Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-30
GOLDEN GATE PARK
San FranciscO's Beauty Spot
Once DesOlate Sand Dunes
Reclamation Long Struggle with Some
Discouragfpg Failures-Pcople's
Playground Now the Rcne-
fcinry of RicE Men
(By Frederic J. Haskin)

San Francisco, Calf, Nov. 8.-Goden
Gate park In San Francisco enjoys not
| only the worshipfJl homage OF all Call
| fornians, but worldwide fame as we'll.
Many Europeans and Asiatlcs who have
never heard of the California redwoods
or tho Yosemite valley know all about
this park. and hurry out to see 1t as
soon they arrive In San Francisco.
| For Golden Gate park. with all its nat
ural' beauty-its lakes and hills and
wooded isands--is a made park. created
entirely by the park commissioners Of
San Francisco since 1870. Before that |
date, the space now containing the park |
was IL mere expanse of sand dunes
stretching desolatey down to the Pacific |
ocean. Certainly not an encouraging pros |
pect for q park but the city had Its own
reasons for locating It there. For one |
thing the property then was not as vail |
liable as that in other sections Of the |
city, and the adjustment OF land titles, |
II was thought. would be an easy mat |
tor. As 1t happened, many greedy land |
owners attempted to Interfere with the
enterprise, but the city finally bought |
lob acres Of the dunes at the price of
100000
Once in possession of the tract. the park
commissioners Immediately started their
comprehensive scheme for improving it.
II was q courageous park commission.
Hampered like most such institutions by
lack Of funds. every step of it's work was
rendered difroult. The necessary upplies
Of loan and fertilizing material were OBJ
tanned only after much agitation. and
then an Independent water supply had
to be fought for. While the San Fran
ciscans Of to-day insist that they always
knew the park would turn out to be the
hands ONE thing that 1t is, and that they
we're enthusiastic about it from the very
beginning. the park records show that
popular interest In those early days was
very slim. Perhaps this was only natural
since what the landscape artist saw In
the minds eye by no means visible
to the ordinary citizen.
CONQUERING THE DUNES
According to Supt. John MclAren, who
lives in the park. and has been engaged
in developing it for many years, the sand
dunes in the beginning. stubbornly re-
sisted reclamation. Lupin and barley were
planted, but these would not hold the
sand. Grass seed was then imported from
| France, which proved its efficiency at
once. The sea-bent grass. which -four
ishes so extensively along the European
coast, was also used with gratifying
success. This grass requires little mois-
ture and no manure, but 1t Is a wonder
LUZ tdttHeT anu nOlueT OF tnG SanO. W ltn
its aid, tho drifting sands were held in
check until the Monterey cypress and
other branches of the pine family were
able to lend their assistance in holding
down the land. In due time the meadows
were sown with Kentucky blue grass,
and on the hillsides madrone, manzanite.
laurel and other native trees took hold.
To-day, there is little evidence OF this
early struggle. Shrubs. hedges and trees
have been planted with such cleverness
,hat nature herself must sometimes be
deceived into thinking that she put them
there. Palm and pepper trees do not DOM
mate the scene they do in southern
California. The eucalyptus tree-,hat
queer, Independent giant, which grows by
leaps and bounds and sheds its leaves
whenever 1t feels like II, instead of
waiting for a definite season-is. Of course
much in evidence, but are huge-leafed
sycamores and poplars and silver naples
Stretching In an irregular line across
the park from northeast to southwest, is
a chain of lakes, which add marvelousy
to the charm of the landscape. So gent.
ly nodded are the shore curves, so ir.
regular the inlets. and so thickly wood
ed the islands in some of the lakes, thai
no one would dream they had been frs
designed on paper and brought into be-
ing by landscape engineers.
work on the largest lake" explained
Mr.. McLaren in discussing the lake chain
required the excavation and removal o
80. U0 cubic yards OF material, and tn,
deposit Of the earth and sand in mounds
and ridges 800 feet from the water line
Along the margin of this lake there Il
wide. smotth and extremely popua
driveway special Lovers Lane ha
been provided in the park, but the lovers
with their usual talent for finding soul
full scenery, prefer this driveway instead
In the evening IL Is crowded with silent
motionless cars, apparently hypnotize
by the view Well, the light the wa
ter Is inspiring, and the seven little Is
lands floating on the surface of the lake
bearing tall birches and pine trees. wit
an underground Of rhododendron. fern
and aders, create an enchanting atmos
phere.
BENEFICIARY OF RICH MEN
Golden Gate park has long been tn
special darling of San Franciscan philan
thropists. Because ii is so beautiful pei
haps, every millionaire OF any consequence
has wanted to have his name emblazone
there. The great center Of popular In
terest. for instance, is the Temple OF MI
sic In Concert Valley, which was give
to the park by the late Claus Spreckle
known as the sugar king. IT is in III
Italian Renaissance design. the chief ms
terial used being Colusa sandstone of a
agreeable light color and of great hart
ness. The central structure has Il from
ag, Of IS feet, is 20 feet high and
banked on either side by Corinthian CO
umns II contains a large, semi-circl
lar niche or band stand, with capaci,
OF 100 musicians. Extending from Il
CCrnthian columns each side are CO
Onnades 50 feet high and 10 feet Wild
each colonnade being supported by
Ionic columns
In front of this temple thousands
people sit Sundays and holidays
listen to bard concerts The seats u
arranged IN rows under heavy canOI
of foliage of short sycamore trees, who
branches have bsen clipped in the shal
of wide umbrellas
Tho dedication Of the temple to the CT
was the occasion of a seething torrc
of eloluence on the part OF the acce!
Ing public. Public speakers struggled 4
adJectives that would do proper Justi
TO the gift.
pie has builded for himself an enduri,
monument" began one address-and en-
ed; From the tombs OF Nippon Al
Nineveh. from Egyptian pyramids, fro
every carved image and monumental p
the world over, from shrines that Y