The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-11

Douglas defence, it Will he seen that he COM
passes this view Of the subject. He is only too
lenient with these self-conceted parsons. He
that "steals the livery OF heaven to serve the
devil in" should have it stripped from his
shoulders without ceremony. Let the clergy
remember that when they descend from the
pulpit into the political arena they run the
common hazard of thrust in the ribs
TIE CENTRAL PARK-THE WAY TO PAY FOR IT.
Are we to have park? If so, the first and
most important question is, how is it to be paid
for? To answer that question it is proper to
inquire who is to be benefited by it. AT pre-
sent the city requires no such great park as it
is proposed to establish. We Of the present
time have access to the open shores of the North
and East rivers above the line of dense popula-
ton. as we'll as the uninhabted portions of
Manhattan Island. But before many years both
sides of the East and North rivers, as we'll as
| the whole of the island, will be one vast and
densey populated city Then the value of a
large central park will be felt to be necessary
to the health and comfort Of the whole popula-
tion Of every class. 1t is, therefore, in the in
terest alone of future generations that park
should now be laid out and on them the ex-
pense should properly fall This immense open
space of ground will be detriment to all the
landed property in its neighborhood, for the
simple reason that it will necessarily be the re-
sort Of rowdies, uncontrolled by proper police
| regulations, for years to come. A small park
| gives increased value to lots near by, but
| large park diminishes the value of lots. and
renders them unsaleable, for the reason that
they can with safety be occupied till the whole
island shall be completely built up, so that the
grounds can be lighted and protected by day
and by night by vigilant, numerous and ever
present police. 1t is evident that this cannot
be done for long time to come. In other coun-
| tries the property about the large open grounds
| reserved for popular uses has always been at
| low price compared with the more settled parts
Of the large cities where they are found.
| The Champs Elysees, for instance, injured the
value of lots in the neighborhood for centuries.
No dwellings were erected to front upon them
Quite the contrary. The houses built adjoining
that public walk had their rears upon it, de-
Tended besides by heavy walls surmounted by
iron rails 1t is only within the last fifteen
years that the wealthy city of Paris has been
able to light the Champs Elysees, and to afford
| such protection to those who live on its boun-
daries as to bring up the value of land TO any
thing like the price it bears in most other parts
of the city. The same general remark is true
ofthe large open grounds in all the other great
cities Of Europe. It is evident, therefore, that
the expense Of the proposed park should mol be
imposed on the lots in its neighborhood.
Nothing would be more unjust than to apply
the system Of assessment on vacant lots as
means of paying for any part ofthe park. How,
then, shall we secure this object for our pos
terity, without imposing ourselves either by as
sessment or by direct general taxation? When
it is borne in mind that we of to-day
have the onerous duty of blasting ont rocks
to build streets, cellars and sewers, in a
word Of building city, on the most unfavor-
able and expensive soil it is clear that we should
exempt ourselves from the tax of paying for
the park Of which our descendants are excu-
sively to have the benefit. Hence it is reason
able to issue bonds for the entire purchase Of
the park grounds, payable some fifty or sixty
years hence, and to hypothecate the grounds
purchased for their payment. A stock OF this
sort at four per cent interest would be taken at
par, or after, as its issue might abe required to
meet contemplated purchases Of lots for this OBJ
ject. Indeed limited ANIMAL amount Of park
stock might be issued, even for the laying out
and ornamentation Of the park, leaving for the
present, the city treasury liable for the annual
interest only. When our grandchildren come
49, - ~. IL
| Improvement, which parental foresight shall
| have secured to them, let them Judge Of its adj
vantaees, and pay for II as they please.
1t viii be worth, sixty years hence, a thousand
times more than it will now cost and there is
no danger Of it's being suppressed or sold to
meet the liabilities for its purchase. But If there
were any such danger, the occasion is one where
the principle Of non-intervention should apply.
| In this way we can secure for our descendants,
of every class Of society, splendid public area
of land, where the young and the old, the poor
and the rich, the sick and the we'll can find the
consultations and healthful influence of fresh and
pure air, when for miles around in all direc-
tons the rest of the island and its vicinity is, OF
shall be covered over by dense and wealthy
population-to whom the payment for this i'm
mense benefit will be the merest trife All
portions of the island will, ere then, be produc-
tive, instead of as at present source Of con-
slant outlay, in order to bring it into anything
ike valuable property. We suggest this scheme
as the only equitable and practicable one to ef-
feet the great object in view, without doing in
Justice either to the owners Of vacants lots or to
the city treasury.
Supreme Court-speclal Term.