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HOUSE... «....., - No. 1985

he Commonwealth of WBassachusetts, .~

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Boston, June 5, 1911.

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives.

I transmit herewith a réport by Mr. Walter Webster on
the Metropolitan Park Commission. _

The pending annual appropriaticns for this Commission
ageregate over $685,000, all of which is for its regular work
and does not include additional purchases of land or ‘ ex-
traordinary expenses.” The two chief items are $370,000
and $189,000 for the yearly expenses of the reservations
and the parkways, respectively.

The Metropolitan Park System represents a capital out-
lay of over $18,000,000, mainly spent for the purchase of
land and its improvement. Including interest on this debt,
the total yearly cost to the tax payers is over a million dol-
lars. The entire direct state tax is less than five million
dollars.

Considering the large costs of our necessary public insti-
tutions, hospitals, asylums, schools, prisons, ete., and the
general running expenses of the State Government, I can-
not believe that.the tax payers of the state intended that
the park systems should ever absorb so large a proportion
of the public funds; nor do I believe that it is either neces-
sary or expedient to keep on indefinitely increasing the area
and the annual expenses cf these reservations.

For example, the Metropolitan Reservations now comprise
9,400 acres, consisting mostly of woodlands, intersected by
wood roads and foot paths. The cost to the state represents
$40 per acre each year for up-keep and expenses as shown
by the figures given, not including the interest charges.

The high cost of labor is assigned as a reason for this,
but from Mr. Webster’s analysis of costs, it is obvious that

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2 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June

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the annual labor charge of $105,000 is only $11 per acre
and he recommends reducing this. He says that “ the labo
item has a constant tendency to grow larger and larger ir
an almost imperceptible way and that when the force is once
increased it is almost never reduced.” The same criticis
may justly be made of all the other expenses.

In comparing the pending appropriations with those of
1910 it should be noted that there is a net increase of only
$12,000, including all the newly added expenses of the
Charles River Dam, which amount to $91,000 and whick
were previously disbursed under a separate Commission.
On the surface, therefore, these figures show, as stated by
Mr. Webster, a reduction of nearly $80,000 this year in the
annual expenses of the Parks and Boulevards. However.
when we take account of last year’s extraordinary expenses
such as the costs of new buildings and the $59,000 cost of
repairing the damages by storm at Winthrop, this apparent
saving is wiped out. In fact, the requests for appropria-
tions this year taken item by item, for police, labor, wages
and even for engineering costs, are uniformly higher thar
last year, aside from the added expenses of the Charles Rivei
Basin.

In my judgment the Metropolitan Parks represent a dan
gerously heavy outlay of money. Almost the entire presen
Metropolitan Parks property was acquired prior to 1901
but during the ten years since then, the running expense:
have piled up at a startling rate. The same is true of the
Parkways (to maintain which an additional annual expense
of $189,000 is incurred). These are thirty-one miles in tota
length, with an area of 864 acres. These are mainly boule
vards with a strip of parkway on either side. Their average
width is (from figures given) 200 feet, including that of
the roadway. To maintain each mile of such parkway costs.
per annum (on the average of this year’s request for money).
over $6,000. For comparison I may say that the whole
cost of constructing the State highways in the Metropolitar
District has been but $17,000 a mile.

I believe that the general public is getting very little re.
turn for the immense and increasing outlay. As an instance.

‘RAP h,
SBP Fe 1919

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 3

the yearly costs of the item of road repairs are now over
five times (per square yard) what they were five years ago.
This inerease is almost wholly due to high-speed automobiles
and I cannot see why the automobile owners should have
these pleasure roads kept up for their use at public expense.

For example, the annual costs of policing these public
spaces are $173,700. <A far larger police force is required
in summer than in winter, largely on account of automobile
travel. Yet the force is kept up through the winter and kep:
partially occupied in cheap, manual labor, such as cutting
wood, notwithstanding the immense sums paid directly for
labor.

The general situation may be summed up in the language
of Mr. Webster’s report : —

“The regular park boulevard has been converted into an
aristocratic highway and the public is paying the bills.”

This comment is all the more striking because of the nota-
bly conservative character of the report.

A somewhat parallel situation is revealed by the Charles
River Basin, now maintained under the Metropolitan Park
Commission. This enclosed water park was built by the
people at a cost of over $4,000,000; it is supported by the
people for public use at an estimated cost, this year, of over
$90,000; yet in the last annual report of the Chairman of
the Metropolitan Park Commission we read that the Com-
mission has proceeded slowly in popularizing the Basin be-
cause of the “ plainly expressed disinclination of property
owners in the neighborhood of the Basin to have its present
clean-shaven, formal look, and the uninterrupted vista from
their houses, interfered with.”

In the same line I regret the necessity of reporting that a
section of the Blue Hills Reservation, along its southerly
edge, in Canton on Turnpike Street, is not marked as public
land but is permitted to appear as private property, occupied
In part by a privately maintained polo ground, hennery and
piggery.

I earnestly recommend that no additional purchases of
land and no more elaborate engineering improvements on

4 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June, 1911.

land already purchased be made, until the present public
investment in these parks is made more serviceable to the
public itself; and until the annual costs to the public are
reduced by increasing the license fees on pleasure automo-
biles and applying these funds directly to the up-keep of
these parks and boulevards. With over 30,000 automobiles
now owned in this state, a very moderately increased tax on
them would remove this present excessive burden of up-keep
from the general public, and the very moderate remaining
public expense would represent only a fair price for the use
the people make of these public lands.

Mr. Webster recommends certain reductions in expenses,
such as reducing the police appropriation by $10,000; the
labor item by $10,000 and the cost of lighting by $5,000. I
believe these reductions are feasible and request that they be
made. If this is done as a start I feel sure that further re-
ductions can be made annually, but I believe that it is of
much greater importance to enact a law which will provide
for collecting larger automobile fees and thus put the heavy
costs of maintaining the parkways directly on those who use
them most.

The pending regular appropriations for the Commission
amount to $370,597.96 for the reservations; $189,483 for the
parkways; $26,500 for the Nantasket Beach Reservation;
and $6,512 for the Wellington Bridge. Last year the ap-
propriations (excluding cost of damage by storm at Win-
throp and other special costs) were $363,142.96; $174,507,
$24,300, $6,512 respectively, or a total of $24,631 less than
the present requests. I approve for the current year only
these same amounts of last year, and also approve the pending
request for the Charles River Basin of $91,975, representing
expenses previously borne by a separate Commission which
is now discontinued.

There are also pending special appropriations for engi-
neering work, amounting to $60,000. I cannot approve these -
at this time but will report upon them in connection with
other engineering work now under investigation in the Met-
ropolitan area. |

EUGENE N. FOSS.

Che Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

REPORT ON METROPOLITAN PARK COM-
MISSION.

By Water A. WEBSTER.

To His Exeelleney EuGeNe N. Foss, Governor of Massachusetts.

I herewith transmit to you my report covering my investi-
gation of the current expenditures of money under the super-
vision of the Metropolitan Park Commission.

The immense field covered by this commission has necessi-
tated a great deal of detail work and consequent delay. The
commission itself and its subordinates have been very cour-
teous and have done all in their power to aid me.

I make a number of concrete recommendations, involving a
saving in the maintenance of the park system of $30,000
per annum : —

For labor, . é ‘ : : : : : ; . $10,000
For police, . : . ; ‘ : ; : , . 10,000
At Nantasket, ‘ ‘ : 4 : : ; ‘ , 5,000

For lighting, ¢ . ‘ ‘ ; ‘ : : ‘ 5,000

I also make the following recommendations : —

That the jurisdiction of the bridge between Cambridge
and Boston be taken from the park commission and treated
similarly to the other bridges between Cambridge and Boston.

That the commission annually print in its report an item-
ized statement of its expense fund, showing its receipts.

That Charles River Basin be popularized.

6 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

That the advisability of placing the employees on the
Charles River Basin under the civil service requirements
be considered.

That a special automobile license be required in the met-
tropolitan area.

That the State highways in the metropolitan area be placed
under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Park Commission.

That if additional revenue is raised that the price of bath-
ing be decreased.

I also at this time recommend that the annual report of
the commission be properly indexed on account of the diff-
culty of readily finding information without it.

I file herewith as supplementary to the main report a state-
ment of facts regarding a polo ground and shooting stand on
the Blue Hills Reservation.

In general, I have found this commission to be an excel-
lent administrative body. Its plan of organization is excel-
lent and its work is done economically.

It is difficult to compare the work of this commission with
other departments of the Commonwealth in many respects,
as the work is so entirely different, but it can be fairly said
that the overhead costs, so called, and the administrative
expenses are less than in any other department, in proportion
to the volume of work done. The commission has held its
own in this respect from year to year.

Respectfully submitted,

WALTER A. WEBSTER.

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. ve

Apert) ea OM od Be

Hisroricat Resume.
The Metropolitan Park Commission was born in 1892,
when, by chapter 342 of the Acts of that year, a commission

oe

of three was authorized to “ consider the advisability of lay-
ing out ample open spaces for the use of the public in the
towns and cities in the vicinity of Boston.”

The result was the act establishing a Metropolitan Park
Commission, chapter 407 of the Acts of 1895. This act
provided for five commissioners, and provided that they
should serve without compensation. They were given power
“to acquire, maintain, and make available to the inhabitants
of said district open spaces for exercise and recreation.”
The district originally comprised 12 cities and 25 towns,
and at the present time comprises 13 cities and 26 towns.
Chapter 407 started the acquirement of reservations.

Boulevard or parkway construction was authorized by
chapter 288 of 1894, and is a distinct act from the reserva-
tion act of 1892, being supplementary thereto. These two
acts formulated into law the concrete conception of an entire
park system covering the whole metropolitan area with the
various sections connected by boulevard, or highways of first-
class construction.

Revere Beach was added to the system by chapter 483 of
the Acts of 1894, while Charles River was first authorized to
be improved by chapter 509, Acts of 1894.

