Plans are now being prepared for the Tremont and Bellevue street bridges, and proposals for doing the work will shortly be received. Arrangements having been made in conjunction with the town of Brookline for the transportation of loam from Basin 6 of the Boston Water-works, a contract was made with James A. Cahill on July 14 for grading a branch railroad from the main line of the Boston & Albany Railroad to the basin; the work was completed in September, at a cost to the city of Boston of $1,750.18; on September 28 a contract was inade with the Boston & Albany Railroad Company for laying the track on the above branch railroad, and for transporting the loam to the Parkway; nothing has as yet been done for the Boston Park Department under this contract, except the laying of the track. The drain from the House of the Good Shepherd having been cut off by the removal of the sewer in Downer street, it was extended by a siphon under the waterway, and connected with the sewer in Brookline avenue. ARNOLD ARBORETUM. At the beginning of 1891, work was in progress on the grading of the road around the north side of Bussey hill and across the meadow to the Parkway near Centre and Orchard streets, under a contract with Wm. T. Davis. This contract was subsequently amended, so as to include the grading of the road leading from the before-mentioned road to the Parkway near South street. Another contract was made on July 23, for grading a temporary road across the Parkway to Centre street. The work called for by these contracts has been finished. The total amount of material moved under them was 70,035 cubic yards, and the payments were $24,945.51. There remains a small amount of grading to be done where there has been a settlement of the filling across the meadow. On about 1,700 lineal feet of this road, being the portion of the north side of Bussey hill, the catch-basins and drains have been built, the gutters paved, and the roadway ballasted. On the road leading from the main drive to Walter street, the catch-basins and drains have been built and the gutters paved. The Water Department has laid a 24-inch water-pipe through this road, but the work not having been completed until recently, the road has not been surfaced; it can be done early in the spring. FRANKLIN PARK. Drives, Rides, and Walks. Glen lane wall has been completed, but the delay in doing it caused by the press of other work for the masons has prevented the completion of the surfacing. The section between Blue Hill avenue and the Entrance road from Columbia street has been entirely finished, while on the section between the last-mentioned road and the crossing of old Glen road the drains and catch-basins have been built and most of the gutters paved, so that it will require but a short time to complete the work. The triangular space between Blue Hill avenue, the entrance from Columbia street, and the easterly end of the Greeting has been graded, and the plantations prepared for planting. The circle at the easterly end of the Greeting has been graded. The curbstone has been set, the gutters paved, and the roadway ballasted. Loop road has been finished, and the last section of it was opened to travel on May 24. The walks in the vicinity are nearly finished, and 1,500 lineal feet of granite steps have been purchased for the same. The ride through the Wilderness has been surfaced. Circuit drive is sub-graded from the junction with the road to Columbia street, around the easterly side of the Park to the entrance from Morton street, except a short section across the valley near Canterbury street, where a culvert is to be built, and a section between Canterbury hill and Scarboro' pond which requires filling. On about 800 lineal feet of the Circuit drive the gutters have been paved and the roadway ballasted. The walk from Ellicottdale to the top of Scarboro hill has been built. Drainage. - The main drain at the westerly end of the Greeting has been extended so as to drain the swampy ground near by. Drains have been built on the easterly end of the Greeting, on Glen lane and on Circuit drive. Ellicottdale. That portion of this ground where the gardener's cottage formerly stood has been finished. Schoolmaster Hill.- The masonry work of the arbor and of the shelter has been completed, including an additional drinking-fountain. The woodwork of the arbor for supporting vines has been erected, so that this structure is complete, except paving of the walks. Ponds. Work is now in progress on the excavation of the proposed Ponds south of Scarboro hill, the material being used for filling on Circuit drive, and for building a dam between the Ponds and Morton street. Miscellaneous. A shelter at the carriage-stand at the entrance to the Park opposite Columbia street is in progress of construction. The flock of sheep increased during the year to 168 in nunber, and in the fall 64 wethers and old ewes were sold for $350.88. The yield of wool was 792 lbs, which was sold for $187.74. In May lamp-posts and lanterns with oil lamps were placed along Glen lane by the Lamp Department, and they have since been maintained by that department. The following table shows the principal items of work completed to date, but it should not be understood as being a complete statement of the work done, as a large amount of labor has been expended on work which cannot be classified: Eight hundred lineal feet of Circuit drive have been ballasted and covered with crushed stone, while 2.200 lineal feet have been sub-graded and drained. MARINE PARK. Filling. The filling done under the contract with Joseph E. White, dated October 5, 