a aetna eee cone SUES TSE Glass 5 47 es Hook es Copyright N° COPYRIGHT DEPOSH; ‘aa ds YUuod ‘UOYIIYBSST A OY} JOAO OSPLIG OUBT JNUTBAA 9], “BI Ud[epeldd ‘SAVAING JO LB, LedU]SUY JOJYUO ‘IIISGUMA *S V9Bio0ay Asaqunog PARKS AND PARK ENGINEERING By wv ) WILLIAM T! LYLE Professor of Municipal Engineering at Lafayette College Associate Member, American Society of Civil Engineers Member, Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education FIRST EDITION FIRST THOUSAND NEW YORK JOHN WILEY & SONS, Ine. Lonnon: CHAPMAN & HALL, Limttrep 1916 Copyright, 1916 BY WILLIAM T. LYLE THE SCIENTIFIC PRESS ‘ROBERT DRUMMOND AND COMPANY BROOKLYN. N. Y. , ty j — lf npR -5 1916 ©oclA428896 ‘ “y ‘LC® PREFACE N an age of many books every author must make his apology for a new volume. The output of engineer- ing treatises and text-books is so great that for a time at least, in certain branches, further additions should be made only for very good and exceptional reasons. The author of this little book believes that by reason of the dearth of information on the specialized subject treated, a sufficient reason exists for the publication of his manuscript, which for several years in abbreviated form he has used in his classes at Lafayette College. The magnitude of the park movement in America is only beginning to be appreciated by the average well- informed person. Our larger cities already have their parks, most of them but recently acquired, and it will not be long before all of our American cities will have them also —not merely a few small city squares, but extensive mod- ern parks, reservations and playgrounds, connected by parkways and boulevards. This book is prepared principally for the benefit of the young and inexperienced engineer of construction. The author hopes that it may be found useful to members of newly formed park associations and commissions; and that its earlier articles may be of help to public-spirited men who may be considering the ways and means of securing for their own communities the great benefits which flow from an ample and well-coordinated park system. It also iii iv PREFACE may contain valuable suggestions to engineers and others who, though not trained in the art, may be engaged in the work of development of private estates. While the master mind in the conception and design of our largest and best park systems is the landscape architect, it must be understood that the execution of his general plans is peculiarly the function of the engineer, as is also the design of the engineering features. The art of the park engineer, though a specialty, is, however, not a narrow specialty. He must be proficient in matters pertaining to the acquisition of lands, and be well versed in a great variety of engineering operations, such as earth excavation, masonry, water-works and sewerage construction, road building and lighting, and occasionally the construction of steel and reinforced concrete bridges. He must also be a good expert witness. Wherever possible the author acknowledges the kind- ness of those who have aided him with advice and informa- tion and of those who have furnished him with illustrations for his work. He is under special obligation to Mr. John C. Olmsted, Landscape Architect, of Brookline, Mass., and to Mr. Howard J. Cole, of New York, formerly Engineer in Chief of the Essex County Park Commission. WiuuiamM T. Ly Le. March, 1916. CONTENTS CHAPTER I DESIRABILITY AND ACQUISITION OF PARKS PAGE The Social and Economic Need and the Economic Advantage... .. . 1 Bie etaestncation Of Parse cur) Oli. Madi debe buaancaao eg ai anes bes 6 Actual Results in Park Development in a Few Typical and Impor- PERERA I LOE SEU Rat] ch osc yy breh tba ita esl gu NRC ah aR ea a nL 7 Future Probabilities in Park Development ...................... 13 SEOUL Se GTC