Nantasket Beach was acquired by chapter 464 of the Acts
of 1899, and Cohasset and Hull were added to the metropol-
itan park system by reason of this taking. The last great
acquisition was the Charles River Basin, which became a
part of this system in 1910, but which had been in process
of construction by a separate commission since 1904.

8 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. — [June,

A great many other legislative acts have been passed au-
thorizing the acquisition of new territory or the improvement
of old, while various persons, by will, have made splendid
gifts of land to this system.

In 1893 the park system was represented by 99114 acres,
consisting of the Beaver Brook Reservation of 59 acres, and
a fragment of Blue Hills, containing 95214 acres.

In 1894 Middlesex Fells, with 1,583 acres, was added;
Stony Brook, with 475 acres, together with 5,000 more acres
in Blue Hills, making a total of 6,070 acres.

In 1895, 85 acres were acquired at Revere Beach; 188
acres on Charles River; 3 acres at King’s Beach, and 24
acres at Hemlock Gorge. The holdings at Blue Hills were
also increased, and so were those in Middlesex Fells.

In 1896 the only material increase in area was that in
Middlesex Fells, 187 acres.

In 1897 there was very little increase, except at Charles
River, where 57 acres were added.

In 1898 Blue Hills took on 545 more acres; Charles
River, 310 acres; and the West Roxbury parkway, of 156
acres, was added.

In 1899 there was a substantial increase again: Mystic
River, with 290 acres; Neponset River, with 920 acres;
Winthrop Shore, with 16 acres, and Nantasket Beach, with
3 acres, being added. This brought the total acreage up
tol'9i279:

In 1900 the increase was very shght. Quincy Shore was
acquired, with 58 acres, as was also Lynn Shore, with 4
acres, while Nantasket Beach was enlarged.

In 1901 Hart’s Hill was acquired, with 23 acres.

In 1902, 1908, 1904, 1905, down to date, further aequisi-
tions to the reservations were limited to the acquirement of
land contiguous to existing possessions.

The boulevard or parkway system (as distinct from the
foregoing which relates to the park system, or reservations)
was a negligible quantity in 1893 and 1894, and really only
started in 1895, when the parkways, exclusive of streets ac-
quired, amounted to 11114 acres. Each succeeding year

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 9

from this time on witnessed parkway takings, which con-
nected the principal park areas with one another and which
were a valuable addition to the beaches and riverways, so
that in the current year there are 31.687 miles of parkway,
embracing an acreage of 864.16.

The acquirement of large areas for park purposes has
practically ceased, and except for necessary additions to the
existing system it is doubtful if the acreage will materially
increase, unless perhaps in isolated spots or by reason of
some extraordinary movement of public opinion.

ORGANIZATION.

The Metropolitan Park Commission consists of five mem-
bers, who supervise and pass upon all acquirements, construc-
tion, purchases, permits and the acts of the departments and
of the division superintendents. It is the executive head of
the park system. The chairman receives a salary of $4,500
per year, and is the active head of the commission. The
other members receive no salary, but are entitled to $600 per
year for expenses. The secretary is the recording and exec-
utive officer of the Board. All records and property are in
his charge, and he is responsible for all money received to
the account of the Board, and is under bonds to the amount
of $10,000. The present secretary is also law officer of the
Board, under authority from the Attorney-General, and as
such has charge of law matters and settlement of claims
generally, except in trial of cases arising out of takings, en-
forcement of restrictions, and other matters which are han-
dled directly by the Attorney-General. He has general su-
pervision of the office and its various departments, of the
police and the several division superintendents and_ their
work.

The assistant secretary, who is also the purchasing agent,
acts as secretary in the absence of the secretary. He has
charge of the purchasing department, of inspections, inven-
tories, and the discarding of materials, tools and other prop-
erty which are no longer useful.

The Board divides itself into sub-committees, the chair-

10 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

man being a member of every sub-committee. These sub-
committees divide up the vast territory, in order that careful
supervision may be exercised over all of the area. In the
present Board Mr. Whitney and Mr. Casas are a sub-com-
mittee for the Blue Hills section, which includes the Stony
Brook Reservation and also Furnace Brook and Quincy
Shore. Mr. Curtis and Mr. Casas are the committee on
Revere Beach, Charles River Basin, Lynn and Nahant. Mr.
Skillings and Mr. Casas look after the Middlesex Fells area,
while Mr. Benton and Mr. Casas look after the upper por-
tion of Charles River and that section.

The members of these sub-committees act only under vote
of the Board, but they come together frequently for inspec-
tion, conference and advice.

The Board prepares and presents to the Legislature an-
nual estimates for maintenance appropriations, and after the
appropriations are made apportion them to the work.

The Board elects its chairman, appoints the secretary and
other employees of the general office, selects all experts and
special advisers, division superintendents, police and other
employees, except laborers, and passes upon all contracts
above $25 in amount, but individually makes no purchases,
contracts or appointments.

A chief engineer, with eleven assistants, two clerks, a
chauffeur and occasional other assistants are at the general
office. There is also a paymaster, and a small force of clerks,
messengers and a telephone operator divided among the de-
partments of records and files, accounts and general office
work.

Special and expert assistants, such as architects, landscape
architects, consulting engineer, appraisers, and those who
assist in estimating values of real estate and obtaining op-
tions for its purchase, are employed as necessity requires.

The salary paid to the chairman of this Board of $4,500
per year does not seem to me to be excessive, considering the
vast range of his executive duties, and is less than the salary
paid to commissioners and other officials of the Common-

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 11

wealth, the city of Boston and the national government who
do less work than he is required to do, and in many cases
work of a less important nature.

The $600 per year received by the other four commission-
ers is not a salary, for many years ago they declined a salary,
when there is little doubt that the Legislature would have
granted them from $3,000 to $4,000 each per year had they
desired to accept it. This nominal money is intended to
offset actual expenses incurred by them in the performance
of their duties.

I have attended two full meetings of the Board and I find
that these meetings start at 2 every Wednesday atternoon and
last until 5.30 and sometimes 6 o’clock. The Board is busi-
nesslike in its transactions, and expedites business with great
facility, passing on more matters than the ordinary board
would do in a like time. The chairman devotes his entire
time to his work, and the other commissioners devote quite
a few hours of their time to their work in addition to the
time spent at meetings.

The secretary, who receives $4,000 per year, is a lawyer
of considerable ability, who devotes his entire time to this
work, and who with the chairman constitutes the real execu-
tive force. He has ample work to do, and it is difficult to
see how his services could be obtained for a smaller sum,
which is reasonable when the importance of his work is con-
sidered.

The assistant secretary has had his pay raised the current
year from $1,500 to $2,000. This in my judgment is a
reasonable increase, as he passes opinion on the purchase of
upwards of $200,000 worth of materials per year, besides
attending to his other duties. He appears to be a competent
young man, and has worked his way up in this office from a
small beginning. I am inclined to think that a position of
this nature is worth more rather than less money.

The personnel of the office force seems to be excellent.
They seem to have plenty of work to do, and I should not
recommend any cut in this force or in their pay.

12 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. — [June,

The reservations and parkways are grouped into seven
divisions, under and directly administered by six superin-

tendents, as follows: —

Blue Hills Division : —
Blue Hills Reservation and Parkway.
Neponset River Reservation and Parkway.
Stony Brook Reservation.
Quincy Shore Reservation.
Furnace Brook Parkway.
Middlesex Fells Division : —
Middlesex Fells Reservation and Parkway.
Mystic Valley Parkway.
Lynn Fells Parkway; Hart’s Hill.
Alewife Brook.
Fresh Pond Parkway.
Revere Beach Division : —
Revere Beach Reservation and Parkway.
Revere Beach bath-house.
Nahant Beach bath-house.
Nahant Beach Parkway.
Lynn Shore Reservation.
Winthrop Shore Reservation.
Lynn Way.
Charles River Division : —
Riverside Section.
Speedway Section.
Hemlock Gorge.
Charles River Basin Division.
Beaver Brook Division.
Nantasket Beach Division.

The superintendent of a division is the executive head of
his division. The police are under him and so are the fore-
men and laborers, carpenters, firemen, engineers, employees
of bath houses, ete. He is generally a captain or lieutenant
of the Metropolitan Police Department. He may expend
only such money as is apportioned to his division by the
Board, and must keep proper books of account for petty re-
ceipts, for all expenditures and all property in charge, and
for all the acts of the police and employees assigned to them.

The highest price superintendent is Herbert W. West of

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 13

Revere, who receives $45 per week as salary, and a house
free of rent and other conveniences which are valued at $10
per week. In my judgment this man is underpaid rather
than overpaid. He acts as police captain over 32 or 53 men,
is the executive over the superintendent of the bath-house at
Revere, which employs a huge force in the summer time. He
also is over the Lynn bath-house, and I may say that at the
Revere bath-house they manufacture all of the bathing suits
used not only at Revere and Nahant but also at Nantasket.
They also repair them there. In addition to this they run a
large laundry. Beside that, Charles River Basin, the West
Boston bridge, which is under the entire jurisdiction of the
park system, comes under Superintendent West. He is on
duty all of the time except when he is sleeping, and this is
accounted for because the house that is furnished to him is in
the Revere Beach Reservation; and the park commissioners
believe it to be an advantage for the superintendent to live
on the reservation, because it keeps him there and saves time
in transit to and from his home. It is a responsible position,
and in this, and in several other instances, the commission
cannot be accused of undue extravagance in paying salaries
to some of its subordinates holding executive positions.

The highest price superintendents elsewhere receive $5 a
day, and the lowest price one, at Beaver Brook, receives
$24.50 per week.

The pay of these men is substantially what it has been for
the past ten years, the aggregate salaries for superintendents
increasing from $8,936 in 1901 to $10,634 in 1911, although
their duties have vastly increased.