1889, was completed on October 16, 1891. There were deposited 268,450 cubic yards; the amount paid was $163,754.50. The work of filling north of Broadway under the contract with Perkins & White, dated September 10, 1890, is still in progress, there having been deposited 310,000 cubic yards. Loam. On October 12, 1891, a contract was made with Perkins & White for furnishing and placing loam on that portion of the Park south of the south line of Broadway extended. This work is now in progress. Q-street Bulkhead. On February 14, 1891, a contract was made with Perkins & White for building a bulkhead on easterly line of Q street, extending northerly 440 feet from East First street, for retaining the filling on the Park. The work was com pleted in November, at a cost of $4,985. Castle-island Bridge. On July 14, 1891, a contract was made with William L. Miller for building a temporary pile-bridge to connect the mainland with Castle island. Work was begun on August 4, and will be completed early the coming season. Miscellaneous. Additional toilet accommodations for men have been provided at the refectory building. One hundred settees have been placed upon the iron pier, and a new boat purchased. WOOD ISLAND PARK. Additional land and flats having been taken for an extension of the Park, thereby rendering necessary a revision of the plan, but little work of construction has been done. A topographical survey of the land taken has been made. The grounds prepared in 1890 have been planted. CHARLESBANK. Men's Gymnasium. - The grounds and apparatus having been put in thorough repair, the gymnasium was opened for the season on March 30. Beginning on May 19, the gymnasium was opened in the evening until 9.30 o'clock. For this reason 13 electric are lights were provided within the grounds. This change has been very popular, the attendance in the evening during the warm weather having been large and very orderly. The nights having become so cool that the evening attendance had largely fallen off, the evening opening was discontinued on November 7. The gymnasium was closed for the season on January 2, 1892. The attendance for the season was 169,591, an average of 707 per day Of this number there attended after 7 o'clock P.M. 46,548, or an average of 312 per evening. Experience has shown that further accommodations in the shape of bathing and dressing rooms are very much needed in connection with the gymnasium. Women's Lavatory Building. This building was completed early in the season, it having been constructed under the direction of Messrs. Walker & Kimball, architects. It is of two stories, the lower story being devoted to rooms for the boatmen and workmen and a tool-shed. The upper story is occupied as a woman's lavatory and entrance to the women's gymnasium. Toilet accommodations and boxes for depositing clothing are provided, and turnstiles, with a register attached, control the passage to the gym nasium. Women's Gymnasium and Girls' Playground. During the spring the gymnastic apparatus furnished by D. A. Sargent, M.D., was put in place, the frames for supporting the same having been erected the previous season. This apparatus consists of the following pieces: 2 balance-swings and frames. 2 seesaws, with side-rails. 2 seesaws, plain. 2 single swings. 2 pole ladders. 2 perpendicular ladders. 4 perpendicular ladders. combined. 5 serpentine ladders. 1 horizontal rope-ladder. 2 perpendicular climbing-poles. 4 long inclined poles. 4 short inclined poles. 4 hanging-ropes. 12 swinging-ropes. 1 long inclined rope, with attachments. 1 set of movable parallel bars. 2 sets of horizontal bars, adjustable. 2 sets of flying-rings, with pulley attachments. 2 giant-strides. 12 pairs chest-weights. 1 set of vaulting-bars. 1 set of movable standards for high jumping. 98 pairs wooden dumb-bells. 98 pairs wooden Indian clubs. 98 short wands. 25 long wands. 24 iron quoits. 12 iron hoops. 12 jumping-ropes. A temporary fence was built around the gymnasium to serve as a screen until the trees and shrubs have become grown. Closets for the dumb-bells, wands, etc., also sixteen dressing-booths were built within the inclosure. Three sand-courts were constructed in the rear of the building. The Girls' Playground consists of a smooth lawn around which runs a cinder track an eighth of a mile in length. A wooden shelter with seats overlooking the playground has been built under the direction of Messrs. Walker and Kimball.* The gymnasium and playground were opened on June 1 and closed on October 31. They have been in the charge of the Massachusetts Emergency and Hygiene Association, which has provided for their superintendence and the instruction of those using the apparatus. The attendance during the season in both the ground and gymnasium was 144,539, of which number 13,010 were admitted to the playground on Sundays, the gymnasium being closed on that day. The average attendance on week-days was 1,095. Brick Walk. On September 29, a contract was made with Adelard Phaneuf for paving with brick the walk along Charles street. The work was completed on November 17, and there were laid 3.190 square yards of walk, at a cost of $4,822.10. Miscellaneous. Fifty additional settees have been purchased, and temporary awnings have been erected over a portion of them. CHARLESTOWN PARKS. On August 11 a small force was set at work on Charlestown Heights grading the grounds, which work is still in progress. At the playground, on Alford street, the Street Department is dumping ashes for filling, and considerable material has been received from other parties without expense to the city; the buildings |