New-York tribune., 1911-03-12

beauty OF Prospect Park Those who do
not skate on the lakes in winter or row on
them in summer 1T least enjoy looking ai
| them all year. According To recent re-
port made to the Mayor by Park Commits
| sioner Kennedy, the lakes are being grad''
ally Tiled UP through the prevailing drain
age system. and If radical changes arc not
quickly made they VIII be ruined. His re-
port reads in part:
1T Is inevitable that certain quantities of
| fertilizer. soil and decayed vegetation must
he carried into the lakes by the present
system. making tho problem Of keeping the
water clean and healthy more difficult
every year. 1t also hlls the streams and
beds Of the lakes with a deposit of silt
which must in time become menace Ia
tho public health. and sooner or later do
! away with the possibility OF boating on the
| lakes. In tho winter the surface drainage
finds its way into the lake on every day ~
thaw. seriously endangcring the safety OF
skaters. and making It often impossible to
open the lake to skaters when this sport is
permitted to the public In other parks"
The new tennis locker house will be open
for use this spring. II has been I'm the
course of construction for so long that tho
tennis players had begun 10 think they
would never live to benefit by it, The
building H. to serve a double purpose. II
will be a shelter for the general public as
well as a cocker building, whcrc five hun
dred persons may store their property. The
building stands on tho brow of "A little
hill Ia the long meadow. not far from The
path leading TO tho 9th street entrance Of
the park. II II constructed Of brick and
white stone, and rooted with Spanish tiles.
Its cost will reach the sum Of $500 1t is
the only pretentiols structure. besides the
greenhouse. on its side Of the park. A
shelter house has been needed there. but
park improvements come slowly.
The handsome structure has for neigh
bors two ancient buildings. one houses the
merry -go-round. and the other Is ram
bling shelter house Both buildings arc
ultimately t. nc torn down. The merry go
round Is 10 be placed near the Willink on
trance. where the tone Of its surroundings
will he more in keeping with 1t. Some
would advocate getting rid Of it altogether,
were 1t not for the pleasure it gives the
children. Another little shack that harrows
the feelings of all beauty loving visitors
is the little locker house near the croquet
grounds. This also stands just off the long
meadow. but near the path leading To the
Sd street entrance. This building has been
used heretofore by both croquet and tennis
players-greatly To the Inconvenience Of the
latter. who were compelled To carry their
nets half mile to their ground which is
between the 9th street and the 18th street
paths
In the future closer restrictions are ~
hold in check the frcquen;ors Of the
smaller parks Last summer, the resir!c-
tions were relaxed as an experiment. The
people were allowed to use the lawns and
do other things not generally permitted.
The result was that some Of the parks
ended the season in a pitiable condition.
Tompkins and Lincoln Terrace Parks suf-
fered especially. Their lawns were worn
out, their bushes and trees-used as clothes
racks-wcre broken down, their benches
were carted about and smashed and their
fountains were in some cases ruined. LIN
coin Park also had its share OF trouble
MoCarren Park, which could not possibly
he ruined. because il is little more than
Z dirt patch. is going to be made into
bona fide playground or rather four play
grounds The largest of the sections Will
he converted into a baseball field and an
athletic ground. There will be a running
track a quarter-mile long and an open
air gymnasium. The field will be 50 ar