We want first to establish a relay of gate keepers.

Second, to form a reserve police force available for special duties at particular times, in order to avoid the expense of constantly maintaining a regular force larger than the ordinary service of the park requires, as for instance during skating, on concert days, at Receptions, Military Reviews &c.

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Third, to have some special guardians and caretakers of certain structures.

I propose to fill up the gate keepers force to double the number of gates with men fit and competent for police-duty.

To divide this force into two squads, one of which shall be employed as the present gate keepers are, at the gates from the time of opening until about sunset: the other, each man to be given charge of some structure or series of structures or locality. Upon which he should be employed in the first place one hour, every morning, in cleaning, dressing, and putting in order for the use of visitors before the time of which they begin to use the park in any number. Having done this, the main body of the second squad would go to a station where they could rest, remaining as reserve until noon, when if not required they would be allowed to go home for two hours for dinner and day light attention to their families. During the summer the park is comparatively deserted between 12 & 3. At 3 the tide sets in and from 4 to sunset the demand upon the police is incessant and they are obliged to neglect all but the important communications. Between 2 & 3, the second gate-squad would again clean away the rubbish accumulating in the forenoon and put everything in order for the afternoon promenade, and continue in charge each of his own station, keeping matters clean and orderly, directing & assisting visitors and protecting the structures and plants about them from injury either from carelessness, ignorance or wantonness. At sunset each would go to a gate of which he would remain in charge until the park closed. Squad—No 1 going home at sunset, unless in an emergency the services of some or all of the men should still be required.

Supposing that two of the 12 gates do not require relays at present (all the others, I find, do) and that two men of the 24 will ordinarily be absent, which is a fair deduction from our experience, there would be always at command for public purposes during the day by this arrangement 12 men. They would do the labor now inadequately performed by the laborers under [ . . . ], each that of one man for 2 or 3 hours. And they would supply competently the required relay for the gates. By giving each of the 2nd squad charge of a particular locality, one for instance of the Terrace, and seats on the mall, with the Bow Bridge, another (who should have been a gardener—Sneider for example) of the crypt and connecting walks, stairs and banks, the rough stone arch, the oak bridge, Balcony and west rustic bridges, confining them to there and holding them responsible for their neatness and good condition at all times, I believe that men entirely fit for police service could be selected who would not only be willing to perform the necessary work but would take pride in performing it well and gaining the applause of visitors for it.

I think their net-pay should not be less than that of assistant foremen, or the commoner sort of mechanics, and I should be sorry to employ men who merely took the duty while waiting for something better, but if this can not be managed, I think it better that it should be the largest fixed sum that the Commission [292] will allow per day, and not by the hour, because of the irregularity of certain duties of this season and the difference of opinions about the value of different sorts of service and [the] anxiety for transfers which would be developed.

The following are assistant foremen or foremen who will have soon been discharged or suspended, and who would answer for gate keepers, if they would undertake the duty—

Oliver—one of four “specials”

Curran—old foreman

Day—  "   "

Treffinger—“special”—Van Tine (good)

Searles—    "    Robertson

Tobin—if not taken for police, superior

Carroll—special—Manierre

Miller—(good)

Briltan, Coffin, Flynn and Peet, named for keepers, are all good. Burns and McHugh, assistants of gangs likely to be kept at work, good. To all other assistants there is some objection.

Most of the discharged master-gardeners would do tolerably. And there are one or two outside applicants for police who would do very well and who are very deserving and needy.

I think however, the list I have given you of assistants, with Sneider and one or two of the old master gardeners who are daily besetting me, is a proper one, and they might be drawn in or offered it, as it is convenient to reduce the force during the next fortnight. I shall ask Mr. Devlin to send a cutter up to measure the present gate keepers on Monday—