Property oF Commission.
The chief property item under the jurisdiction of this
commission is land, of which there is an acreage of 10-
294.77. This amount is divided as follows : —

Acres.
Reservations, ; F : ‘ ; : ; ; . 9,430.61
Parkways, . : : : : , : , ; . 864.16

lt METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. — [June,

The reservations, itemized, are as follows : —
Acres.
Blue Hills, . : ; : : 2 : : : . 4,906.43
Middlesex Fells, . : : : : : : : - 1,898.09
Neponset River, . : : , : ‘ ‘ , . 921.95
Charles River, . : : 4 ‘ : ‘ ‘ ‘ 673.76
Stony Brook, : . ‘ R ; ‘ . ‘ . 46372

Mystic River, . : ; ‘ : , : ‘ . 291.57
Revere Beach, . c x : ¢ x K 2 67.40
Nantasket Beach, s : c : ; ‘i : : 25.59

Beaver Brook, . : : x 4 4 : “ 4 58.33
Hart’s Hill, ‘ : k 5 . ‘ < 22.97
Hemlock Gorge, . : ‘ : : : : : : 23.06

King’s Beach and Lynn Shore, . ‘ ‘ , ‘ . 22.89
Winthrop Shore, . : : ‘ : ‘ : < ‘ 16.85
Quiney Shore, . ‘ ‘ : : ‘ ‘ : : 38.02

9,430.61

The parkways, itemized, are as follows: —
Acres.
Blue Hills, . : ; ‘ : : : : : . 83.65
Middlesex Fells, . ‘ 2 : ‘ : 3 : ‘ 78.66
Revere Beach, . : : ‘ : ; : : SL) eee
Mystic Valley, . : : : ‘ ‘ : ; : 91.76
West Roxbury, . : ‘ < ‘ : : . 3 72.37

Neponset River, . . : : ‘ ; . ‘ : 74.52
Fresh Pond, ‘ " ; ‘ x : . ‘ : 12.40
Lynn Fells, . : : : : ‘ : : ‘ : 7.68

Furnace Brook, . : : 4 : < 3 c : 89.13
Nahant Beach, . _ : ‘ ; : : ¢ 2 69.24
Lynn Way, . : ‘ : : 3 : : : d 4.98
Winthrop, . : : ‘ : ‘ : ‘ . : 5.47
Alewife Brook, . ‘ : ‘ ‘ * z ‘ - 146.99

S64.16

The commission has under its jurisdiction 12.7 miles of
seashore and beach holdings and 51.56 miles of river front-
age, reckoning this frontage as one bank.

The riverbank frontage is as follows: —

Miles.
Charles River, . ‘ : : ; : : : : 27.56
Mystic River, . : : . _ : . s ‘ 8.16
Neponset River, . : : 5 : ; : : : 15.84

se

1911.) HOUSE — No. 1985. 15

The seashore and beach holdings are as follows: —

Miles.
Lynn Shore, ; : : : i : ; ; : 1.50
Nahant Beach, . : f ; : F , : ; 3.92
Revere Beach, . : ; ' ; , . : ‘ 2.74
Winthrop Shore, : . ‘ F ; : : : 1.08
Nantasket Beach, : : : 4 : : : F 1.02
Quincy Shore, . . : ; , A : : : ot

12.07

The buildings under the commission are as follows, and
number 186: —

Division headquarters and sub-stations, stables, garages,
workshops, work sheds and work buildings, sanitaries, refec-
tories, superintendents’ and other dwelling houses, band-
stands, boat-houses, bath-houses, hotels, cafés, laundries,
power-houses and leased buildings.

These buildings are plain but substantial structures.
Some of the police stations or division headquarters are
somewhat ornamental, but are not built extravagantly. Even
the ornamental structure known as the bath-house at Lynn
is serviceable, and not by any means too large or roomy.
The Board in its construction of buildings has been reason-
ably economical. They are built of durable material, gen-
erally brick or re-enforced concrete, and the maintenance
charges are very slight. The hotel and café was acquired
when the Nantasket Beach section became a part of the park
system in 1899. The buildings at Nantasket are chiefly
wooden, except those built by the commission itself, which
are of brick, and they cover a great extent of territory.

The income from the rentable property at Nantasket
Beach just about balances the expenditures made necessary
by wear, tear and upkeep, and although it is not essential for
the purposes of this report, it is my opinion that the price
paid for the property at Nantasket Beach was certainly very
liberal, and in my judgment excessive, although this is a
matter that the Legislature is responsible for and not the

16 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

Park Commission. Generally speaking, the commission has
been very careful in the construction of its buildings, for
they are especially designed to last for a long time, and of
such a nature as to incur but little expense for repairs or
alterations for many years to come, the maintenance charges
being limited in the main to cleaning, painting and ordinary
light repairs.

The commission has 87 bridges under its control, as
follows : —

Drawbridges, ‘ ‘ 4
Re-enforced concrete bridges, . ‘ 2 : , 3 Baris)
Steel bridges, ‘ ; : : : 9
Wooden bridges, . 5

Foot bridges, : : ‘ : : ; : , ; on ul:

Some of these bridges are of very substantial construction,
especially the bridge between Cambridge and Boston, which
was turned over to this commission as a part of the Charles
River dam property. I recommend that the jurisdiction of
this bridge, so far as everything but the dam is concerned,
be taken away from the Park Commission and be treated for
bridge purposes the same as the other bridges between Cam-
bridge and Boston. It is an anomalous position to force wpon
a Park Commission jurisdiction over the main traftic bridge
between Cambridge and Boston, in close proximity to rail-
way freight sheds, and over which thousands of heavily laden
wagons and trucks pass each weekday, to say nothing of a
continuous stream of trolley cars and pedestrians. This ne-
cessitates the constant presence of a traffic squad of park
policemen, who, as bridge policemen, are performing labori-
ous duties that properly belong to the policemen of the city
of Boston or Cambridge, and whose compensation is much
larger than the park policemen. This is a matter for the
Legislature to determine at some time, as it is unfair for the
metropolitan park district to bear the entire burden of main-
taining this bridge when it is devoted entirely to commercial

1901] HOUSE — No. 1985. 17

purposes. It is true that under the present metropolitan
parks apportionment Boston bears .60987 and Cambridge
.04897 of the total cost of the maintenance of this bridge, but
in fairness to the park district Cambridge and Boston, be-
tween them, should pay the entire cost.

The commission has under its control 74 culverts, 7 dams,
60 tide-gates, 16 floats and landings, 1,945 catch-basins, 1,345
street lights, 2.81 miles of seawall, and a police signal system.

The commission is a manufacturer of bathing suits, main-
taining a factory that runs through the winter in the seeond
story of the bath-house at Revere Beach. They do their work
economically, and I find that the cost of manufacturing jer-
seys, trunks, stockings and other bathing clothing is 'ess, by a
considerable amount, than the purchase of the same goods
under competition in the open market. I commend this par-
ticular work. They have a modern, up-to-date plant; the
wages paid the employees are reasonable, the quality of goods
is excellent and the work done is entirely satisfactory.

The commission maintains and operates its own laundries,
the principal duties of which are the cleaning and drying of
bathing suits. The equipment is modern and first class, and
the work done seems to be satisfactory. The man in charge
of the manufacturing at Revere during the winter is also in
charge of the bath-house during the summer. His salary is
$1,300 per year, which is not high by any means, considering
his efficiency and the nature of work, and the large number
of employees under him.

The sanitaries number 22, and have a tendency to con-
tinually increase in number and size, owing to the increasing
patronage of the reservations. They are well built, clean,
and kept in first-class condition.

The work headquarters and stables in some places have
cost more than is actually necessary for the use to which they
are put, but the reason for this is entirely satisfactory, as
structures on the parkways should be built with an eye to the
esthetic character of the surroundings, and therefore stable
yards have been enclosed and small:courtyards maintained,
with this end in view.

18 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. — [June,

The commission, it may be said, also maintains its own
paint and carpenter shops, and does most of its work of this
nature.

Cost or Park System.

The total cost of the metropolitan park system, exclusive
of appropriations charged to maintenance or other moneys
credited to maintenance, and constituting what corresponds
to the capital charges in a private corporation, amounts to
$18,899,250.96. This amount represents money borrowed,
with the credit of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts be-
hind it, and charged to the cities and towns in the metropoli-
tan park area. It is subdivided as follows: —

Metropolitan parks loan fund, Series I., . : . $8,982,612 85
Metropolitan parks loan fund, Series IT., ; 3 5,093,591 70
Charles River Basin loan, : 5 , ; : 4,123,046 41
Nantasket Beach loan, . : : : 2 : 700,000 00

$18,899,250 96

Loan Fund No. 1 originated under chapter 407 of the
Acts of 1893, and represents the money spent for acquiring
the reservations and improving them for park purposes. It
represents the money paid for land takings, the develop-
ment of the land afterwards, and the incidental law, engi-
neering and architectural expenses, together with the fees
paid real estate and other experts in settlements of claims
and in the trial of suits for damages. The Revere Beach
and Nahant Beach bath-houses are included in this.

Loan Fund No. 2 originated under chapter 288 of the
Acts of 1894, and represents the money spent for boulevards
and parkways and incidental expenditures similar to those
above described.

The loan funds are almost entirely exhausted and will be
so this current year.

Until 1900 all expenses of maintenance, interest and sink-
ing funds were paid out of the loan funds according to the
requirements of a special statute. This was because a defi-
nite arrangement to apportion the expenses and repayments

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 19

among the cities and towns in the district was not put into
effect until 1900. Since that time, by virtue of chapter 419
of the Acts of 1899, it is provided that in the year 1900 and
in every fifth year thereafter commissioners be appointed to
determine and make award of the proportions in which each
of the cities and towns of the district shall pay to meet the
expenses of the park system. An apportionment was made
in 1900, in 1905 and again in 1910. The apportionment
takes into consideration the maintenance charges and the in-
terest and sinking fund requirements. In the year 1910 the
cost under this apportionment for the entire district was as

follows : —

Parks, . : ; : 5 : : ; : . $884,169 06
Boulevards, . : : ; : ; : : ; 214,797 26
Nantasket, . : F : : : : : , 55.586 09

$1,154,552 41

In the apportionment of 1910 there will be added to this
the charges against the Charles River Dam and Basin.

The total amount of money asked for last year in the way
of appropriations was $672,561.96, so that the difference be-
tween this amount and the apportionment amount represents
the fixed charges on the district for interest and sinking fund
requirements.

