Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-01-07
1920 REPORT ON
PARKS IS GIVEN
Supt. Tooker Makes Annual
Report to-. Commissioners
at First Meeting of Year.

The annual report of James l..
Tooker, Sr., superintendent of parks
for the city, was received last night
at a meeting of the Park Commis-
sion. The report. in part. follows:
The maintenance of Caledonia,
Bayview and City Hall parks has
constituted the principal work of
park employees during the season OF
1920.
washington Park has been
maintained 50 far as the upkeep of
bridges. repair of washouts and the
destruction of weeds have been con-
cerned. On account of the destruc-
tion of two new drinking fountains
placed in this park during 1888.
no drinking water was furnished
during the past season. The seven
steel benches have been destroyed
and the wooden benches placed be-
tween the trees are disappearing, six
having been cut out and carried
away.
"There seems to be an inherent
inclination on the part of some OF
the park patrons to put the drink
ing fountains out Of commission.
The fountain at Bayview Park was
out of order on four different occa-
sions. and in each instance the
thumb lever was removed and car
ried away. At Caledonia Park the
fountain was damaged on three oc.
casions. First the center piece was
removed and lost. then the entire
bubbler was removed. but in both
cases the bubbler was found in the
grass, where it had been thrown.
"It has not been deemed advis-
able to. commence work or attempt
to develop several of the properties
designated for park purposes on ac-
count of the board not having been
provided with maps. showing the
extent of boundary lines of such
properties. The northern boundary
line of Washington Park. which was
supposed to be the lane leading from
the Aims House to the city's burying
ground. is now in doubt. the state
ment having been made that the
park only extends to the first gully.
Caledonia Park was completely
graded in the early spring, and the
soil has been brought to the highest
state of cultivation, the lawns
shrubbery and young trees showing
a remarkable growth.
Besides the thirty young Cali
fornia poplars in nursery, there are
at present ninety-five trees in per-
manent position, as follows: Old
willows, IA: young willows, 10; Cal
ifornia poplars. 13: old naples, 8;
young naples. 8: white ash, /; mul-
berry. IL: wild pear, /; ailanthus
2; button ball (gun), 3: oriental
plane, 3: white birch, 4: dogwood
1; beach, s.: hickory. 1; cedar, S;
pine, 2: sassafras, /. Six trees were
presented to the park by citizens
as follows: George ]. Haney, mul-
berry; Mrs. James Lewis Compton
mulberry; Mrs. Walter II. Van
Schoick, maple; Franz Roessler,
white ash; Charles H. Woolsey. two
California poplars. These trees
have been marked with a bronze
tag containing the name of the
donor.
Concrete steps. leading from the
upper grade to the lower terraces
We're built by park employees at a
cost of $45. AS soon as material
prices will warrant posts will be
erected at upper entrance on High
street, and the fountain wall and
basis will be completed.
THE old bulkhead along the
water front of the park has been
reinforced by removing the rocks
from the site of the old Long
Ferry" dock and placing them
against the bulkhead. Several hum
dred tons of rock have been moved.
The site of the old dock together
with the beach at the foot of High
street, will make the best bathing
beach in the city, hoVever, to COM
plete this Improvement and give
our citizens added pleasure it will
be necessary to purchase sufficient
ground for a site for bathing paw
illion adjoining the park. and the
removal of the sewer outlet at this
point
ssThe 100 benches in this park
proved insufficient during the past
season and fifty additional benches
(Continuad on Page ~