The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1903-12-10
PARKS IN LONDON.

Breathing Spaces That Have Bees
Created in Twelve Years.
The London county council, If 1t had
achieved no other good work, would
still deserve some measure Of praise
for the wise and regular additions 1t
has made, and continues to make, to
London's open space.
When the council superseded the
Metropolitan board Of works, in 1889, 1t
took over the control of 2,9421a acres of
breathing space. Since then only one
year QS99) has passed that has not
seen extensive additions to the parks
and recreation grounds of the city,
which now total 3,770 acres.
At present the council is negotiating
for the acquisition of seven more open
spaces in different districts. The larg-
est is an addition of forty-two and q
half acres to Brockwell Park, and an
official of the council. informed a rep
resentative of the Daily Mail that the
negotiations had been practically COM
pleted.
At the time of the councils success
sion to the management Of London's
open spaces the largest was Black
heath, with 267 acres. The most ex-
tensive now is Hampstead heath,
which since the addition Of Parliament
hill numbers no less than 50714 acres.
The ninety-three parks, gardens, and
open spaces at present under the juris-
dietion of the council vary In size from
that of "'Arry's 'appy uniting ground," "
aforementioned, to the quarter Of an
acre at Putney known as the Bridge
shrubbery."
The most eventful year in the history
of Open-air London was in 1887 when
the diminutlve Bridge shrubbery was
acquired. But not solely for that rea-
son; for it was In 1887 that such desira-
BILE places as Battersea Park, Victoria
Park, Wandsworth Common, and Clis-
sold Park became the property of Lon
don ratepayers. In that one year no
less than ten parks and open spaces
were acquired This number was ex-
ceeded by one in 1890, but the additions
were by no means so important. Curl
ously lugubrious is the fact that out
of these eleven new open spaces SIX
were churchyards! Food for phlloso'
pliers here.
Including the great parks controlled
by bodies other than the county council
London-generally credited with being
the most overcrowded and stuffiest city
In the world-possesses the respectable
total of 5,655 acres of public parks, gar
dens, and recreation grounds. Roughly
speaking, this gives six and hall
square yards of sylvan retreat to every
man, woman, and child in Greater Lon
don-a priceless possession that is, per
haps, not appreciated to its full worth
Within this vast area four important
provincial towns could be built ant
still leave 434 acres, space equal Il
Hyde Park and thirty-fOur acres over
The municipal area Of Stafford, Man
chester's thriving neighbor, is 1,32C
acres, and in this space are crowded
1O1 900 souls. One Of the other town.
selected. Burnley, also in Lancashire
has a population of 5S,T51 within
municipal borough of 1871 acres. Ever
then there would be room left In Lon
don's combined open spaces for the tw,
cathedral cities, Durham and Worces
ter. Altogether, a population Of clos
. upon 100000 could be housed within
the area Of London's public parks, gar
dens, and recreation grounds. leavinI
for the enjoyment Of this unbuilt cit,
a verdant resort mile and a half lonl
! and three-quarters Of a mile wide
= London Mail.