One apportionment is made for parks, one for boulevards,
one for Nantasket Beach, and two different apportionments
for the Charles River Dam and Basin.

The itemized statements, showing specifically how the
loan funds have been spent, is contained in the commission-

ers’ report for 1910, and I therefore do not append it here.

Exprense Funp.

The expense fund is not contained in the reports of the
Park Commissioners, other than the mentioning of a few
gross amounts. J recommend that in future reports of the
Park Commissioners an itemized statement be printed of the
expense fund, in order that the public may be informed

20 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. — [June,

about it. As it now stands this information can only be ob-
tained from the books of the commission itself. This is a
very important matter, as the expense fund in 1910 amounted
to $88,316.32.

The expense fund is made up as follows: —

Receipts from bath-houses.

Receipts from rentals.

Receipts from fines and other police sources.
Receipts from the sale of buildings and materials.

The receipts from the bath-houses are used for the repair,
maintenance and operating expenses of the bath-houses, and
incidental structures and conveniences. The bath-houses
have always been self-supporting, a charge being made that
slightly more than offsets the cost of running them.

The receipts from rentals are used for repairs and im-
provements in the buildings from which they have been de-
rived.

The receipts from the fines and police sources are generally
expended for police signal systems and other police expenses
of an extraordinary nature.

The receipts from sales are generally expended for such
matters as might otherwise have been properly paid for out
of the loans, and are intended to replace capital spent.

The bath-house receipts for 1910 were as follows: —

Revere Beach, . : é ; : A A 4 . $36,547 50
Nantasket Beach, . : ‘ é F : : ; 9,561 05

Nahant Beach, , é : ; : : ; : 6,441 95
$52,550 50

The principal receipts from rentals were as follows: —

Buildings : —
Bluer-Halley 4212 F 3 : ; . $100 00
Nantasket, ; ‘ : : f . 8,600 00
— _ $8,700 00
Land : —

Blue Hills, ; A : 3 ‘ Re " & 475 00

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 21

Houses : —
Blue Hills, 2 : : : ; . $698 00
Middlesex Fells, : : : : . 664 60

Charles River, . : : : : . 481 40
Nantasket, : : : : : , 87 50
$1,931 50
Duets : —
Charles River Basin, 5 ; ; : F : 242 62

Roller-coaster, ete. : —
Nantasket, ; : : : : : : ; 1,993 90
Boat-house sites : —

Charles River, . ee es : : . $1,024 00
Blue Hills, : ; : ; ‘ : 60 00
Middlesex Fells, F ; : E : 10 00
1,094 00
Transits : —
Engineering department, . : ; F : ; 24 00
Pastures : —
Blue Hills, ; ; : : ; . $255 00
Charles River, . : : : : : 25 00
— 280 00
Boats : —
Blue Hills, 3 : : : ; : ; : 399 49

$15,139 52

The receipts from court fines, principally automobilists
eulty of overspeeding, were $8,641.40.

The receipts from the sale of material were principally as
follows : — |

Wood, . 5 ; 2 : : ; : : le Om OU

Grass, , : ; ‘ ; : : ‘ : ‘ 499 00
Horses and sheep, . : F 7 : . ; F 335 00
Loam and sand, ! ; 3 ‘ : F ‘ j 277 80
Pipe, : ‘ f , : : : : i Bigreris elec he,
Old lumber, . : é é : ; ‘ : ‘ 205 00
Old metal and rags, . : : : : : ; > 210 62
Lunch stand privileges, . s : ‘ : : : Ta9769
Photographie privilege, . , : : : : 4 300 00
Street railway locations, . : : : é ; = LSloova:
Steam, Nantasket, . P ' : : : 3 . 2,224 30
Transits, . ‘ , : : 5 ‘ ‘ : ; 250 00

Second-hand motor cycles, 2 ‘ : ; ; : 420 00

22 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. — [June,

From the foregoing it will be seen that the commission
sells quite a quantity of old material.

There are many small items, amounting to a few hundred
dollars all told, that I have not included in the above table,
and I have itemized it in this report because they are not
itemized in the commissioners’ report, although the expendi-
tures from the expense fund are all carefully itemized in
their report, with infinite detail.

From my inspection of the different places in the park
system and from looking at their expense books, I would say
that the local division superintendents are very economical
in turning into cash everything that is sold. They aecount
even for items amounting to but a few cents.

APPROPRIATIONS FOR MAINTENANCE.

All comparative statistics given under this head will rep-
resent the total cost of maintenance in each department,
whether the same was charged to loan funds or to appropria-
tions. Prior to this year everything was divided, and it is
only by a consolidation of accounts that we get at the real
cost of everything, from a maintenance standpoint.

The total appropriations for 1910 were. : - $672,561 96
The total appropriations asked for 1911 are. . 685,067 96

The appropriation items are divided as follows: —-

1900. 1911.
Reservations, . : : : F . $444,142 96 $370,597 96
Parkways, . : ; ‘ : : 194,507 00 189,483 00
Nantasket Beach, . A : : : 26,900 00 26,500 00
Wellington Bridge, : ° : : 7,012 00 6,512 00
Charles River Basin (new), . ‘ z ~ 91,975 00

$672,561 96 $685,067 96
672,561 96

Tnerease, : ; 2 : : : 3 : . $12,506 00

1911.] HOUSE.— No. 1985.
The increased appropriations are as follows: —
Reservations : —
General office salaries, . ; ; $450 00
Engineering department, : : 2.390 00
Police department, . : : 4,500 00
é Labor, teaming and keep of foros 6,655 00
Supplies and miscellaneous ex-
penses, : : d ; : 300 00
———_ $14,295
Parkways : —
General office salaries, . : ; $450 00
Engineering department, f ‘ 2,390 00
Police, . : A : 2,900 00
Labor, teaming eer keep of oes 8,253 50
Lighting, A : ; : 1,032 50
Water or its eqiivalent, : : 250 00
Supplies and miscellaneous ex-
penses, : : ; : : 1,100 00
ee 16,376
Nantasket Beach, police, : ; ‘ : : : 2,200
Charles River Basin (new), F ‘ : ; : 91,975
$124,846
The decrease in appropriations is as follows: —
Reservations : —
Lighting, , : , 5 $30 00
Gypsy moth ee ; : f 6,810 00
—_——_—— $6,840
Special appropriations made in 1910 for specific things,
but not made in 1911: —
Sanitary, Revere Beach, é : $16,000 00
Bear Hill Tower, . ; ; : 6,000 00
Damage by storm, . ‘ F : 59,000 00
— 81,000
Parkways, gypsy moth work, : ; ‘ 1,400
Special appropriation made in 1910 for noni ee
but not made in 1911: —
Resurfacing Blue Hills, . : . $5,000 00
Sidewalks, Middlesex Fells, . : 5,000 00
Resurfacing Mystie valley, . ‘ 10,000 00
20,000

23.

0)

00
08
00

00

00

00
00

00

24 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

Nantasket Beach, special appropriations made in 1910
for specific things, but not made in 1911: —

Incinerator, . é : : : $1,000 00
Painting, : : P , ; 1,600 00
RPP aT $2,600 00
Wellington Bridge, installation motor, 1910, : 5 500 00
$112,340 00
Increase 1911 over 1910, . : : : . . $124,846 00
Decrease 1911 over 1910, . 3 : i ‘ . 112,340. 00
Net imerease, . : : 5 ; ; , ~ $12,506 00

From the above table it will be noted that there would have
been a decrease of almost $80,000 in the cost of the mainte-
nance of the park system in 1911, as compared with 1910,
had it not been for the burden imposed for the first time in
the shape of the Charles River Dam, which means a new in-
crease of $91,975 for maintenance, and this will be a perma-
nent addition.

COMMISSIONERS SALARIES.

The salaries of the commissioners remain the same in
1911 as in 1910, the total amount asked for being $6,900,
itemized as follows: —

Chairman of the Board, . : f j ; : . $4,500 00
Four commissioners, each $600, : ; : ‘ . 2,400 00
$6,900 00

This compensation has remained unchanged since it was
fixed by statute and agreed upon in 1900. By the system
of bookkeeping followed by the commission, one-half of this
is charged to reservations and one-half to parkways. J have
already commented on these salaries and recommend no re-
duction in them.

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 25

GeNERAL OFFICE SALARIEs.

The increase in 1911 over 1910 is $900, the reason for
this increase being the added burden of the Charles River
Basin, which entails extra work. . The total salaries asked
for in the general office this year amount to $13,690. This
is the total expense for clerks, messengers, bookkeepers, ste-
nographers, purchasing agent, paymaster and telephone oper-
ator. This amount has increased but very little in ten years,
the amount in 1901 being $11,800. It has varied a few
hundred dollars from year to year, and is now less than what
it was in 1907, when the salaries paid were $14,270.

The salaries paid are not excessive, considering the work
done. The paymaster receives $1,200 a year, and is busy
every weekday, and in the summer time is compelled ocea-
sionally to work overtime. The number of employees at dif-
ferent times aggregates more than 1,000, and a large num-
ber of them are permanently employed. In order to pay
them he is compelled to travel about the entire district.

The first clerk, or what I might call the head bookkeeper
and head of the office, receives $1,200 per vear, and has been
in the employ of the commission since 1893. The second
clerk receives $1,150 per vear, and has been employed since
1895. The other clerks and stenographers are paid as fol-
lows: one at $780 per year, one at $660, six at $600.

These salaries, in my judgment, are reasonable. and as a
matter of fact are probably less, in proportion to the volume
of work done, than any department of the State. This is
accounted for in part by the fact that most of the office force
are women.

Extra Ciupricat ASSISTANCE.

The amount asked for in 1911 is $500, the same as in
1910. This item represents a total charge of $1,000, one-
half being credited to reservations and one-half to narkways.
It is a permanent charge due to the great rush of work in
the summer time. when the bath-houses are in full oreration,
with their several hundred employees and attendants.

