New-York tribune., 1902-06-29
PARK BUILT IN SIX WEEKS.
COMMISSIONER YOUNG'S TRANSITIONAL
TION OF SANDY WASTE AT
CONEY ISLAND

CONEY ISLAND
The new Coney Island Park which will be
opened the public Tuesday, is unique be-
cause it has been built barren waste OF
sand, and is the only seaside park in the entire
greater New-York system 1t is the only piece
of beach anywhere along the Long Island coast
near this city that has not been gobbled up by
private concerns The park is more or less of
experiment. and Park Commissioner Richard
Young is by means certain that vegetation
will thrive there. In the construction Of the
park many natural difficulties had to be over
come. First $500 cubic yards of fine sand had
TO be dug out and carted away and replaced
with 16,500 cubic yards of topsoil The soil has
been made two feet deep about the edges of the
park where the larger plants have been placed.
In the centre of the park, where it is intended
to have large lawn, the soil Is not so deep.
Work on the park has been more or less ham,
pered by windstorms which have blown the fine
sand up from the beach and destroyed parts of
the lawn Last week a large plot near the Con-
course, or ocean side of the park was ruined by
q covering Of sand. The sand had TO be scraped
OF and the seed resown. To guard against
repetition of this annoyance a three-foot wall
VIII be built between the Concourse and the
beach.
An interesting programme has been prepared
OSAA
terno's 14th Regiment Band has been engaged,
and trolley cars Will convey the city officials
from the Manhattan terminal of the bridge and
Borough Hail. Brooklyn. at 3 o'clock 1t Is
hoped that Mayor Low will be present TO re-
ceive the park in the name Of the city, but in
his absence President Fornes of the Board of
Aldermen will take hi. place. Calvin Tompkins,
chairman Of the committee Of the Municipal
Art Society. will act master of ceremonies
been appointed as members of the committee of
arrangements. large stand, capable of accom-
modating all the guests. will be erected on the
Concourse Commissioner Young will make an
address, relating the history of the park and
the guests will then go to the open shelter on
the beach TO partake of luncheon and see fire.
works display in the evening.
Coney Island Park has been built within six
weeks. On April "a the Board of Estimate and
Apportionment granted $4,000 appropriation
to Commissioner Young. which. with the pre-
MUM from the sale Of the bonds, amounted to |
E52, 600. Plan Were at once drawn up by Samuel |
Parsons, the landscape architect, and William |
hartmann. engineer of the department was |
placed In charge of the work, which was begun /
On May TO- On May Il the Commissioner went |
before the Board Of Aldermen and asked for the |
privilege of buying material for the park with |
out the formality of advertising in The City |
Record" for bidders. The Civil Service Com |
mission was also lenient with the Commissioner /
In his selection of worknen. As result. much i
Of the red tape that characterized city work was !
avoided. The Commissioner called for informal !
estimates for topsoil, and awarded the contract |
ward 80 cents less than the next lowest
bidder William F. Engeman, of the Brighton
Beach Racing Association, took small part of |
the contract at the same figure. Sixty teams |
we're pressed into service, and the topsoil |
was brought in in a perfect stream. Comnlis |
soner Young put sixty men at work, and in
twelve a
Of barren sand has been transformed into |
4 beautiful park. The contract has already been |
will surround the park. 1t was hoped to have |
this fence completed by July 1, but the |
tractor has found it difficult obtain his iron.
The contract for the three-foot wall intended TO
keep out the fine sand Will be awarded in a few |
days. This wall will be of an ornamental char |
acter-
Commissioner Young has been extremely |
fortunate in his purchase of plants and shrub |
berry. Recently he visited by man from |
Arizona, who told the Commissioner that he |
had carload Of rare cacti in the railroad yard |
in Jersey City, and could find buyer. He was |
willing to permit the Commissioner to take his |
choice Of the specimens at the of transpor-
tation. Commissioner Young sent his chief gard
ener to inspect the plants About a dozen of
the finest specimens. some being eight and ten
feet tall, We're purchased at a rdiculously low
figure. These have been planted in the park, and
attract good deal Of attention 1t is said that
they are the largest and rarest in this part of
the country. 1t is Commissioner Youngs inten-
tion to plant number Of hardy shrubs and
trees in the fall al experiment. If they
yive through the winter and thrive next spring
the park Will within short time have plenty of
handsome shade trees.
The new park is bounded by the Ocean Boule-
ward, the ConcourSe Sea Breeze-ave. and West
Fifth-st. Commissioner Young is determined to
make it a resort for respectable people. 1t will
he well poiice6. so that there is no danger that
it viii become infested with the rough element
.Fakirs and beggars Will positively be barred. A
number OF business men have approached the
Commissioner with propositions to the park
for the ordinary Coney Island amusements |
DCYnOnt asked
sion make their headquarters there. The |
Commissioner intends to have the park abso-
lutely free to the public He has purchased |
dozen tents which will be placed about the park |
at different points to afford shade for children. /
CHURCH CORNERSTONE LAID