New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-20
PUBLIC MEETINGS.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

cisanrS g ssf'zMes.. Ad.a. C9sltsr end Griaths-
F,sS..-Mes.r. Mesp.don Hcsoaip. and Fulner
Fue D,patt~eat-Mes.r' Adam. Mcdonnell and Corwin-
Jp'ni Comsites AeeoHhh-messr.. Heay, Harm, snt
CTotoa AqueSset-mesrr, Monaghan. Coulter and Ovens
Ia-p. and Gl.-Mes", Mcconnell Monaghan and Dr.k.
Iands and PLdoes- Messrs Wilson Coulter snd Gdhiths
Lac Dcpa,tnenf-Mesr Harris. Ne Conkey and Owens
Oydinanes-MessT, Bsnia Jackson and Tucker
Poiies- he.srs wilsOn, hOneshan and Corwin
Pubic HeaIth-Messrs Steers. HOHmfe and Blunt
rvbe sBding' Biaekpef' Ii!aad-Messr.. Adams and
Re- and Su5pe'-Me.sr,. McConkey Coulter and Val
ebtiIe.
SGlarie, and Q6cu-Me.srs Hotnire Ban,a sud F1ner.
Ssvo'-Me,'r.. Coulter, Mocontsy and Valentine.
Sbees-Aessrs. Mcconnell, HofuIre aud Gilffths.
W.a,re' Pier' and Sp'Mes'rs Steers Healy and Cor
Bai,oad.- Mesus. McSpedon, Adams, Monaghan, Drake
and NdtntiD1
The Central Park-A c>mmunicaon was received
from the Central Park Commissioners, being answer
to = resolution and giving detailed statemsnt of
affairs. Ordered printed. We give an abstract:
The report commencing with history ofthe pro-
ceedDgs which resulted in the acquisition of the Cen
rsl Pork TO the City goes on to develop the plan
adopted by the Commissioners, with the concurrence
Of the consulting Bocrd invited by them to join in their
deliberations. The topography Of the island is first
discussed.
The Island Of NewYork is about twel re miles long
and varies in width from one-halft to two and half
miles 1t lies upon the up'uned edge Of the primitive
range which extends through Westchester County and
New-EDgland into Canada. The basis rock is gness,
except about one mile in length at tho northsrn OK
trCmity which is limestone The middle and northern
portions rough and broken, from the slmOt con.
slant out cropping Of the rock. The lower portion is
everywhere covered, and in come places to great
depth with aluyai snd diluvial deposits, aud Is CON-
paravely level. The rock begins TO make its appear
ance il the neghborbOOd Of Thirteth street. and
ter de from that point 10 Msnhattanve the elevated
portions vary from 20 TO 100 feet above tide water, the
valleys being often deep and the hills preJpitOus.
There is line OF elevation along the western side of
the island from which the ground de5cends 70 the llud
con ard to the East River.
On the eastern slope lies the ground selected for
public park extending from Fifty ninth street on the
south TO One-hundIed and sixth street on the north,
and from Fifth TO Eighth avenue The lower e1trein-
ity il about five mies from the Battery and the upper
extremity tie dlst8oce from the northern end OF
TIE island. From the Western side to the Hudson
River is three quarters of mile, and from the eastern
sioe to the East River Dearly mile 1t Is two miles
and bali long and hall mile wide or az long as from
the Battery TO JIIion square and wide as from
Bowling Green TO the CITY ii all and contains 776 acres
ircudiDg the present distributing reservoir o,cupying
position nearly centra j. the goouno taken for a new
IeleryOr, and the Arsenal grounds belonging TO the
State. II is as large as Hyde Park and ksnsln2ton
Gardens combined and times larger than the
united Of all tie other squares and pubhcpaces In
the city
In addition TO the general slope from west TO east,
there are five lateral depressiOns and corresponding
ridges div ding the PAX traIsversely. These ridges
are not continuous but very much broken, form
ing series of hills snd valleys The drainage OF the
Lesser dtpressiOrs flows into the deeper valleys, whoee
drsinage streams oy directly into the East River, or
through conouts 10 that river Some Of these streams
have Their origin in perennial springs, aud are there
fore permanent in their supply while others, being
simply channels for the surface water OF limited area
are generally dry in midsummer
Some lire within others without the imits aud sew
81. Eant lntK, In n I4kg
instances distractions TO the natural drainage have
CAused the formation of swampy ground and stagnant
ponos which in their turn give rise to rank, sckly
vegetation. Tie southern portion Oi the area tue
M II broken ard least eey Gted. Ire rOcks are mere
more exposed TO the surface and there Is less vegeta-
ton n on In the northern pait.