26 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

GENERAL Orrice Suppiires AND MisceLLanrnous ExpEnses.
The amount asked for is $13,600, the same as in 1910.
The principal items under this head are as follows: —

Rent, lighting and eare of offices, . ; : : . $6,000 00
Telephones, : : : : : : : : -, i L650"00
Stationery and printing, . : . : : ; » A,c0OrOU
Annual report, . ‘ i E 5 P ; ; . 1,060 00
Travelling expenses, ; ; 3 , ; ; : 770 00
Postage, F : : ; : : : ; { 720 00
Maps and books, . : ; ; ‘ : : 5 400 00
Filing cabinets, ecards, ete, . B ‘ : : 2 370 00

There are many smaller items, like typewriter supplies,
office repairs, recording of papers, towel supply, in addition.

The rent represents a five-year lease, together with the
charge for care of offices and of cost of lighting the same.
The offices are located in the Congregational Building, 14
Beacon Street, and comprise the entire fifth floor, containing
4,579 square feet, with 398 square feet on the fourth floor.
In addition to this they have considerable corridor space on
the fifth floor. This charge does not appear to be excessive.

Under the telephone item is charged the switchboard and
telephone operator, who receives $468 per year.

The travelling expenses are accounted for by the vast area
of the system that necessitates the use of public conveyances.
It is also necessary at times to hire carriages. It is difficult
to see how any reduction can be made in this item.

There are various items charged to this account, like a safe
purchased last year and other material, that ageregate to a
substantia! total, but still not excessive under the cireum-
stances.

Law DrparTMENT.

This department will no longer appear as a separate item,
for on the first of this year Mr. Woodbury, the old secretary,
resigned, and his place was taken by Mr. Rogers, who merged
his legal duties with his new position as secretary of the
Board. The item appears in the estimate this year because
it was given to the printer before the old secretary resigned.

wae

1911] HOUSE — No. 1985. 27

This item called for $4,280 per year, $3,500 representing
the salary of Mr. Rogers and $780 the salary of Miss Noble,
who acted as stenographer and clerk for him. Miss Noble
will still continue to act in the office, as the legal work re-
quires a clerk of experience, there being thousands of deeds
and memoranda of land takings and other data requiring it.
Her salary will in the future be credited to general oftice
salary.

Banp Concerts.

This is a fixed appropriation of $25,000 made by special
act of the Legislature, and under the provisions of the act
free band concerts are given every day, after July 5d, except
Mondays, until Labor Day, at Revere Beach and Nantasket
Beach, both in the afternoon and evening. Concerts are also
given at various places all over the reservation, and at fre-
quent intervals. All told, there are over 300 concerts each
year, and the price paid therefor is much less than the price
paid for similar music by the city of Boston.

Lagsor, Teamina AND Kerrp or Horsrs.

This item is very large and calls for $185,065 for 1911 as
against $150,058 for 1910. The difference is chiefly ac-
counted for by an additional appropriation for Charles River
Basin of $20,100.

This item includes the salaries of the superintendents, of
the different divisions, and all labor, teams and cost of keep
of horses and automobiles.

The increase has been enormous during the past ten years,
being only $57,051 in 1901. The commissioners account
for this large increase, first from the fact that as the reserva-
tions were gradually put into condition for park purposes
there has been an immense amount of work necessary to keep
the system in good condition. The wear and tear on the
roads is enormous, due chiefly to increased automobile travel.
The underbrush must be removed in the larger areas, and all
this entails the employment of a large body of laborers. Sec-
ond, in 1901 the rate of wages was $1.80 per day for each
laborer; in 1911 it is $2. In 1901, the working day was

28 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

nine hours, while now it is eight hours. This is all matter
of statute, which all public bodies must follow. The result
is that 70 men employed in 1901 at a cost of $37,800, work-
ing nine hours a day at the rate of $1.80 per day, repre-
sented an amount of work that would now cost $52,500.
This matter will be relatively more expensive if the Legisla-
ture increases the pay of laborers to $2.25 per day, as con-
templated seriously now.

There are 46 horses under the control of the commission,
some of them doing police duty and therefore of an excep-
tionally good breed. The others are devoted to the ordinary
work. The prices paid for hay and grain and horse supplies
are not excessive, and no serious criticism can be made about
the cost of the horse item.

The svstem of employing labor is to keep a large permanent
force of laborers always on hand, as there is a large amount
of work to be done both winter and summer. During ihe
summer time, however, a large number of laborers are taken
on as occasion warrants, some of them working but a few
days and some for the entire summer.

The efficiency of the labor employed has been to me a
most difficult problem. I find on the one hand a criticism
that quite a few of the permanent force of laborers are not
overburdened with work during the winter season, and that
in general they could work harder than they now do. On
the other hand, the laborers themselves and their friends
belheve them to be much harder worked than are the city
laborers in adjoining cities and towns. As compared with
the city of Boston, I believe this to be true, and from per-.
sonal observation, both on the part of myself and assistants,
I believe that in some sections, at least, of the park area these
men do a reasonable day’s work.

This item does not include the employees of the gypsy
moth work, but are men who are engaged in the repair of
the roads, cleaning up the brush and doing the labor incident
to park work.

All work of an ordinary nature is done by the park force
directly under the direction of the division superintendent,”
and, in the case of the large division, under the supervision

191, ] HOUSE — No. 1985. 29

of a foreman. If the work is of an important nature, re-
quiring technical skill, the engineering force of the Park
Commission is called on fer aid, and the work is then super-
vised by the chief engineer or by one of his assistants.

The very important work and a large part of the construc-
tion work, or work in the nature of new construction, is let
out to contractors, and the job given to the lowest bidder.
For the bulk of the work done now, however, the regular
force of laborers is employed. It is undeniable that the roads
are now subjected to a terrific wear and tear by reason of the
constantly increasing automobile traffic. So, too, the average
attendance on the reservations themselves has jumped ahead
by leaps and bounds, so that the bulk of the increase in the
labor item is readily accounted for.

I recommend, however, that instead of an allowance of
$185,063 being made for labor, teaming and keep of horses
only $175,000 be allowed. This will take into consideration
the $20,100 increase due to Charles River Basin, and at the
same time will allow practically $5,000 more than in 1910.
I do this because it is my belief that the labor item has a
constant tendency to grow larger and larger in an almost im-
perceptible way, and because when the force is once increased
it is almost never reduced. This reduction will not be a
hardship, for the chief saving can be made during the winter,
and by doing away with idleness. This will effect a net sav-
ing of $10,065.

WATERING OR 1TS EQUIVALENT.

This item calls for an appropriation of $37,200 for 1911,
as against $36,950 for 1910. As a matter of fact, there is
very little street watering done at the present time in the
park system. Instead, the surface of the road is treated by
calcium chloride, tarvia, asphalt oil, liquid asphalt, asphalto-
lene, and other tar and oil products. This not only keeps
the dust down, but is a surface treatment that is absolutely
necessary to preserve the roads when they are subjected to
harsh automobile travel. The cost of doing this seems to be
reasonable, and I must commend the commission for the ad-
mirable condition of its roads, which are on a par with any
in this part of the country. This excellence of road mainte-

30 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

nance has been the means of attracting a large number of
automobilists to the park roads, and this accounts for the
great increase in this item, which in 1901 was $10,750.
This, coupled with the increased number of boulevards and
other roads, accounts for the large increase. I recommend
no reduction this year.

Suppiies anp MisceLrLaNnrous EXPENSES.

This item calls for $29,400 in 1911, as against $28,000
in 1910. It includes the general supplies, like fuel, tele-
phones, water rates, lighting and the miscellaneous expenses
that are charged against the different divisions. Each divi-
sion keeps its own books on these matters, and, in general, it
may be said that all the local expenses come under this head.
I recommend no reduction.

EXTERMINATION OF Gypsy AND Brown-rait Morns.

This appropriation has been very large the past few years,
and especially since 1906, although it has decreased very ma-
terially the past three years. Up to 1903 this work was done
by the Commonwealth, and no charge was made against the
park funds for doing it. The appropriations in 1903
amounted to but $5,500, and in 1904 to $9,500. This was
clearly shortsightedness, and as the same policy was pursued
elsewhere in the Commonweath the gypsy and brown-tail
moths inereased to such an extent as to completely defoliate
the Middlesex Fells and the park section located to the
north of Boston. This necessitated heroic measures, and the
amount was materially increased, so that in 1905 the com-
mission had $27,000 to work with. From 1906 onward the
work has been done on a more scientific basis, and immense
sums of money have been spent to rid the reservations of this
pest, as will appear by the following table: —

1906; 5 8 tn Ph tpn i 2B aR Tan en
1907}. 904i or i Gale chcon 1 enon ne
190Seincsaning ahilt weit amie om bs em eonO Manan
WONG bg ee a lee rae
WO a ce ee” ieee nn ee

LOTT ee ERS Ee ee eget an eee nT

eect

tod cathe Seek,

ae

;

Fe ese ae eee

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. ol

It is clearly apparent that the Park Commission bore more
than its share of this work because of the fact that the moths
started in close proximity to Middlesex Fells. It is claimed,
however, by the commission that they now have the moths
and other insect pests, like the elm-tree beetle and the San
José scale, under complete control.

The appearance of the trees and foliage in the reservations
is excellent, and gives every appearance of being carefully
looked out after. The commission has a large outfit to fight
the pests, and their carts from which they pump haye a
radius of action of 1,000 feet. This enables them to work to
ereat advantage from the roads, and with such a long Jine of
hose there are but few sections in the entire park system in-
accessible. For this reason any comparison of the cost of the
work done with similar work performed by the State For-
ester is unfair, on account of the greater difficulties attend-
ant upon attempted moth extermination in the wilder and
more isolated sections of the State. It is manifestly a dif-
ferent proposition to spray trees largely from the road in
reservations where roads are common than it is in vast tracts
of forest where only foot-paths and trails exist.

So, too, the commission, from an esthetic standpoint, fol-
lowing the opinion of landscape architects, has reduced the
undergrowth, brush and weeds, to great advantage to them-
selves. This renders their work easier than in places that
are practically impassable.

