The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-01
Mr.. PaIlas's First Report.

Mayor McCLELLAN's newspaper, the
City Record, printed yesterday the first
report made by the Hon. JOHN j. PAL
LAS, Commissioner of Parks for the
boroughs of Manhattan and Richmond
Mr.. PALI.As tells what he found in his
department upon taking charge of it.,
1t will be remembered that his predeoes-
sor az Park Commissioner was the Hon.
WILLIAM r. WILCOX, with whose man.
agement Of the department the public
found little or no fault. But MIR. PALLAs
finds fault. His report is for the three
months ending with March 81, and he
declares:
The condition In which the Park Department
OF the boroughs OF Manhattan and Richmond was
found by the incoming administration Jan l. 1904,
surprised me beyond measure Every day OF
added experience In connection with the depart.
ment has increased my astonlshment that any ad-
mlnistration could have permitted its affairs to
reach such condition OF inefnciency and confusion
In reaching this conclusion seem 10 be supported
by the results Of an examination by the Commits
sloners OF Accounts and by the complaints made
by the Civil Service Reform Association
The payroll for the last week in De-
cember, 1903, was $il ,lO4,13 which could
not be justified, says the Commissioner.
Nor, says he, did the men on the pay
roll earn their salt
Its chief purpose seemed to be the making Of
time and the drawing OF pay. most nagrant
instance was the case OF a foreman. under whom
many men received full time and made no pre-.
tcpce OF doing any work at all. Cases were found
of men who carried their own time books and
turned In their own time. but concerning whose
work no one could give any information. not even
themselves"
Lucky men Mr.. PALLAs declares that
he found men appointed as assistant
gardeners" and mowers detailed to
clerical duties. Some OF the mowers
would not know a scythe II they saw
one" Mr. PALLAs began to turn the
rascals out instanter, and he writes:
Considerable progress had been made In this
direction when complaint was received from the
Civil Service Reform Association on the subject.
While at rst II seemed pee ullar that this assoca-
tlon which had been blind 10 the violation OF the
law two years. and only awoke to make complaint
after the work OF remedyng II was In progress, II
subsequently developed that ofcias OF the previous
administration. themselves responsible for tho
development OF the abuse. had instgsted these
complaints against their successors while the latter
we're doing their utmost to remedy the matter"
The old story of the man who cries
stop thief" Consider the demoniac
ingenuity of the men who sought thus
to attract attention to their misdeeds
Mr.. PALIAs got over his establishment in
time to walk over to the greenhouses
where he found specimens OF "the Chi
nese fan palm, from the leaves OF which
the palm leaf fans of export are made,
also bearing fruit which resembles big
clusters OF green grapes; "cinerarias
in glorious blaze of maroon, purple,
rose, white and magenta; "the Indian
azalea, also very attractive ;"the orchids,
with their brilliant shades and rich
colors, and many other things good to
look upon. He poked up the bug hunt
ers in the department in this fashion:
Tho force Of the entomolosist Of the depart.
ment was drafted for the work Of snow removal
on many occasions when the eIlsencics Of the
work required II. The entire remaining time was
riven 10 Kidding the trees OF cocoons, eEg masses,
scale insects and debris from the trees OF down.
town parks, Including Bryant. Madison Square.
Union Square City Hall and Battery parks"
He looked at the Speedway and found
that his predecessor hal made serious
mistake when he "resurfaced" the road
way with upstate loan at IN expense
of more than 500 1000" Mr.. PALLAs says:
Countless thousands of small and some large
stones worked up through the surface of the drive
TO the CONSERVATION OF the drivers Of valuable
horses. BY the SLOW and expensive. process of hand
picking. following the use OF rakes whenever pos
sbic. about nifty double truck loads Of the stoncs
were removed. and It Is impossible to say when the