exceptional few.s only have
opposed r, straints which are obviously
necessary to insure general qualification
and convenience, petty thefts of flowers
and shrubtery and wauton damage OF
property have been less frequent than in
former years, and in fact, the safety and
pleasure of those who enjoy our park S
have been much improved.
The past season has shown marked i'm
provement in the parks of our city, and
they arc fast taking on finished and
mature Appearance Shrubbery which
was planted two and three years ago has
shown satisfactory growth, aided by good
season that assisted in Its advancement.
Work commenced IN the spring as early
as the weather would permit; force OF
men was put at work and the grounds
were all given a general cleaning.
During the past year we have had no
open-air concerts In any of our parks, ex-
cept on some holiday, and the commits
siopers would suggest to the incoming
city government that there would be no
more popular entertainment, when the
number who derive pleasure from them
is taken into account. than these concerts,
the costs of which Is SO triiiing that the
commissions think u snail appropria-
ton should be made for that purpose.
The commissioners beg leave to call at
tention OF our new city government to o
matter which was referred to in our last
annual report, on the uesirabllity OF the
city's acquiring the lana adjoining the
slope OF our beautiful Eastern promenade
before it is cut up into house lots. which
l understand is TO he done by the trustees
OF the Curtis estate.