The sun., 1900-05-02
OUR PARKS MUCH IMPROVED
Considerable Additional Land
Was Secured Last
Year.
OPEN AIR CONCERTS FAVORED
Annual Report ofPark Superintend-
ent Leisen Contains Some Valu-
able Suggestions---Fine Illus
tratIons of Park Scenery
in the Pamphlet.

The annual report of the Board OF Park
Commissioners, which is made up of the
reports of Engineer and Superintendent
Theodore A. Leisen and Treasurer
Joseph A. Richardson has inst been
issued.
Superintendent Leisen's report shows
that considerable park land was acquired
during the year. In June, the Law Prop
erty adjacent to Mt. Salem Church, tor
which negotiations had been pending
for several years was finally acquired at
cost of $5, 500 and at the same time
William F. Bancroft generously donated
a tract adj lining the Law property con-
tanning one dwelling house and two acres
Of land. In Novem Der, the city acquired
the several properties along Clay ton
street between GiIpin and Lowering ave-
nues, including the land on both sides
OF Rattlesrake Run. The following
tracts comprise the purchase: Bradford
and CAnny tract, 5000; 7. p. Tyre
81, 500; j j. Cassidy, ST. 7G0; and Il e
several tracts purchased for the city by
William p Bancroft, 1854 80 1t was
mainly due to the aid aud liberali,y Of
| William 7. Bancroft thar the city was
enabled to secure this land. \ potion
OF the Rosendale tract still remains in
the name of William p. Bancroft bnt is
only held by him temporarily, SUI jet to
an understanding whereby the city agrees
to purchase it at the earliest opportunity.
The acquisition Of this land facilitates
the vacating OF certain streets and OF
viates the necessity of constr lctirg
large storm water sewer insnrng in this
way material saving of expense to the
petty in the future. The final iRstallment
/ ~E IL Nl.- l. l.
| West and Market streets was con
cluded during the past season,
the dry masonry wall for retain
menced in 1896, having teen brought to
the required height aud surmounted by
parapet wall for the bptter protection
of travel along this section Of the drive.
A circular buttress at the upper corner
Of the wall affords room for fine vista
up the creek. An ,ut 800 yards of ma
sonry were laid during the year. The
cement sidewalks 1T the entrance to the
park div at Market street were ali
completed and the curb line at the APP
proach to Market stleet bridge remod-
elled, substituting an easy curve for the
former sharp corner. The race wall was
raised for short distance on the south
erly side and parapet built from its
junction with the park bridge to the
Market street line. A new railing was
erected across the race, ending in granite
posts.
Considerable grading has been done.
The southerly boundary road in Rock.
ford Park, from Riverview avenue tc
Church lane, was graded and sloped al
an expense of 81, l3S II, said expense tC
be borne by William p, Bancroft.
; The grading of Park avenue as far as
the right of way could be secured, from
Church lane to Sixteenth street, was ac
complished through the efforts of the de-
, partnent with tile design Of obtaining Q
direct entrance to Rockford Park Drive
J from the Kennett pike.
: Reference is made to the water tower
and observatory being erected in Rock
ford Park.
The swimming pool was patr r7n'zsd by
%, 5G2 persons last year, of which but
SOu were women.
superintendent Leisen makes mum
Der of valuable suEge -tions. He thinks
the Barley Mill dam should be So recon.
structed that the ice on it could be fioqd
ed for skating In summer boating
would form an added attrtctiou to that
part Of the park and as IA means OF COM
mnnieaIion between Nonh and South
BrandyWine parks, provided the dam
was built With walk on top. He favors
open air concerts seni-W eekly or weekly
AT some one uf the parks. He expresses
the hope that the Wilmington CITY Rail
way Company may find it to Their inter.
est and the publc's accommodation to