BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ANDREW H. GREEN, THOMAS C. FIELDS, ROBERT J. DILLON, PETER B. SWEENY, Resigned, November, 1871. HENRY HILTON, (L 22d (I tL HENRY G. STEBBINS, Appointed 22d " L ( FREDERICK E. CHURCH, L (6 61 << ANDREW H. GREEN, ROBERT J. DILLON, THOMAS C. FIELDS, FREDERICK E. CHURCH, , HENRY G. STEBBINS, . Resigned, 28th May, 1872. FRED. LAW OLMSTED, . Appointed, " LL I( President. PETER B. SWEENY, . To 22d November, 1871. LL I1 HENRY G. STEBBINS, . From " Vice-President. HENRY HILTON, . To 22d November, 1871. (Vacancy.) From " L L LC Treasurer. HENRY HILTON, . To 22d November, 1871. LC I L HENRY G. STEBBINS, . From " Conzptroller of Accounts. GE0RG.E M. VAN NORT. President and Treasurer. HENRY G. STEBBINS, . To 28th May, 1872. Il FRED. LAW OLMSTED, . From " " Vice-President. ANDREW H. GREEN, . From 15th May, 1872. Clerk to the Board. E. P. BARKER, . From 30th January to 26th June. 1 F. W. WHITTEMORE, . From 26th June to 10th July. \, I Secretary. I F. W. WHITTEMORE, . Office constituted 10th July, 1872. 8 I CONTENTS. Change of Administration-Reduction of Force-Contraction of Fields of Labor-Liabilities, November, 1871-Involved Accounts-Funds raised for one class of work applied to another- Plans Suspended-Location of Buildings for orMetropolitan Museum of Art and American Mn- seum of Natural History. ............................................................. PAt Union Spuare-Modification of its Plan-Statistics of Use-Projected Improvements.. ........ PAGE 4 111.-THE CENTRALPARK : Its Cost-Indications of its Value-the Increased Value of Real Estate-Statement of Valuations of Real Estate adjoining the Park for a series of years-The Rate of Taxes for 1871. Indi- cations of Value in its Use: The Continued Resort of Visitors-Little used on ordinary days except by those in comfortable circumstances, most of whom come in carriages; its present value, therefore, to be seen in its use on holidays-Basis of Statistics of Visitors-The Num6er of Vzsits :-Average daily number-Number entering four southern gates-Proportion of women and girls-Use of Park on Sundays-Proportion of visitors on foot-Visitors on Concert Days- Averages-Causes of the increased number of Sunday Visitors-Number of arrests on Sundays less in proportion than on other days--The Future of the Park-The Park yet difficult of access-Population growing around it-Effect of the Boulevard and other exterior city im- provements-Conduct of Visitors-Proportion of arrests increasing-Offences probably not in- creasing in equal proportion-Conduct of Police-Number of arrests-For what offences- Disposition made of those arrested-Cost of Police Force for a series of years--The Morse Statue, PAGE 6 Unusual number killed-Even hardy species seriously affected, exotic as well as native- Southern species in some cases affected less than Northern-Trees with roots near surface more than those the roots of which run deeper-Trees on dry soil more than those in moist soil- Trees previously injured more than others-Trees varying from the type of their genus suffered less-Trees exposed to N. W. suffered most-The autumnal growth of many trees affected, un- usually prolonged-Inquiry as to causes of the Disaster-The Snow-fall of previous winter less than average-The Springs low and Soil comparatively dry-The Frost deeper than usual- Mean Temperature for March lower than for 33 years past-On 15th March an extraordinarily severe and cold north-west wind over great extent of country-Conjecture as to its effec ts.... PAGE rg Meteorological Obseruatory-Report of Director-His conclusions as to influence of clearing of land on rain-fall and as to change of climate in Atlantic States-Question as to whether rain-fall is not more irregular-Instruments at the Observatory. Museum of Natural History-Reserved on Mondays and Tuesdays for Students-Present arrangements temporary-Collections purcha4ed -The Great Auk-Collections presented-Departments of Geology and Botany-Subscr~ptions. The Menagerie-Its Management-The interest taken In it by the public-Gifts and loans of animals for exhibition-Lions-Animals wanted ............................................. PAGE ng VI.-HARLEMRIVER AND WESTCHESTER: Work done-McComb's Dam Bridge-Proposed Tunnel under Harlem River-Iron Draw-bridges -Soundings of Harlem R~ver-Streets near High Bridge .................................... PAGE 31 Results of an investigation by a Board of Engineers-Causes of Failure-Prospects.. ......... PAGE ga vi. VII1.-WORKING FORCES AND WAGES: Gradual advance in rates since 1861 ....................................................... PAGE 34 I. Statement of Receipts and Exjendifures for the Year 1871.