There has been a great improvement in the methods and
apparatus used in the past few years, and the men are more
experienced. The result has been a decided decrease in ex-
pense, and the outlay, I am informed, should be steadily re-
duced in each year to come. As the work already done has
greatly benefited the tree growth, and as the commission ap-
parently have this work well in hand, and as they have made
a decided reduction in their appropriations, both in 1910 and
1911, I recommend no further reduction than that asked for
by the commission.

32 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. | (June,

NanTaskET Bracu.

This item calls for $26,500 in 1911, as against $26,900 in
1910. The reduction of $400, which is credited to mainte-
nance, is, however, not a real reduction, for in 1910 the ap-
propriation called for the construction of an incinerator at a
cost of $1,000, to burn rubbish, and a special charge of $1,600
for painting. There has been a real increase, instead, of
$2,200 for police service. The police force here consists of a
sergeant aud thirteen men in summer, and a sergeant and six
men in winter. The necessity for this increase of $2,200 is
not entirely clear to me, for it seems as though the Metro-
politan Park Commission was doing considerable police work
that should be attended to by the town of Hull, especially,
and in part by Cohasset and Hingham.

There is a large summer colony in this vicinity, and as the
town of Hull permits the sale of intoxicating liquor there are
numerous disorderly and drunken persons who find their way
to the park reservation; and of the arrests that are made in
this vicinity the bulk of the offenders are incarcerated in the
metropolitan lock-up, and not in those of the local towns,
although the whole of the Nantasket Beach Reservation occu-
pies but 25.59 acres, and the shore line is but 1.02 miles.

In my judgment this appropriation for police should either
be materially cut down, and the police force diminished, or
the town of Hull should bear at least $5,000 of this police
expense, with a still further amount if the pressure of police
business warrants.

Before Nantasket Beach was acquired by the act of 1899,
the town of Hull was compelled to bear the entire cost of
the policing of Nantasket Beach, and Cohasset and Hingham
took care of the overflow. So, too, the town of Hull has
saved a great deal of money in street lighting, as the light-
ing on the beach strip is borne by the commission. It is
true that Hull gained some benefit, previously, from the tax-
able income of the hotel, café and other beach properties,
but to-day it is an absurdity to only tax Hull for less than
one four-hundredth of the cost of maintaining Nantasket

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 30

Beach, when the city of Boston is paying a tax for the same
thing of almost 61 per cent. In other words, Boston is pay-
ing in taxes for the maintenance of Nantasket Beach Reser-
vation this year $16,103.52, while Hull is paying $63.60,
Even the city of Cambridge is paying twenty times as much
as Hull.

This recommendation is apparently drastic on Hull, but
inasmuch as the entire Nantasket steamboat traffic is dumped
on the metropolitan park property, and as the chief amuse-
ment enterprises, which pay large sums in taxes to Hull,
are located in close proximity to the reservation, and as
the very policing itself gives a feeling of security to women
and children, the growth of the town of Hull has been facili-
tated and its taxable income greatly increased. It also
receives the benefit of the licenses for the sale of alcoholic
liquor, which is one of the chief causes of the extra policing,
while the Park Commission receives none of this license
money whatsoever.

The only argument that can be used against Hull paying
for extra policing is the fact that Hull, in common with the
other cities and towns in the metropolitan park area, pays
a tax for the maintenance of the whole park system, and for
interest and sinking fund requirements on the bonds issued
for the same. This tax that Hull pays amounted in 1910
to $2,354.19, and, with the addition of the Charles River
Basin, Hull this year will pay between $2,600 and $2,700.
The total tax income in Hull is about $130,000 per annum,
so that practically 2 per cent. of the tax income of Hull
goes to the support of the metropolitan park system.

This argument is met by the fact that Boston for the year
1911 will be assessed for its share of the metropolitan assess-
ment, including Charles River Basin, a total sum in ex-
cess of $800,000, which is 27% per cent. of the total tax
income. |

As a matter of fect H1!1 is a special beneficiary by reason
of the Nantasket | © ‘ing. She eiuploys but four po-
licemen during th © _ ad but eleven during the busiest
time of the summ« ‘ce. »olicamen make but few arrests,

34 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

and the chief burden falls on the fourteen patrolmen of the
metropolitan park system.

The park system, in strict theory, should confine its police
duties to its small area, and should not be compelled to do the
bulk of the police work for Hull. Hull will suffer no par-
ticular hardship, for her citizens make free use of the ad-
mirable toilet and sanitary facilities of the park system, and
the town in this respect is saved much money by not being
compelled to maintain such facilities itself.

Wewiineton Bripak MAINTENANCE.

This bridge is a part of an old turnpike road that was
put under control of the park system in 1904, under a statute
that provided that the Park Commission pay one-half of its
cost and the local cities and towns pay the other half. The
one-half that the park system must pay in 1911 is $6,512,
which is $500 less than in 1910. The reason for the extra
expense in 1910 was the cost of a motor that was installed
at that time.

It is a natural inquiry as to why it should cost $13,024
to maintain Wellington Bridge, as the water travel is very
light through there, but the answer is that it is a navigable
stream that is spanned, and therefore provision must be
made to open the bridge if necessary at any hour of the day
or night. This necessitates three shifts of drawtenders and
employees, for the State law will not permit them to work
more than eight hours per day. The men, as a matter of
fact, do but very little work, except for a period of about
four hours each twenty-four, but the law being as it is, no
reduction in this item can be recommended.

Marrrr Pension.

This is a fixed charge each year upon the reservation
maintenance fund, and was provided for by special act of
the Legislature to provide an income for the mother and
young child of a brave policeman who lost his life while
rescuing others from drowning.

aes -

191%] HOUSE — No. 1985. 30

CHARLES River Basin.

The basin was handled, until 1910, by a special commis-
sion of its own. It was then transferred to the Park Com-
mission. This enterprise of itself is of large size, and
represents a borid issue of $4,125,000. Until within a few
months the work done was in the nature of construction work,
and not maintenance, so that comparisons from a mainte-
nance standpoint cannot be made. It is undeniable that
there was a surplus of employees in this department under
the old commission, and that the executive force drew con-
siderable money for doing very little work. This condition
of affairs, however, I believe to have been done away with by
the Park Commission.

This item calls for an expenditure of $91,975 for 1911
for maintenance. This is a large sam of money, but it seems
to be a necessary expense. The public do not patronize this
basin to any appreciable extent, and it would appear that a
vast sum of money has been spent in a way that does not
appeal to the mass of the people. It is a legacy, however,
that the Park Commission inherited, and they must take
conditions as they find them.

For the current year the maintenance charges can at best
be only approximated, and I do not recommend any reduction
at this time, although I believe that conditions here could be
carefully studied during the coming year to advantage.

The chief charge is for police and labor. The labor charge
I do not believe to be excessive. In fact, from personal ob-
servation on the part of myself and assistants we believe the
laborers to earn all the money they receive. The police item
is very important, on account of the dangerous condition of
the river during the winter time, and because Boston and
Cambridge are now relieved from doing police duty in this
section.

The construction work is not entirely done, but will be
practically finished this summer, and then the problem of
maintenance will be the entire problem.

Although not strictly within the province of this investiga-

36 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

tion, I call your attention to the fact that the provisions of
the civil service law do not apply to the employees at the
Charles River Basin, and it would seem to be a subject to be
inquired into. The good of the service would seem to de-
mand that these employees be now placed on the civil service
list. If the civil service means anything, and is right in
theory, an exception cannot be made in this instance.

The Park Commission has shown that it has a firm grasp
upon the importance of the situation here, and under the
circumstances, before making an exhaustive report on the
subject of the Charles River Basin, I recommend that they
be allowed to carry into execution the plans that they have
been formulating. I would recommend that if possible they
popularize the use of this basin, and devise some way by
which the common people may avail themselves of this
splendid open space, that now seems to be an excellent back-
yard for Beacon Street and an excellent rowing place for a
few.

Pouice.

This item is a very important one and the appropriations
for 1911 call for $173,700, as against $132,600 for 1910.
The bulk of this increase is accounted for by the addition
of Charles River Basin, which adds $31,500 that was not
previously included. The increase in Nantasket is $2,200;
in the parkways, $2,900, and in the reservations $4,500
over 1910.

The charge for policing has practically quadrupled in ten
years. The charge against the reservations in 1901 was
£33,600; in 1911, $87,200 is asked for. The charge against
the boulevards in 1901 was $12,000; in 1911, $40,000 is
asked. The bulk of the increase in the number of police-
men can be readily accounted for by the growth of the park
system, both in increase of area and in use by the general
public. There were 40 policemen employed in 1901, and
110 in 1910. The increase has been gradual, except in
1910, when 25 were added, on account of Charles River
Basin.

Increase in Pay. — A considerable increase must be at-

petedn? age

CE TAA ELAN ASN AO a ae A TESS

1911.] HOUSE — No: 1985. - oF

tributed to the fact that the policemen have had their pay
increased by legislative enactment from 50 cents to 75 cents
per man per day. On the average, this amounts to an in-
crease of over 20 per cent. The men have also, by statute,
been allowed one day off in thirty, in addition to their regu-
lar vacations. This means an increase of over.7 per cent.

It should be noted that this has caused an increase not
only in the money paid for police maintenance but also in
the number of men employed.

Under police expense is included the cost of the signal
systems and police telephones, also the cost of uniforms and
equipment.

The personnel of the force in the main seems to be ex-
cellent and the mental caliber of the men high. They are
apparently well trained for their chosen work and are some-
what in the nature of a miniature army. This leads up to
the interesting question of whether the entire force should
be retained all the year round, or whether part should be
retained during the quiet winter months and an auxiliary
force in addition during the summer.

In the early years a permanent force, in the true sense
of the word, was not retained. A small number of men
was emploved during the winter and a large number taken
on during the summer. The commissioners claim that there
was great dificulty under this system in retaining good men
and in obtaining good men when required. They also state
that the amount of police force required in the winter grad-
ually increased by reason of the increased use of ponds and
rivers for skating, and the use of the roads for sleighing,
and because the automobiles use the roads almost the entire
year. The provision for one day off in thirty also made a
considerable difference, because the men do not get this day
off during the busy summer months, but have them bunched
together during the winter. The vacations also take place
during the late fall and early winter, and each of the force
is allowed two weeks.

