Norwich bulletin., 1921-03-23
sTAnE PARK COMMISSIONERS
 isFrs FOURTH BIENNIAL REPORT

The fourth. biennial report of the Con- necticut State Park commission is now in print and may be obtained by request from the secr2tary, GeorgsSA Parker, 647 Main street. Hartford. It. records sub stantfal progress during the past two years, notably in5the acquisition of Kent Falls. by gift, and Of Hdmmonasset Beach (Madisen9: ana,sthe Devils Hop Yard (E,ast Haddam) by purchase. Other new sites are Button ball Brook (Chaphn1 Black Pond , 2@MiddlefielG .. Lake Wara- maug "(Kentl, Wooster mountain CDan- buryr Nathaniel Lyon memorial East ford9 and Humaston. Brook Nitchfeld) Additions have also been made to the preyf5us Holdings at West Peak (Meri- denj. and Macedonia Brook (kent) The number of state parks has increased to a total of 25 and the total acreage is now 5,12T. These are listed and described In the report. togetfsr with a statement of the developments and operations of the period -se 5f', Y.i+5@s Ese
 ! Wharton Brook s(North Haven and wallin gford), the first Wayside park was opened fin the summer. of 1919, and is now in service: night and day the year round: The cost of this service IS covered entirely by~ sales of gasoline. oil and other supplies. ssand the volume of
 
 cernber i, 1920; was over s26,00O.
 The shore mark at Harnmonasset Beach was hot ready for usedunth late in July. 1920, with only eight or ten weeks of the eason rernaininks yet it was visited by some SC. .0se people, and the total recelpf for service and ..supn iAs reached neariy 1 s9 oOt. This also heItirely; covered the cost or operations. so that the mainten- ance of these parks entails no burden upon the state. The >custodians and at tendSnts are employed by the connmis- sion in the service of the state. and are not allowed to receive. tips. No conces- sions b private interests, are made. and the iSthffc .aIe safeguarded from any form Of expieitation.4ss.
 The report lsho WE. however. that Con- necticut is 'stilF> far b ehind it's neighbors in park areas. having in both state park | and forests only one acre in 300, while | New York now has more than 20 in 300 and is steadily buying more at an in creasing ora4e.2 The recent jump in lum- 1 Der prices has resulted in still greater 1 temptations, fer the. owners of ,standine 1 tit1ber sndisvery year it. becomes more difficult 10 find suitable park sites with l reasonable sforestation. Also. with theil increasing rarity, the prices of sucf l lands are Steadily rising:
 For these reasons the, commission be- lieves sthe straest economy to lie in the i inifnediates purchase of certain ..desirabl' sites now Threatened by subdivisi fl cut ting afid priRate !develoHment for summe l cottages and that. the, sum of $535.00 should be expended for such lands during the coming two-yesr r period.
 | Tt is alsb recommends further develop nent Hammonasset beach of whic' this first season has plainly shown thu
 coming need, an1 the zestablishment of :; 1 ntrnber of waysideg parks along the busi
 est highways of the state. for the con
 veiriience of theythousapds who are nov
 using those .high >4ys; For these. ant other, improvenents to the system. 1 estimates the sum of $535,0o0 to be re l 1uired-- --'t-.-.