El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-05-29
MUNICIPAL PARK
BIGPLAYGR0UND
Washington Park Is City's
Most Popular Place; New
Custodian Vigilant.

Washington park is fast becoming
FL Paso's municipal playground. Dur
ing one week day recently there was a
ball game between two army teams in
prog Z So on the ball grounds. two har-
ness horse owners were trying out
their steppers on the back stretch
OF the race track. school
picnic was being held on the
lawn under the trees the swings and
small crowd was gathered around the
bear pit and the animal cages.
The city park is now in its most at
tractive dress The privet hedges have
all been trimmed. the dead limbs
cleared from the trees. all OF the walks
wet down to make them hard. all Of
the waste paper, dead leaves and trash
has been removed from the park, the
old stables have been torn out, and II is
as neat as a private lawn. Custodian
C. F. Shepherd. who took charge OF
the park on Nay Is. has had a force Of
men at work since he took charge and
made wonderful change in the East
FL PaSO park. All OF the weeds
around the play apparatus have been
cut more than 40 wagon loads of
leaves. hedge trimmings and trash
have been removed to the city dis
posal plant and the lawns are being
carefully cut and sprinklers are kept
going 10 keep the lawns green and the
carefully trimmed hedges growing
Custodian on the job.
The new custodian is in personal
charge OF all the details Of the big
park He is up by $50 each morning
and is often policing the park as late
as 10 and II o'clock at night. He does
not interfere with any OF the picnic
parties except to request them 70 de-
post their lunch boxes and waste pa
pers - the receptacles, but he keeps
a close supervision over the entire
place The gang Of Mexican boys
which has been so annoying TO Ameri-
can women who visit the park with
their children has been broken up and
custodian Sheppard Will not permit
them 10 loaf ~ the park He is also
careful TO see that none OF the trees
are damaged by horses and frequently
orders the owners 20 hitch outside or
the park to prevent the horses from
damaging the trees and shruobery.
Policeman Needed.
Mr. Sheppard has made a request to
alderman John ". Fisher TO have a pO-
liceman in uniform stationed at the
park on Sundays. It is necessary for
him to take charge Of the ticket selling
for the baseball park and other conces-
sions and it is impossible for him to
police the park such days, he says. Al
derman Fisher is taking a personal in
terest in the parks and IS planning
number Of Improvements in Washing
ton park. a wOman's rest room has
been established in the old office OF
the fair association near the main en-
trance TO the park This adobe build
ing has been pebble dashed outside
and refinished inside and is a cOnYen-
fence TO the patrons Of the park A
number Of little houses have also been
built in the park and a quantity OF
shrubs and trees planted
More Deer for Park.
The park officials are trying to find
some more deer TO take the place Of
those donated 10 the city by Mr. and
Mrs J. L Vaughan which died several
months ago. a mountain lion cub has
been added to the collection recently
and il has been placed in a small cage
near its mothers cage The swan
which glides over the waters OF the
lagoon is also TO have a mate and ami
mails viii be added to the cages OF
the menagerie.
The city receives 20 percent OF the
receipts from the baseball park when
ball games are played there and also
from the refreshment pavilion on the
grounds Last Sunday the city's share
Of the receipts from the ball park was
S. This is to be used to establish
fund for the improvement OF the park
and ~ its proper policing.