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DEPARTMENT PUBLIC PARKS

Supt Report for August 1893

Supt Report Sept 1 1893

Seattle Wash August 31 1893 To the Honorable the Board of Park Commissions Gentlemen Concerning the work under your management, it is respectfully reported, that the main character of general Park work during August, is that of maintenance, consisting of the care and improvement of the condition of the walks, subjugation of weeds from the flower beds and shrubbery borders. mowing of lawns and much sprinkeling of the same. Binding material had been prepared for the gravel walks and application begun and can only be done as the other imperative work permits, with our minimum of workmen. The accumulation of manures and its composting has progressed as much as could be expected with only one team, doing all the team work, now required. However, keeping up this method will enable the department to accomplish the needful fertilization of lawns, borders and beds, next spring, as contemplated. No detrimental report can be offered as to the condition of the growing nursery stock, which, considering the limited watering facilities, has made remarkable improvement. and will enable the department to again largely increase the stock by propagating the trimmings. The work of clearing upon The City Park is progressing, having made ready the main valley for the plough and cultivation, as required for the extension of the nursery, beside the slashing done, adjoining the ground, prepared last fall. It is all important that as much slashing be done as possible during the present month in over

2 order to kill out the growth, leaving the ground work for the last. It should also be reported, that the native woods, trees and shrubs, selected and retained as neucleus to the future ornamentation of the Park, was by nature very favorable, so that even now, inits most raw condition, the landscape development is quite effective and bids results still more attractive in genuine Park scenery. On the day, previous to the departure of your superintendent, he received a communication (in French) from Monseur De Villmoran, stating that he not only had secured official recognition for the City of Seattle for special exchanges of rare plants and seeds from his own, the French governmental gardens and the Arnold Arboretum, Mass. but had also secured the same from the Royal Kyew Gardens of England. It is therefore, with no little satisfaction, reported to your Honorable Board, that through his trip to Mount Rainier entailed a large personal expense, and was devoted to the producing of as large results, as so limited time, upon as large as area of territory permitted, especially where there still remained large areas of snow and consequent immature vegetation, the collection consists of a large and quite complete assortment of specimens in leaf and bloom which are now under treatment for preservation and can not be distribute beside some 40 kinds of choice varieties with mature seeds. It is urged, that the City of Seattle should make as large and complete a collection of her native tree - shrub - and - plant - seeds, as can be made possible for the contribution to these noted government institutions shall be of sufficient amount to deserve valuable recognition abroad.

Report Supt Parks August - 1893 CF-224-20

To that end, interested Citizens might be invited, to cooperate and assist to swell the list by collecting such seeds and specimen of plants, that may be convenient to their reach and entirely out of ours, while the department is authorized to recognise such contributions by desirable exchanges with them. It is not foreign to the mission of the City's Park Commission to be informed of some of the facts, relative to the United States Reservation, created and designated as the "Pacific Coast Park Reserve", embracing an area 10 miles square about Mount Rainier. The natural beauty of the Preservation is indeed wonderful. It's numerous streams, cascades, torrents and waterfalls, amid solid walls of rugged rocks and verdure, have no equal anywhere. The symetrical and charming beauty of the characteristic trees, crowning and dressing the tops of ridges, hills, and mounts, with their varied undergrowths constitute unequaled natural groves, clusters and groups. These trees, by reason of their altitude have made very slow and very short annual growths, and thus have become extremely dense and compact in their foliage and twiggs. Their resinous nature as also the miniture moss forming upon them, make then extremely inflammable, this fact has induced some of Tacoma's visiting Citizens as reported be settlers and guides to set fire to them, merely to enjoy a momentary rocket conflagration and thus, many ao incalculable forest gem has been killed, and the beautiful Park scenery of Paradise Valley irreparable marred and injured, while others have ruthlesslly cut down live trees for their campfire wood. In a short time, if such vandalism is not prempterily stpooed, one of the if not the most beautiful natural park in the United States will have been ruined beyond reparation. It is also time that this over