The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-27


this city realized the splendid advan-
tages OF Connell park and awoke to
realization of the marvellous work
which, in the way of Improvement, is
being accomplished there this sum-
mer on an insignificant little appro-
priation of a little over a thousand
dollars.
The work of improving Connell park
has been slowly dragging on ever since
it was donated to the city and prom
ised, when Director of Public Works
Roche took charge of his department.,
to continue ad infinitum unless some
bold aud decisive step was taken.
Director Roche realized the SURPRISING
natural advantages of the park and
decided to push the work of improve
mcnt to a speedy completion.
lie found himself handicapped at
the start by the meagre, it might al
| most be called, absurd. appropriation
which was exhausted in few days.
| Deciding that to attempt to secure any
more money from councils this year
would be a waste of time he consulted
with the prison board and after sew
| eral conferences succeeded in getting
| the services of a gang of prisoners
| from the county Jail to do the work
| which councils should have provided
| for.
GREAT AMOUNT OF WORK.
| The gang of men secured averaged
| about twenty in number and the work
| which they have done in the past two
| months and half is nothing short of
| marvellous when certain facts are taken
into consideration. The personnel of
| the gang is constantly changing by
reason of prisoners being released and
| new men unaccustomed to the work
| have to be "broken in every few
| days. Then. overshadowing all else, is
| the one great fact that they receive
nothing for their labor and can, there
fore. not be expected to work with
their heart in their toll. Kindness and
| good treatment, however, have won
the day, as the results show plainly.
The plans for the Improvement of the
park were prepared a number of years
| ago. but have recently been consid-
erably altered and improved by city
| Engineer Phillips, who is supervising
the work and who spends several hours
at the park three days in every week.
| He has IA subordinate employe of his
bureau at the park constantly, direct
| ing the operations.
The plans provide for an extensive
| series of drivcways and wide walks
threading in and out throughout the
| eighteen acres of ground comprising
| the park. A main roadway starting at
the principal entrance gate, Is to skirt
| the entire park, while the main walk,
| about ten feet wide, runs from the
entrance gate half way through the
| park. across and then back again,
| winding in and out among the rocks
and trees. There are numerous other
| walk, all tributary to the main prone
made.
HAD TO BLAST ROCK.
The larger part of these walks and
of the driveway have already been laid
out and when this is said, it means
| that vast amount of work has been
| accomplished, for the reason that solid
| rock is met with almost everywhere.
| Blasting has to be resorted to contin-
ually and the stone eXcavated in this
way has been used in building retain
ing walls where these are necessary.
Hundreds and hundreds of cubic feet
of first-class stone walls, in some in
stances ten feet high, have been con-
structed out of this stone by the priS-
oners. All in all, over mile of road
way and walks have been laid out and
in proportion to its size, Connell park
is very much nearer final Improvement
than Nay Aug park.
| The plans provide for a large com
mon at the eastern end of the park
and for a number of large flower beds
and fountain surrounded by a court
and approached by a wide walk ju st
west of this. This walk is already laid
out and is lined on both sides with
beautiful catalpa trees.
| 1t is proposed to sod and terrace the
entire westerly end of the park lust
as soon as it can possibly be done.
That portion lying just within the
main entrance is already finished and
presents most beautiful appearance,
covered as it is with IA velvety green
lawn and dotted with handsome flower
| beds.
The larger part of the park will be
left. it is understood, in all its nat
ural beauty and no attempt will be
made to make it too snug and spick
and span. The immense boulders,
partly hidden from view by clumps
of laurel bushes. makes as beauti-
; full an effect as the finest landscape
gardner could produce.
MAKING WALKS.
The walks throughout the park are
to be made of finely broken stone,
mixed with soft clay and rolled in
hard. Next to asphalt or cement, this
is said to be the best for park pur-
poses.
While the rough part of the work
can be done by the prisoners at no eX-
pcnse to the city, the finishing touches
next year will have to be provided for
by councils, Shrubbery and flowers
will need to be bought. and a pavilion
and toilet rooms erected. A new fence
surrounding the entire park must be
constructed, and there are numerous
other wavs In which $4,000 could be
used to great advantage in finishing &
park which has every advantage ovei
Nay Aug park as regards natural loca-
) ton, and which will undoubtedly one
day come to be as popular with the
people as that resort providing the
street railway company can be made
tc see the advantages which would
accrue to it by running cars there
| direct.
1t is no idle boast that Connell parE
has the advantage over Nay Aug as
regards natural location. Situated AZ