-Summary Central Park Construction and Maintenance-Maintenance of Museum and Observatory-of City Parks and Places-of Roads and Avenues-Construction of Museum and Observatory-Improvement of Parks and Places-Circle-Public Place, 59th Street and 5th Avenue--Above 155th Street and Public Drive-West Side Improvement-East Side Improvement-Ninth Avenue-Broadway Widening-Eighth Avenue Slope-Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil Improvement-Eoule- vard-Seventh Avenue-Sixth Avenue-Avenue St. Nicholar-Eighth Avenue Grade-Tenth Avenue-Manhattan Street-145th Street-Morningside Avenue-Avenue at base of Morning- side Park-Westcbester County-Yonkers-West Farms-Recapitulation. 11. Statement showing the Recez~tsand ExpPndifirves fi-am 1st %nuary to I& May, 18~2.-Summary-Construction of Central Park-Maintenance of Central Park and Parks and Places-Improvement of Parks and Places-Construction of Museum and Observatory-Above 155th Street-West Side-East Side-Harlem River-Roads and Avenue-Westchester County -Recapitulation. 111. Sfafcnzent of the Cost of Maintenance of the Central Park for thr$~st Six Months of the Year 1871, in comparison with that for the covresjonding months in thz Year 1872. -Table. IV. Statement submitted to the Comjtroller, showing the Exfinditures of the Depart- ment from its organization in Ajril, 1870, to zzd Novem6rr, 1871, and the amount of funds raised on one account asd used on another during that period-Letter to the Comp- troller containing recapitulation : I. Statement showing Expenditures to 1st January, 1871 ; 2. Statement showing Expenditures from 1st January to 22d November, 1871 ; 3. Statement of Liabilities on 22d November, 1871 ; 4. Statement showing uses to which funds raised on assessment bonds were applied.. .......................?. .............................. PA~E37 APPENDIXB. REVIEWOF RECENTCHANGES AND PROJECTED CHANGESIN THE PLANOF THE CENTRALPARK. BY THE LANDSCAPEARCHITECTS : LETTER I.-Consideration of the motives, requirements and restrictions applicable to the general scheme of the Park-Alleged defects in the plans pursued previous to 187-The Annual Report of 1870 inculpates the previous administrations but the imputations made on incomplete study of the plans-Illustration from the Report-The Dairy-House and Children's District-The Consideration of the Design of the Park by the Public superficial-Reasons for the same-Attention generally directed to special structures, not to landscape efiects-Imprac- tlcable structures and plans have been suggested-Applications for the use of ground for purposes inconsistent with the purposes which the Park is intended to serve-The Park is a single work of art, and should be treated consistently throughout-What was the general motive of its design-Anti-climax to urban conditions-Relative value of diiferent classes of objects for that purpose : Pastoral the most valuable form of natural scenery attainable ; Passages of picturesque sylvan scenery valuable both directly and by contrast with pastoral ; Edifices to be built sur- rounding the Park require the interposition of trees-All other elements only accessory to those of these three classes. ................................................................ PAGE 67 LETTER11.-Examnitation of the design of the Park and of recent changes-The original design was characterized by large pastoral surfaces-Question raised by the temporary promi- nence of architectural features-The Natural school not opposed to the Architectural, but one or the other must be the prevailing school in the Park-The purpose of the Park demands that the Natural shall predominate--The principal constructions of the Park are roadways- Great display of roads antagonistic to natural and rural eifect-Most of the so-called architec- tural objects of the Park designed with a view of limiting display of roads, and adapted to cause the least disturbance of the natural scenery consistently with required convenience- Opposite purpose governing the work of the late administration-Illustrations of opposing policies-The late administration held the screening woods illegal-Conclusion ............... PAGE 87 APPENDIXC. REPORTOF SUPERINTENDENTOF PUBLIC PARKS : Condition of Roads and Walks, November. 1871-of Lawns and Meadows-of the Arsenal Buildings-of the Sheep-fold-of the Stables-of the Eu ildingsat Mount St. Vincent.. ........ PAGE 117 vii. His Apparatus-The Pencil Registers-The influence of the clearing of land on the rain-fall- Statistics of Rain-fall for the past three years-Result of Statistics since 1835-Sources of Statistics-Rain-fall in England-The. avaliable supply of Water-Change of Climate in Atlantic States-Snow-fall in New York-Observations in New England-Table showing the number of days the Hudson River has been closed with ice since 1807-No important change--Table showing mean temperature of New York in January, February and March, since 1822-NO change in winter climate-Temperature