New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-08
ELIOT URGES new
PARKS FOR QUEENS
BlameS Controller for Fail
ure to Obtain Large
Areas Needed.
PAYS TRIBUTE TO
CLINTON H. SMITH
Commissioners Kennedy and Hig.
gins Also Praised-Demand
for Stadium.

Abstracts Of the first annual report oe
were made public yesterday by Walter
G. Eliot, Park Commissioner for the bor-
It sets forth, among other things. that the
park area was increased $3.50 acres
during the year, bringing the total park
acreage in the borough up to 1,0O15o.
The budget allowance for 1912 was $685.
1928 The number OF gardeners to main
tain the parks was sixteen and the num-
Der OF laborers thirty-two.
The report was made in accordance
with the wish of Mayor Gaynor. In
foreword Commissioner Eliot expresses
his satisfaction for the help he received
from Clinton II. Smith, secretary OF the
Park Board. and for the advice and as
sistance of Commissioners Kennedy and
Higgins. No reference is made to ex-
Park Commissioner Slower.
OF Colonel Smith he says:
II would neglect an important duty
and rob myself Of privilege did | not
at this time acknowledge with grateful
thanks the valuable aid which has been
rendered TO me in the organization or
this department by the secretary of the
Park Board, Colonel Clinton II. Smith,"
Colonel Smith has been seriously i'll for
some time past at his home, on Cathedral
Parkway, Manhattan.
The acquisition OF new park areas in
Queens, the report states, is extremely
urgent. II says I'm this regard:
This subject is one OF immediate
urgency, il Queens is ever TO be supplied
with even the most limited percentage
Of general parks. The danger and ex-
pense of longer delaying 1t admit of no
dispute. The particular obstacle 20 the
purchase of the largest areas most need
cd At the present time appears 70 be the
general attitude Of the Controller, which
seems 10 be such as will be maintained
for the next twenty years, II the usual
argument that the city has no funds is
10 he admitted"
Speaking OF Queens, IL is set forth tha-
Il differs from other boroUshs, being made
up OF former villages and towns having
few interests in common and an un-
reasonable jealousy of each other Con-
tinuing, the report declares:
Anything Of a park nature, or, in fact.
any improvement which one community
wanted. was fought. and is still 10 "A con-
siderable extent fought by the others all
most unitedly.'
Queens. IT is explained, has few parks.
It's largest is Forest Park, ten acres larger
than Prospect Park. in Brooklyn. Many
improvements have been made there In
the last year.
Commissioner Elicit points out the de-
mand for a stadium. in view OF the ever
increasing interest in athletic competi-
lions and field sports. There is an aban-
doned reservoir in the region Of Highland
Park. which II is intended to convert into
a stadium. Along this line the report
says:
at would seem from the experience OF
the past that If provisions for stadium
were made within the next few years I'm
each borough IL would be a matter OF
comparatively little expense, yet IL left
to the time in the future when public
demand cannot be overlooked II will in
yolve millions
A bureau for the care Of street trees
and for study and development OF park
trees is one OF the years accomplish
ments