New Britain herald., 1921-02-10
CONN. ACREAGE IN
 |, PARKS ONE IN 300
State Commission Would Expend
 S6S5,OOO for Next Year

The fourth biennial report of the Connecticut States Park commission is now in print and may be obtained request from the secretary, George A. Parker. 6AT Main street. Hartford
 It records substantial progress dur inK tho past two years. notably in tho acquisition of Kent Falls by gift. and Of Hammonasset beach (Madison). and tho Devils Hop Yard tEnst Had dam). by purchase. other new sites arc Buttonball Brook (Chaplin). Black Pond tMiddlehcld. Lake War amnug (Kent). Wooster Mountain (Danbury), Nathaniel Lyon memorial (Eaatford). and Humaston Brook (IAtchnald). Additions have also heen made to the previous holdings
 West Peak CMertden). and Mace Asfiia Brook tKent). The number Of state Parks has increased to n total of 75 and the total acreage is now b,lgi. These arc listed and described tin the report. together with n state ment of tho developments and opera tions of the period.
 Wharton Brook North Haven and walllnEford), the first wayside park. was opened in the summer Of 1919. and Is now in service night and day tho year round. The cost Of this service is covered entirely by sales of gasoline. oil and other supplies. and .ths volume Of business for the six tscn months ondinT Dec. 1. 1920, was over S26.000.
 The shore park at Hammonasset Beach was not ready for use until late In July. 1920. with only eight or ten weeks of the season remaining. yet it was visited by some 6o,ooo people, and tho total receipts for service and supplies reached nearly s9.000. This also entirely covered the cost of oper- 'ation, 50 that the maintenance of those parks entails no burden upon tho state. The custodians and att tondants arc employed by the conn mlasion in the service of the state. |a are not allowed to receive tips. |N Concessions to private interests arc made. and the public is safeguarded from any form of exploitation.
 The report shows, however, that Connecticut is still far behind its neiEhbora In park areas. having in both stato Parks and Forests only one ncre in 300. while New York now has more than twenty in 800, and is uteadily buying more at m increas- nr rate. The recent jump In lum- per prices has resulted in still great br temptations for the owners of Ia nding timber. and every year it becomes more diffcuit to find suitable ark sites with reasonable foresta-
 Do. Also. with their increasing rari- N. the prices Of such lands are stead " rising.
 For these reasons the commission elievas the truest economy to lie in ae immediate purchase of certain esirabfc sites now threatened by sub lvfaion. cutting. and private develop lent for summer cottages, and that ne sum of sS3S.oo0 should be ex- ended for such lands during the pm two year period.
 Lt ao recommends further de- nlopSnent at Hammonasset Beach. of
 hich this first season has plainly hown tho coming need. and tho cs-
 Ebltrhment of a number of wnyside
 .rks along tho busiest highways of
 . state for the convenience of the
 ousanda who are now using those
 ghwayn For these. and other im-
 ovements to tho system. lt esti-
 htes tho sum of s25o.ooo to be re-
 fred.
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