Evening journal., 1920-01-17
YEARLY WORK OF
YPARK BOARD
William p. Bancroft is Re
Elected President of
the Body
NEW BRIDGE WORK
FULLY DISCUSSED

William 4. Bancroft Was UNANIMOUS
y elected President OF the Board OF
Park Commissioners for the seven
.eenth time at the annual meeting or
he board yesterday afternoon. Mr..
Bancroft has been a member Of the
Board OF Park Commissioners since its
ereation by the Legislature in 1883, and
lad acted as president continuously
since March L. 1901.
In taking office, MIR Bancroft appoint
Vi the following committees 70 serve
or the new year.
G. II. Baynard, J. L. Carpenter ana
q Candy. executive committee; Jerome
n BELL. John II. Donlin, Charles w. For
wood and Thomas B. Melvin, finance
committee: Jerome B. Bell, Edgar l..
'Iavnes. Thomas VI. Monaghan aud Mrs
-harles Cooper, park extension Doaru
committee.
After announcement OF these COM
o,itiees the annual meeting adjourned
md the monthly meeting convened. Inc
nrst matter which came before tne
,oard was the changing q the monniy
md annual meeting dates, 10 being de-
.ermlned 10 meet the second Friday OF
eoch month. In the future, instead OF
on tbe second Wednesday. The an
maj meeting will take place on the
second Friday Of each January IN the
f,tnre. The bylaws Of the commission
,vere amended to cover the chanee'
special meetings may be called Dy the
7resjdent. II three Of the members OF
he board communicate TO elmer VI
these officers a desire TO do so.
Joseph L. Carpenter was seated as
n,ombers OF the board at the meeting.
A spirlted discussion took place CON
cerning a communication from lhe
Washington Street Bridge COmmlssion'
which asked that the contractors for the
erection OF the new structure be alloWee
"a use as much park land IN norm anu
south Brandywine parks, as Is neces-
esrv for the erection Of the bridge. Ihe
communication stated that space was
needed for the tool sheds. temporary
offices and the machinery with whlcn
the operation was 10 be carried on, ana
requested that the commission act
favorably In this matter. Il was also
stated that Il was .he opinion OF the
Washington street Bridge Commission
that more favorable bids could be OBJ
talned from the contractors II they were
assured sufficient space 10 do the wOrk.
then made an examination OF the plans
and blue prints Of the bridge, and de-
cided 10 allow The contractor TO have
as much space as was needed TO sue
cessfully carry on the operation pro-
vided that as little damage as possible
Is done 10 the trees on both banks OF
the Brandy1vine. The matter OF how
much land was actually necessary TO
prosecute the bridge contract was left
10 The discretion OF Park Superinten-
dent Mack and the executive committee.
The annual report OF the superinten-
dent was then read and accepted and
Mr. Mack ordered 20 have this report
printed
Councilman Forwood wished 10 know
why the Old Court House was not be-
ing removed more rapidly, and reply
was made that the contractor for this
operation is also in charge Of the eX-
ravation and foundation work OF the Of
ice building at Ninth and Market streets
and also Of the construction OF the pro-
posed new building Of the News Pub
Hshing Company an that, 20 AVOID NOV
NJ the material twice. he was allowing
he walls as they stand at present TO
a for ,he two operations mentioned.
The treasurer reported as follows
Balance at last report S2O1.6I; re-
ceipts from various sources s5.s9Sg
total available funds, 50 005.6i; total
expenditures during month, s4.560.36
valance, SO 4i62s.
The annual report Of Park Superin-
ondent z. n. Mack was, in part, as fol-
Ows:
Balance on hand from last report,
lli2.i0.
The dupont Engineering Company
and the Ordnance Department Of the
Army. vacated the old court house, in
September and contracts for the removal
of the building and the earth were let.
The work has progressed slowly but II
ieems likely that 70 will be completed
" March !.
The dupont company has offered to
contribute a sum not TO exceed siO,UO-
10 aid IN the completion OF the square.
During the year the western park
way in the Union Park Gardens sec
tlon. has been paved. graded and plant
cd by the Emergency Fleet Corporation.
At the nOrtherly end, the section be-
tween Delaware avenue and seventeenth
Street has been graded at the expense
" the WoOdlawn Company.
Win these sections are finished
nearly 30 per cent. Of the parkway will
De completed.
ii5 permits were issued. which Is
yearly twice as many as in any previous
year.
Thirteen Fairgrounds were open dur
ing July and August, with an attendance
II 97,705.
The operation OF the Fairgrounds is
more fully described in the report OF
he playground supervisor, Miss Weav-
or. which is appended.
The swimming pools were open from
June ? TO September i6, inclusive.
The expense OF maintenance has been
H.5i9.53 and the receipts S6iOS
The gross expenditure per bather
has been &c cents, the net 9 cents. The
attendance at the pools was 93s0i. The
receipts were 500 so.
Miss Jennie VI. Weaver, superin-
tendent Of public Fairgrounds, submit
ted her annual report. thirteen cen
ters were In operation last season, Win
twenty-five leaders in charge. sixty
two playground baseball games
were played. Weekly athletic events
were held on all grounds. while various
outings were made to farms and near
by woods from time 30 time. The
Younger children were Instructed In
kindergarten occupations. while the
older children were taught athletics,
sewing and crocheting. Dramatics were
emphasized and presentations given
before nelghborhood audiences often
numbering from three to four hundred