Tt is also stated that the men are drilled and taught
revolver practice under a military officer, and emergency

38 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. — [June,

instruction under a physician. Quite a number of the men
act. as painters, carpenters, and perform lines of manual
labor other than police work during the winter time. The
men have agreed to this because their hours are unlimited
as policemen, whereas as mechanics they work only eight
hours a day and six days per week. The question of deter-
mining how many policemen, if any, should be laid off
during the winter months has been more or less perplexing
to me. I find that a large force is required at Revere dur-
ing the summer, and that only a nominal force is required
during the winter; the same thing is true, to a less extent,
of Nantasket. The men are shifted in the fall to some of
the reservations where more people go than during the sum-
iner, but during the winter it seems to me that there is a
surplus of men.

T am reluctant to recommend too sweeping a reduction in
the size of the winter force, not only because of the reasons
above given, but because I believe the men to be greatly
overworked on many days during the summer, and it is
only fair that this matter be taken into consideration.

Reduction of Force.
tion of $10,000 in the total police appropriations for 1911,

I recommend, therefore, a reduc-

this reduction not to include my recommendation about
Nantasket Beach or the bridge at Charles River Dam. If
this reduction be made I recommend that the Park Commis-
sion apportion their appropriations over the parks and boule-
vards in a way that will seem proper. I also recommend that
the number of men to be laid off by them be left entirely
to the discretion of the commission, both as to when and
how, and whom. From my examination it would appear
that the reservations could stand a diminution in the size of
the police force during the winter.

Special Automobile Tax or License. —1 recommend that
a special license be taken out by all automobiles desiring to
use the roads under the control of the Metropolitan Park
Commission, or the local park roads under the control of
the cities and towns in the metropolitan park area. I rec-
ommend that this annual license fee be $5 in the case of

ie coma

re

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 39

motor vehicles of 30 horse power or less, and $10 where the
horse power is greater than this.

This should yield an annual revenue of at least $150,000,
there being almost 32,000 automobiles in the State at the
present time, a large percentage of which are frequent users
of our park area.

Reasons for License. — The park roads were originally de-
signed for horse-drawn vehicles, and in the early days were
not subjected to a very heavy traffic. The result was that
the wear and tear upon the park roads was so light that prior
to and including 1905 the average cost of the maintenance of
all formal roads constructed by the commission and of the
roads in its care and control was 1.7 cents per square yard
per year.

In 1906 the effects of automobile traffic began to show, and
the work of maintenance included some tar surfacing. This
brought the cost of maintenance for 1906 to 2.2 cents per
square yard for the year.

In 1907, with the increased number of automobiles, the
cost went up to 2.6 cents per square yard.

Averaging 1909 and 1910 together, and including therein
repair and maintenance, reconstruction, resurfacing and all
the expenses made necessary by a most extraordinary auto-
mobile traffic, the average cost amounted for the parkways
and formal roads to 8.726 cents per square yard, this item
including labor and material.

Extraordinary Automobile Traffic on Parkways. — There
have been weeks during the summer when over 60,000
vehicles have passed over the metropolitan parkways and
roads. Of this number 74 per cent. have been automobiles
and 26 per cent. horse-drawn vehicles.

This, however, is very misleading, for these statistics in-
clude highways and old turnpike roads now part of the
park system for brief stretches, and therefore used for com-
mercial travel. The real test, therefore, comes on the use
of the park roads that are used for pleasure riding.

Revere Beach Parkway is a typical example. This park-
way runs from Middlesex Fells to the border of Lynn, and

40 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

is 514 miles in length. I had statistics carefully compiled
regarding this parkway on Thursday, May 18, 1911, and I
found that the following vehicles passed over Wellington
Bridge and came or went via the Revere Beach Parkway : —

Horse-drawn vehicles, : : : : E ! ; say
Automobiles, , : : : : : : : : OOK,

These figures were taken between the hours of 7 a.m. and
) P.M.

This means that 79 automobiles passed over this parkway
on that day to every one horse-driven vehicle.

On the same day the following vehicles came to or from the
Revere Beach Parkway and passed through the Middlesex
Fells Parkway : —

Horse-drawn vehicles, b : , ; : ; ; Bae oaley
Automobiles, : ; : : 3 f : : , .. 456

On the same day there was the following trafic over
Saugus River Bridge, 5 miles from where the previous figures
were taken : —

Horse-drawn vehicles, ; : : ; ; : : : 43
Automobiles, . : : : : : c d : ? leds

.the ratio here being 29 to 1.
On Sunday, May 21, 1911, there was the following traffic

over Saugus River Bridge: —

Hovrse-drawn vehicles, : : : : : : ‘ : 167
Automobiles, . . H 3 % : f ; ¥ 1 woo Gn

a ratio of 24 to 1.

There are very few places in the park system where the
proportion of automobiles as to horse-drawn vehicles is not
at least 4 to 1. There can be only one interpretation from
these figures. Many of our park roads and boulevards, con-
structed at an expense running into the millions, are, in
practice, thoroughfares devoted almost entirely to the use of

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 41

automobilists. Therefore, why should not the automobilists
pay a large part of tke cost. Pedestrians in some sections
are scarcely seen, and what few horse-driven vehicles pass
over the road de but little harm. The touring car not only
damages the roadbed itself, but for the protection of women
and children, and, indeed grown-up men, a large squad of
policemen is required at every intersecting street of any
importance, so that the chief increase in the metropolitan
police system can be directly attributed to the increased use
of the automobile. There are 34 policemen at Revere Beach
during the summer, and their chief duty is the regulation of
the automobile traffic in the roadways. All through the park
system the officers are compelled to keep a sharp lookout in
order to prevent overspeeding, and it is my opinion that if
the automobile was not in existence the police bill for the
metropolitan system would be from $40,000 to $50,000 less.

In the matter of street lghting the same thing is true.
Many thoroughfares located in isolated sections would be
unfrequented were it not for the automobiles. This necessi-
tates an extra cost for lighting, as the automobilists are ditfer-
ent from the old-fashioned traveller, in that they use the
park roads at all hours of the day and night.

The regular park boulevard has been converted into ar
aristocratic highway, and the public is paying the bills.
The parks belong to all of the people, and it is unfair that
our wealthy citizens, fortunate enough to own automobiles,
should permit this burden to fall almost entirely upon the
people.

This license fee will yield enough revenue to offset a large
part of the expense due directly to the automobile. This
expense cannot be computed merely from the cost of main-
taining, policing and lighting these roads, for if there be
boulevards costing $5,000,000 to build, the ordinary income
of that $5,000,000, invested at 314 per cent. interest, would
yield $175,000 per year. The automobilists should not be
expected to pay the entire burden of the boulevards, but they
should pay a reasonable proportion.

Tf the Legislature will authorize the issuance of these

42 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. — [June,

licenses, the Park Commission will then be in a position to
popularize its system in a way never thought possible by
them, for by the expenditure of a few extra thousand dollars
each year it will be possible to reduce the price of bathing
at the beaches to 15 cents, and also to make special provision
during certain hours for free bathing privileges to the poor,
and especially to the women and children. As it is now,
the bath-houses run by the commission are self-supporting ;
the people using them pay for the cost of maintenance. This
is an added reason why the automobilists who entirely
monopolize Revere Beach Parkway for vehicular purposes
should be treated the same as those who use the bath-houses.

State Highways in Metropolitan District. — These high-
ways are not now under control of the Park Commission.
IT recommend, however, for the purpose of better carrying
out the licensing idea, that they all be placed under the con-
trol of the Park Commission. Their mileage in the district
is 43.64; their cost was $730,228.81. They are now under
the control of authorities who do not commence to keep them
in as good condition as the park roads are kept. It would
not be necessary to treat them as boulevards but rather as
first-class roads. If this were done it would prevent friction
in the metropolitan area, and do away with any suggestion
of unfairness such as at present exists. The automobile tax
collected at the present time by the Highway Commission is
of no benefit to the Metropolitan Park Commission, or to
the local parkways in the metropolitan areas, including the
city of Boston, and although these roads are used infinitely
more than the State highways, they get nothing whatsoever
from the motor fund tax now collected from automobilists,
which last year amounted to the large total of $374,789.94.

It is true that the State itself at the present time bears
one-half of the cost of the boulevards, but this in no way af-
fects the principle that the metropolitan district should re-
ceive something from the automobile, for the rest of the State
receives it all, although they do not pay as much locally for
their roads as what we do here.

Pro Rata Division of License Fees. —TI suggest that the

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 43

license fees be distributed on a pro rata basis, to be arrived
at in an impartial manner, among the cities and towns having
parkways in this district, as well as to the Metropolitan Park
Commission. This will treat the city of Boston and other
places fairly. It will also be of great service, because no
automobile could conceivably operate on any kind of a decent
road in the entire metropolitan area for any length of time
without using the park roads.

The automobile traftie of northeastern United States dur-
ing the summer time is concentrated in the vicinity of Bos-
ton. The splendid roads and our beautiful suburbs are the
magnet. If it is worth the while of thousands of automobile
tourists to use our splendid roads they should pay for the
privilege.

The fairness of my argument should be apparent when it
is noted that the State Highway Commission at the present
time collects a large tax for the benefit of the State high-
ways, although those State highways, by their own statistics,
ave not used anywhere near as much by the automobiles as
are the roads in the metropolitan district. The following
table will demonstrate this conclusively : —

Percentage of Automobiles.
State highways, August, 42 per cent.; October, 35 per cent.
Boston parks, August, 77 per cent.; October, 73 per cent.
Metropolitan parks, August, 74 per cent.; October, 71 per cent.
Boulevards, May, 1911, Revere, 98 per cent.
City of Newton, October, 68 per cent.

Therefore, if the argument that the State Highway Com-
mission used had an effect on the Legislature, these com-
parative facts should be more convincing.