This glance at the Typography OF the Park shows the
necessity for thu rough drainage to start with. Inc
original water courses TO be reaired wherever pos
sible as drains exCavated to q firm suostratuR
Geologicaly, the Park is entirely In the primary re-
giou; he tOcke embraced are: Gness (hicaeeous
Gneiss) Mica Sse Granite, in numerous intrusive
veins Duyial or drih deposits, including boulders;
Soils derived fom the decomposition OF the gneiss and
assOcia'ed rocks.
The strata OF gneiss exhibit no uniformity with re-
gard 10 their strike and dip. They show everywhere
violent DELEGATIONS owing to the intrusion of various
yeLs Cf granite In some To- aes they arc IN YER
teal position, or nearly so, varying from ~ ceg, ~ w.
10 80 deg E. in others they vary ffom ~ 10 % deg
10 the H. w aud to Tire s. +. The eyailng direction
of the strike is north northeast The present posilon
If the gneiss has apparently been produced by two
ditLCt causes. Flst, general upheaVal VI lhe en-
lire mass subsequently the strata hiss been lateri
displaced and ccntoIted by numerous intrusive veins oil
granite.
In many localities the gneiss contains more or les
extensive masses of quartz of enticular shape tliag
gradually cIt towsrds tine northeast ana 81 l'h'"est
They generally parallel 10 The strike Oh INC sua,
onIv few instances having been found whore such
was not the case. These encular mssses OF quartz,
from half an inch to nearly two feet vide, may easly
be taken for intrusive ytlns lher lum'ou ehten',
IN, ir conformity with the strike OF the strata, ana tue
fact of their being occasionally displaced by veins OF
.rapite speak strongly i'll favor OF the opinion inst
they were already formed when the intrusion OF ths
granite took place, being cOtemporaa sous with the
gDess.
A very rare mineral was found on The line OF con-
tact between the granite and gneiss IN ths neigh
boGhood OF SIXTY seventh street and seventh Avenue
IL IA chiefly composed of phosphate OF iron aud u in-
eanese Ii appears 10 be altered form OF tetraply
fue and forms very small crystals aud crystalline IN
crustatons filing small Irregular chapel ge0des IN
Ii, sh colortd feidspar
Red garnet in small compact grains imbedded Ia
fedspaT and gray quartz aud scales OF green chlorte
in feicspsr ocoa,ioneuy found
Duvial deposits occupy largo portion OF the area,
resting every where upon the gnes' anu assoc a'e1
rocks both on the tops of hills aud in the nAo" inter-
yepiDg alleys vsDip in thickness from few inches
10 thirty feet and aoTcing at best very poor SOL.
The DRIFT consists Of gravel sand and loan, with peo-
blts bJulders Of oiferelt varieties OF Tap-s)ms
OlJile Houl bergen ~ - vi Siau'1o hNo 'H
and two OF three other varieties. some from the High
laIds; Of sy enite from the Highlands; Of gness Ike
that In place and from the Highlands; OF ql4rtz,
quar,zite, red cCnslOmorate, gsrneE-rock, Ii a.
stone ard dol)rite, ciayey, sandy aud lmey
states, and of smphbo!ire. AL the materials OF
the drt appear 10 have been transported and acted
uppn BY two eDts one in the direction south - deg
east 10 40 deg east and the other in nearly southern
direction The former being indicated by STRIFE and
rrooves the stter 10y the shape and besring Of toe
6Ila of Drift On he rocks aie found nunero Is groves
20 deg TO 30 deg west. They have beeu prodacei by
bouIders moving over the surface OF the rock. Ia
-. -. IL, ,.cL 4. smnnth hnd nn.hed hY the