The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-26

occur under ten yearsof age. He stated that il both
safes were bare Of trees, the central would
cost most; that the central is admitted TO be IN
healthy; that the cost Of laying out Jones' WOOD.
would be about goo an acre, without fence As to
the comparative cost Of the two Sites he stated that
the assessed value Of Jones' Wood for the present.
year $3.50 800, or average per block OF $l4-
$685. and that the average five blocksfrom Sxteth to
Sixty seventh streets, and Fifth to Eighth avenues
was $3l 100. Mr.. Hogg produced memorandum Of a
average per block, for land from Seventysecond to
Seventy-eighth streets and Fifth and Seventh ave-
nues; thesite Of the proposed central park, $67
S76 and also stated that twenty-five lots Of ground on
Second and Third avenues and Seventythird street
the most valuable part of jones' WoOds-sold for
average per lot Of 1915, or per block, $36, ZOO.
Full notes OF the testimony taken, accompany this
report, to which appendix your committee would re-
fer for more minute details. r
Mr.. Samuel j. Gustin, gardener and nulseryman
OF New Jersey, appeared before the chairman Of the
select committee and stated that his experience
taught him to prefer planted groves to natural for
est for ornamental purposes. He nstanced two gen.
tlemens seats in New jersey one of which retained
the original trees, the other had been planted thirty
the he s
cause 1t will afford more scope for the gardeners
art, for skilful and extensive planting and artistic
effect where everything is to be created by the land
After carefully weighing the subject referred to
them, your committee were disposed to recommend
TO the Senate the bill it came from the Assembly,
without amendment, as proper to become law.
They Hnd that an act was passed in Jny, 1851,
which the present one is designed merely to revive
and amend; that the land it proposes to convert to
the public se Is emnently adapted to all the wants
Of health and pleasure; that it will cost only half as
much per acre, as the central site; that its noble
forest trees will afford immediate enjoyment to the
pent up citizens Of New York, an enjoyment which
they have prayed for and are willing TO- pay for
pose a single objection to larger and more
central park which ought to be established at
an early day, and which they heartily
recommend as a provision for the future. They
think, however, that the present has some claims,
and that the painting and crowded families Of the less
wealthy whose children fill the bills Of mortality are
entitled to ask what has posterity done for rs Why
should they be taxed now to plant groves. which
after them, when health and pure air, waited from
the breezy river through simple shades, are within
their present grasp!
In the words of Mr. William Curr, the.chef adj
vantage of Jones Wood is that the trees already
planted and its being available TO the present gene
ration at small expense"
So earnest is the opposition to this measure on the
part Of some Of the owners OF the land to be taken,
that your committee would hesitate to urge it, from
considerations of Difference to those who such
public necessity in park, as would reconcile them
to the loss Of their land taken for street. rail
road reservoir; when to this is added weight of
petition in favor of another locality strong as that
which prays for jones' Wood, it seems, perhaps,
wisest to refer to the new city government Of New
York the choice of sites.
Your committee, impressed with the great deficiency
of New York in public grounds, would recommend
the purchase of boths Or perhaps, the securing Of
one without delay and the other, at the option OF
the city
From recent work OH the parks, gardens, &C., Of
London and its suburbs, by Edward Kemp, 1851, it
appears that the well known st. James park, con-
tains but 81 acres, and the Green park, adjoining,
and separated only by street, (the Mall,) is an
open area of Sc acres. Both together they
but l43 less than ones Wood, which occupies
l56 acres.
London" says Kemp, "like most other large
and populous towns, has gradually spread itself SO
completely over the open spaces which formerly
surrounded it, that it is now respects the number
of its inhabitants, by means literally sup
piled with breathing places or the means OF
open air recreation. And this encr0achment
on its suburbs has been effected with such
comparative slowness and silently that it is only
by the occurrence of modern epidemics, producing
that attention to sanitary matters which forms such
prominent feature Of the present age that the
cessity for good public parks has been duly recog-
nized, and the insufciency of those already ext sting
properly felt Attention having, however, been
awakened to the matter the evil has already been in
part remeded, and further provision for meeting the
public wants is in process OF being made There
also many open commons in the vicinity OF the me
tropolis which, as shall afterwards show, answer
all the purposes of parks"
Let us see how many acres of parks and commons
are now open to the Londoner. Lying within London
tf1a1f fhnrn