There is a strong feeling in the community that our parks
exist chiefly for the benefit of our well-to-do citizens. This
has been by all odds the one criticism that I have heard above
all others. Can it be wondered at when they get most of the
privileges of the system, without paying any more therefor
than the poor man, who tramps about on foot, or who takes
the trolley to the outskirts of a reservation? The surest way

44 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

of proving to the people that they are not being unjustly
treated is to place the burdens of the boulevards upon the
people who use them.

LigHTING.

This requires an increasingly larger sum each year, the
amount for 1911 being $47,122. This is an increase of
$6,000 over the year before, on account of Charles River
Basin. This is about three times the amount required in
1901, although the cost per light has been reduced slightly
since then.

In 1908 the number of lights was reduced because of a
smaller appropriation made that year, but the experiment
was not satisfactory; the public protested, and the full num-
ber of lights was restored in the appropriation of 1909.

I do not recommend a reduction in the number of lights.
I do recommend, however, a careful study of the whole plan
of lighting in the metropolitan park area, keeping the fol-
lowing particularly in mind : —

(1) Should all of the lights burn all night long in the
summer ?

(2) Shou'd all of the lights burn all night long in the
winter 4

(3) Should some sections be lighted at all during the
winter 4

(4) Would not electricity and a moonlight schedule be
satisfactory In some sections ?

(5) Should the lights in the Charles River Basin burn all
night ?

A large part of the system is lighted by the Welsbach
Company, with its system of self-generating lamps. This
system has one great advantage because of its ornamental iron
posts, without any overhanging wires to mar the esthetic ap-
pearance of the boulevards. It is also reasonably cheap in
price. The company have given great satisfaction to the
commission, and at times they have not been satisfied with
electric light service rendered to them.

IT recommend a reduction in lighting of $5,000. This can

a

“he wee 5

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 45

be done without any inconvenience to the pubhe and without
lessening the number of lights in the park system. It is
doubtful, however, if this amount can be saved in 1911, be-
-ause almost the entire system is equipped with the Welsbach
system and their contract runs until Dee. 1, 1911. When a
new contract is made a saving can be effected by not burning
the lights at all during the winter in the isolated sections.

‘As it is now, ii places like Quincey Shore, Revere Beach, and,

in fact, the whole shore line, the lights are burned all night
long, although at times the roads are practically impassable
in winter. They can clearly be dispensed with entirely dur-
ing the winter months in some places. So, too, they are un-
necessary at any season of the year when the moon is ful.
And, again, during six months of the year the boulevards are
not used by anybody but automobilists after 11 p.m., and the
automobiles furnish their own leht.

I can see no good reason for wasting light on Charles
River Basin after 1 a.m.

Many of the State highways are not lit after 12 at night,
and I find that almost every town in the metropolitan dis-
trict burns electric lights on the average of six hours per
night, and 26 or 27 nights per month, the price for this light-
ing being approximately the same as the Welsbach system.

ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.

This department calls for $18,780 for 1911, as against
$14,000 for 1910. This increase is due chiefly to the addi-
tion of Charles River Basin. This year there has been a
readjustment of the engineering force, due to a theory that it
is better to have three distinct parties of a transitman and
two rodmen than to attempt to cover the work by a second
assistant engineer, one transitman and three rodmen. The
salary of the draughtsman this year was increased $100, as
he is an old employee, apparently a man of considerable
ability. |

A large part of the charge for engineers was formerly made
to the loan fund and did not appear under maintenance,

46 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

whereas now the bulk appears under maintenance, and this
vear a stenographer receiving $780, and a chauffeur receiv-
ing $780, appear. The stenographer was formerly charged
to the loan fund. The chauffeur is a new item.

The number of employees and the compensation paid to
them, as a total, has decreased from year to year, because the
large construction is now practically finished, so that the
force as at present constituted is devoted almost entirely to
maintenance, its constructive work being limited to necessary
additions to the existing system and to repairs of an impor-
tant nature.

I have prepared a detailed report on the engineering de-
partment, which may be referred to if desired.

SnHootine Sranp, Brut Hints RESERVATION.

This is a small affair located on Willow Point, Ponkapoag
Pond, and belongs to a private club. It is located upon park
land, which was given to the Commonwealth by the will of
Henry L. Pierce in the year 1900, when he donated 540
acres as an outright gift to the park system, and a large tract
of adjoining land, subject to a life estate given to the Aldrich
family.

Ponkapoag Pond is a great pond of the Commonwealth,
and as such the public has the privilege of using it. Only
a small portion of its shores is publicly owned, and another
shooting club is located upon the opposite shore on private
land. The Willow Point stand is located in a locality rather
inaccessible to the general public and very little visited.

This shooting club has been in continuous existence for
probably eighty or a hundred years. Mr. Pierce used it at
times, with the club members, and always gave them permis-
sion to use it. Mr. Pierce and members of the Aldrich fam-
ily, who at his death were his principal private legatees, were
members of the club, and the Aldrich family were probably
the most frequent visitors there.

After the death of Mr. Pierce, when the Park Commission
acquired this whole tract of land, the Park Commission con-

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. AT

sidered the question of continuing it there, and consented to
do so because it was stated to them, by responsible parties,
that although Mr. Pierce had not formerly incorporated it in
his will, as it was a matter of no great importance to him, he
had nevertheless orally expressed a wish that the shooting
stand should remain as long as the club and the Aldrich
family wished. Mr. Augustus Hemenway, a neighbor of
Mr. Pierce, and himself a large donor of land in the park
system, was a member of the Park Commission for several
years, and presumably was in touch with conditions in this
vicinity, as he was a close friend of Mr. Pierce. The com-
mission state that at that time they felt bound to respect the
wishes of Mr. Pierce, provided that the public sustained no
injury thereby.

The club also claimed ownership in the land upon which
it is located. This contention may or may not have been
strong, but apparently had some foundation. The upshot of
the whole matter was that the attorney for the club and the
commission came together, and the commission allowed the
club to be a tenant at sufferance on this location, with the ex-
press understanding that whenever public necessity or con-
venience required its removal the club would move.

I recommend that the commission, to the best of its judg-
ment, determine whether they consider that public necessity
and convenience call for its removal at this time.

Public opinion in the vicinity of Ponkapoag seems to be
divided. Those nearest to the shooting lodge seem to have
no complaint to make, and state that they have heard of no
complaint. In the town of Canton, however, which is lo-
cated near by, there are quite a few people who seem to be
of the opinion that this privilege should no longer continue.

Poto Freip, Biur Hits Reservation.

This field is located on park land at the extreme end of
the Blue Hills Reservation, near Ponkapoag. It has been
in existence for about six years, and was constructed by Mr.
Joseph B. Crocker, who lives on land immediately con-

48 METROPOLITAN PARK COMMISSION. [June,

tiguous to the polo field, and by others interested with him.
He made a proposition to the Park Commission that he be
allowed to develop an unused field into a pelo field. He and
his associates were to bear the entire cost of construction and
afterwards the entire cost of maintenance. The Park Com-
mission assented to this proposition, with the express under-
standing that as it was located on public ground the public
should have the privilege of playing polo there also, and that
in case of conflicting dates the matter should be adjusted by
the commission.

The polo field has never been used by the general public,
and no complaints have been made by persons desiring to
play horse polo. It is alleged, however, that boys in the
neighborhood on several occasions have desired to play base-
ball here when the field was not being used for polo pur-
poses, and have been stopped from so doing.

If there be no facilities for playing baseball near by, and
there is a genuine public demand for it on this portion of the
reservation, the commission, at a very slight expense, can
provide a field for the boys, so that there need be no conflict
between baseball players and polo players.

There seems to be a genuine public sentiment against the
way the polo ground has been managed. It was believed by
many local residents, until recently, that the polo field was
on private property. Even officers on the reservation be-
lieved this.

A no-trespassing sign was posted on the park land at the
very edge of the polo field, and a number of different local
residents state that they have been ordered off while witness-
ing games. The Park Commission, when this matter was
called to their attention by me, immediately took steps to
remedy the matter, and in the future signs will be posted in
this vicinity informing the public as to the whereabouts of
park property, that the public may have the use of it.

The polo field is located on a piece of park property that
is between two tracts of privately owned land. The result
has been that the public were ignorant, except in a few in-

1911.] HOUSE — No. 1985. 49

stances, of its being park property. A secretive policy re-
garding its real ownership seems to have been pursued by
some of those using the polo field.

Various complaints seem to exist in this section that this
field has been used for the benefit of a favored few. As the
Park Commissioners state, however, that no complaints were
ever made to them, and that they have never been put on
notice regarding these alleged occurrences, it seems to be a
matter that they are competent to handle now that they are
fully informed as to local sentiment.

INDEX.

Recommendations: —

That jurisdiction of bridge between Cambridge and Boston be taken
from Park Commission and treated as other bridges,

Itemized statement of expense fund, :

Reduction of $10,000 in item of labor, teaming and Weén of peee

Town of Hull should bear $5,000 of expense of Nantasket police force,

That Charles River Basin be popularized and made helpful to the
masses,

That employees of Charles River Basin te Slaoda andes Givil service,

Reduction of police force, $10,000 (exclusive of recommendations as
to Nantasket and Charles River Basin), ;

Special automobile tax or license for metropolitan district of $5 on

motor vehicles under 30 horse power, and of $10 for larger ones,

Reduction in price of bathing,

To place State highways in Saehronbltan dnunce hiner continel of

Metropolitan Park Commission,
Reduction of $5,000 in lighting,
Letter to Governor,
Growth of park system,
Organization,
Divisions of work,
Property of commission,
Buildings,
Bridges,
Factory,
Laundries, .
Cost of park system, .
Receipts of park system,
Appropriations,
Commissioners’ salaries,
General office salaries,
Extra clerical assistance, :
General office supplies and a aiecellnecoue expenses,
Law department,
Band concerts,
Labor, teaming and keep of Worses:
Watering or its equivalent,
Supplies and miscellaneous expenses,
Gypsy moth work,
Nantasket Beach,
Wellington Bridge,
Mateer pension,
Charles River Basin, .
Police,
Metropolitan Aato Heanes. :
Automobile traffic on boulevards, .
State highways in district,
Lighting, .
Engineering depariment.
Shooting stand,
Polo field,

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