The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-10-20
Gbe Wseklq Mlunesptian.
A Magnificent Park.

The New Workers are getting up a Park
in their great city which will throw the
famous public grounds Of the great European
Cities entirely in the back ground. The
Tribune speaks of it as follows:
An important step towards the establish
ment of the Central Park is at length accom-
plished. The estimate and assessments OF
the lands taken for and benefited by this
immense appropriation of property are at
length completed, and are deposited, tor 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 confirmation.
The following particulars, obtained from
authentic sources, embrace the material points
in the history of this great work, exceeding
in extent and pecuniary amount any similar
improvement in this country, and rivalinS the
largest in the cities of the Old World.
The Act of the Legislature establishing
the Park passed July q, 1858. Michael
Ulshaeffer, VIM. Kent, Luther Bradish, War
rem Brady, and jeremiah Towle were ap-
Doiutcd Commissioners. Their first meeting
was on the 18th of November, 1858, since
which they have been in constant session,
prosecuting the work with assiduity. The
Park embraces TIC acres, including in that
area the State Arsenal and two Croton Re
servoirs. 1t extends from Fifty -ninth street,
nearly mile above the Crystal Palace, to
One-hundred-and-sixth street, overlooking
Harlem-and from the Fifth avenue to Eighth.
It is two and onc-third miles long and three
fifths of a mile broad. The lands taken con-
sist of upward of 1900 city building lots,
much varying in surface and value each lot
was separately estimated by the Commits
sioners. The amount awarded is S5,O2O,ol4,
being about 500 per lot-in which are In
cluded lots belonging to the City Cor 'ora-
ton valued at $3.50, 482.
The law requires any balance of benefit
not assessed on the surrounding property to
be imposed on the City Corporation, to be
reimbursed by loan at five per cent. inter
est for forty five years. The amount assess
ed on the surrounding property is 81 ,329
leaving 1885, ass to be borne by the City;
from which, deducting the $500, 4S2 awarded
for the City lots, we have the sum of s., $685.
OO3-on which the annual interest, at five
per cent, is little less than Sl5O,OOO. The
increased amount of taxable property Gre
ated by the establishment of such Park,
and the increased amount it will contribute
III taxes Will SpccuIly cACCCu Chao o.1AAA' Nv
that the operation, merely in point of money,
will be clear gain to the City. We need
not now comment on the inestimable value
of such an open ornamental space as increas-
ing, through all coming generations, the
health, beauty, comfort and attractiveness of
this immensely big and immensely dusty
mart Of commerce.
The number of lots assessed by the Com
mssioners for benefit exceeds twenty-six
thousand, making, with the seven thousand
five hundred taken, upward of thirty four
thousand cases separately and distinctly ex-
amined and decided in less than two years.
The area included in the assessment extends
from Forty-second street, on the south, to
Observation-Disclosures street, on the
north, and from a line midway between Third
and Second avenues ON the east, to a line
midway between Tenth and Eleventh aven-
ues, on the west and also the lots on the
Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eight avenues,
from Thirty-fourth street to One-hundred-
and-twentieth street.