City of Seattle Records

Seattle Wash 5th Nov 1891 W E Burgess Esq Chairman Finance Committee Board of Park Commissioners Sir With regard to the disputed bill of Messer L C Miles & Co and in justification of the position I have taken in cutting it down, I now lay before your the following statement. I bought the heater which was manufactured with 2" openings- with the distinct understanding that these openings or connections be enlarged to 4" before I took it from the store. this they deferred from day to day and eventually cart it to City Park without making the alteration. They not only charge for the material necessary to make the agreed alteration but also for time for a man to do the work. at $ 45/100 per hour- Do they pay their men at this rate?

"City Park"

With the exception of the men necessary to run the teams the entire force is now employed in this park, clearing and grubbing.--- I have excavated and built an underground tank f or water for temporary use, 8 ft. x 8 x 11 deep. capacity 4000 gallons.---

As we are already very much crowded for room in the propagating house, I would like to be authorized to erect a lath house for protecting and hardening off plants from the hot house. Cost $50.---

I am yours respectfully James Taylor

In the City Park The nursery had been fenced in as directed and the dwelling house for the nursery man built. Six men were employed clearing for 10 days which with the regular routine of nursery work was all done in this park for the month The City engineer had staked off the site of the reservoir as requested. It is in the shape of a parallelogram 861x611 ft and will occupy a superficial area of about 12&1/3 acres. Estimate of supplies required for the month of April Waterpipes: 2"/300ft [1&1/2"]/500ft [1&1/4"]/500ft 1"/450ft 25 hydrants and one stopcock, cost $310.00 300 lbs grass seed " $68.00 total $348.00

Respectfull submitted James Taylor

City Park

The new clearing required team and labor work in clearing the soil of roots stones etc. and working upon the fence. The topgraphical survey & detailed map of this ground needs to be taken before a plan can be formulated.

Park Nursery

This Department set 2500 cuttings. 3000 new seeds, transplanted 2000 seedlings, received the 62 thouand plants, and cared for them. The percentage of damage is very light in this stock. Considering the long journey & extra delays caused by snow blockades. This Department should now be supplied with the seeds necessary for temporary decorations in the parks, as well as supplied with the seedlings named in a list presented to your Board some months ago. If the Nursery Department is properly supplied, it is the department which will in a few years save thousands of dollars to the City in the purchase of trees.

Park Department Office.

During the past month 68 recorded plats were entered upon the large map. Additional plane table sheets prepared contoured and traced, besides the preparation of maps, plans, & profiles made to accompany Annual Report

Superintendant Report for February 1893 To the Honorable the board of Park Commissioners of Seattle Gentlemen The opeations of the Department during the month of February were as follows Kinnear Park The winter work was kept up bothof repair and completioin of the walks for which 14 loads of gravel were used Total amount of gravel was to date is 182 loads equal to 137 yards The team work alsodistributed the compost in fertilization and spring preparation of the flower and bedding beds. Also put forward other miscellaneous hauling. The heavy snows required removing from the structures the principal walk kept open The topographical map is nealry done work on the City Park has suspended on account of the snow and consequent wet ground The Nursery work of general maintenance preparation of ground and planting out of nursery stock continuedl The working force would be increased this month in order to reasonably finish needful Spring preparation