New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-10-04
THE CENTRAL PARK.

the Central Park is at length accomplished. The
| estimate and assessments Of the lands taken for
and benefited by this immense appropriation OF
property are at length completed, andare deposited,
for the inspection of those interested in the Street
Commissioners Office. Any objections are to be
made within sixty days. after which the Report
will be presented to the Supreme Court for con.
6rmation. The following particulars, obtained
from authentic sources embrace the material points
in the history of this great work, exceeding in eI-
tent and pecuniary amount any similar improve
ment in this country, and rivaling the largest in
the cities of the Old World.
The Act of the Legislature establishing the Park
passed July 81, 1853 Michael Ulshaefe,, VIM
Kent, Luther Bradish, Warren Brady and Jeremiah
TOwle were appointed Commissioners. Their first
meeting was on the 26Ih November 1853, since
which they have been In constant session, prose-
cutting the work with assiduity. The Park EN-
braces 776 acres, including in that area the State
Arsenal and two Croton Reservoirs Itextends
from Fifty ninth. street, nearly mile above the
Crystal Palace, to One hundred snd-sixth-street,
overlooking Harlem-asd from the Fifth ave-
nue. to the Eighth. 1t is two and One.thlrd miles
long and three .ffths of a mile broad. TAe lands
taken consist of upward of 1900 city building
lota, mu:h varying in surface and value; each
loj was separately estimated by the commission
ers. The amount awarded is IS, 020, 5l4, being
about 800 per lot-in which are included lots
belonging to the City Cooperation valued at
$3.50, 49,.
The Law requires any balance of benefit not
a L. I'm ~ IN ha m
posed On the City Corporation, to be reimbursed
by lean at FIVE per cent interest for forty
five years The amount assessed on the
surrounding property is $l,S75,329, leaving
1886, AS to be borne by the City; from which
deductDg the $3.50, 4s2 awarded for the City lots,
we have the sum Of 81 ,995 ,OO3-On which the an
nual interest at FIVE per cent is little less than
$I5O,OO0. The increased amount of taxable prop
erty created by the establishment Of such Park,
and the increased amount it will contribute IN
taxes will speedily exceed that sum. So that the
operation, merely in point of money, viii be q
clear gain to the City. We need not now com
ment on the inestinable value Of such an open
ornamental space as increasing, through all
coming generations, the health, beauty, comfort
and attractiveness Of this immensely big and inn
mentely dusty mart of commerce.
The number of lots assessed BY the Commits
siouers for benefit exceeds tee1ty-siz thousand,
making, with the seven thousand FIVE hundred
takeI, upward OF thirty. four thousand cases
separately and distinctly examined and decided
in lees than two years. The area included in the
assessment extends from Forty econd-street, on
the south, to One hun dred- Observation-Disclosures
on the north, and from line mid way between
Third and Second. avenues on the east, to line
midway between Tenth and Eleventh.svenues,
On the wet; and also the lots on the Fifth,
Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth-svenues, from
Thirty. fourth. street to Oae hundred. and twen-
tieth.street.
1t is proper to add that the Commissioners
have been very effectively aided in their srduous
labors by the two gentlemen selected as clerks
Of the Commission, Mr. James +. Ruggles,
upon whom was devolved the responsible labor
of examining the titles of the seven thousand
five hundred lots taken, and J. Mansfield Davies,
Esq, who prepared the computations for the
assessment, requiring peculiar care and precis-
ion. The immense labor of the uecesssry sur
veys was divided between Messrs. Gardner A.
Sage, John J. Serrell, Thomas Nicholson, and
Roswell Graves, and was accomplished with all
needful dispatch, as the immense volumes of
maps now deposited for public inspection will
sufficiently testify.
The fact should also be known, to silence the
unjust imputations of Unnecessary delay and ex-
pense on the part Of the Commissioners, that
their whole expenses, exclusive of surveys and
the services of counsel, (Which latter item the
law Of April !, 1854, requires to be rendered
gratuitously,) will not exceed 81, 000-being
about one three hsndredh of one per cent on the
amount of the lands taken. We do not think
the public will deem this very e1travagant for
the tervices Of at least seven able men for
nearly two years. The whole subject now re-
mains with the Supreme Court and the City
Corporation. The Commissioners and their en-
ployees have done their duty honestly, thor
ougbly and nObly, and deserve the lasting graft
tuae Of the City.