The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-20

Interesting Report 81 Tho Engineer 10 Chief
on the Central Park.
AlDeRMANIC STANDING COMMITTEES.
d., 60, 90.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN.


Tho Board OF Aldermen held their sxtn regular meet
ing for this month ON Monday nish'-Alder"an J'nn
Clancy, Chairman The nipOss OF the previous meeting
were read and approved Petitions frsm several persons
desiring 10 be appointed COmmssioaers Of DEEDS were
referred.
THE Ger TRAL PARK.
The torswng communication resolved from W.
Central Park Commissioner and Tered to be printed
OrIICa or ESGISssR CHIg,
Nsw YORK. ian. l, 1867.
To the Hon. FERNANDO WO1D and JossPB TAYLOR Esq,
Commissioners Of Central Park:-
have the honor 70 submit herewith the first annual
report Of 'hs operations under direction, connected
with the laying out aud Improvement OF the Central PARK
The circumstances under which these operations have
been conducted have rendered simply pre niuary
yet they LEES important forming basin for
immediate improve mept in the absence Of Will ser,us
errors might be- com ueo and discovered perhaps 40
10 Q to he remediec.
have pref he report with brief history OF this
great public from lis conception to sne present
TIME ana have added In an appendix she various acts,
ordinances and judicial decisions by ~nich the city
secured possession Of MS p'op n.y. ~ Mates OF ree
little interest," in their con necon with the SUBJECT of
report Very respec,foi'y your osedient servant,
EGBERr vlELE Euginssr In Chief
Rspokr
Public opinion has. within the last few ears been
awakening 10 sense OF the mpotsnpe Of open spaces
for the ipbabsns all large to n. and the extension
Of rAuor al eDioyments ID regarded great pre-
yntor OF crime ard vice Yet was not until recently
that any official 'tep taken towards providing for
the cy Of New York tuat which every city Of Earope
regards as apuonc necessisy
On the 6,h day Of April 1881. Hon. Ambrose Kings
hand then Mayor Of the cy, vansted 60 s,e B,srd Of
Aldermen special message, setting forth the limited
tent the places devo the public their iaadeouscy
70 The warts Of any oass the people ana The
both moral and sanitary point OF view, of securing
more extended ARA for the purposes Of pu Die
alton.
This measage referred In tho Committee on Lsnds
and Places who reported that the subject had awakened
uncommon degree OF interest aud hat they heartily
oopcurred ID the Views Of the Mayor The report ndi
GATED the ground known - Jnnes' woods suitable for
tbe required purp ses and recommended thai spploa
ton Be made TO the Ipgssue for the passage Of aot
authorizing the spporn OF commissioners 70 take
tia, property for the Of the city THIS having
been adopted and In by the other branch OF
the Common Council, application in accordance
herewith made 10 he Legislature at its extra session
IN 1851, and the at known The "Jonss Woods Park
bl was passed by that body the 1lth day ef July,
1851
TIE passage of this act gave rse to discussion re
gArdre the relative advantage Of other pieces Of ground
for thw purpose, and the soard Of Aldermen adopted,
the frh day Of August 1851 resolution appointing
not within the limit Of the city piece OF ground
suitable for tho purpose Of public pa~ than that
dessneea In the oct then recently passed BY tho Legha
port setting forth the advantages OF the piece OF ground
lying between Fifth and Eighth avenues Fifty ninth and
lt6,b streets for the Purp ses Indicated over that known
jones' woods reso,1 ION to this effect passed
by the board, spd being coDcurred IN application
made 10 the legislature ter the passage OF a1ho
rizpg appointment of tomn,ioaers to estimate an
Tor the purpose OF taking the ground referred
to Tor public PARK AsOorsDsy ne ies,sl.ure PASSED
now known ~ the Central ParK And on the Same day
anoiher sct in rierebce to the Jones' Woods Park SINH
lar 10 the ore prcvtousy passed, but which had
gone into effect the Supreme Court refused appoint
commissioners on account Of material errors in the BILL
This act Of July % 1885, referring 70 Jones' woods,
subss queptly repealed The supreme Court on The ap
pbcation Of the Iounsel TO porston appointed,
Estimate and Asseesmept take the Central
Park. There commissioners com peted heir Abors on
the I'd day OF July 1885, and their report Was confirmed
on the 9th day OF February, 1855.
On tho same day We Comptroller communicated 70 the
Com Council dram Of ordinance io' the payment
Of the damages awarded by the commissioner
During the period which elapsed between the appoint
mos the commissioners and the cophrmat0a Of their
report, Efforts were made 10 reduce the limits Of the
park. Petitions sent TO the Common Council
10 that effect by various persons. whose motives
were a. numerous @ the names appended to
The petitions. committee was appointed TO examine
the subject, which 90 mmittce made . minority and ms
tr,ty report No action, however was taken until t1e
following year, when The subject revived and reso
luton passed both Boards petition the Legisatare to
cut on . certain portion Of the Park by which few
Park reanty destroyed The revolution was promptly
vet ed BY the Mayor, Hon Fernando Wood This would
seem TO have put an end TO all open opposition b
cret influence appears TO have been steadily Of work
Tor reasons known only 70 few, 70 reard the progress Of
this great public Improvement To this influence As7
probably be 0cybed the action OF the 10 House
OF the last Tghsure upon the very jud,ous bill which
had passed the senate.
In the absence OF necessary legislation the Cou
mon Council sdoped on the 10Th DAP Of Nay "a ori-
nance creating the Mayor and Street Oonmssioper Com
m,cneIs Of ,Se Central Park WIN power to employ che
Wishes Of the people, and appcoaung certain funds 20
carry ont the provisions Of The ordinance. This Boerd
encrsd a upon the discharge Of their duties Yeo
ing The importance OF the subject the responsibilities
cevovpe upon them they determined before adopting
spy definite oourso Of action, 10 seek the advice Of
tam well known citizens whose public reputation psou.
liar avocsons and cultivated gave ASSURANCE
their opinion would possess the foroo Of clear Unbiased
judgment.
rdlnely invitations were extended TO wssh.ns,on
Irving George B'sscrof, James e. Cooley Charles D.
Briggs lana. James Phalen and Stewart Brown, 70
attend the meetings OF the Commissioners, and forr
consulting Bosrd Cor the purpose OF dsoussng lice Of
Of snch plans or proposons As might be laid before
them, with The WOW OF adopting permanent design Ter
the Improvement Of ibe PSk
These gentlemen met the 18th OF May, 1855, aud or
eanzsd BY eecting Washington Irving ~ President OF
The Board art settled the prelminsres TOR carrying into
elect The obscis OF The communion. subsequently va
rious plans before them and . variety OF views
ana opinions submitted for lncir consideration The re
SUIT OF iheee deliberations the adoption oil the gcncr
features Of The pan which h TIRE object Of this report
10 eluooafe. This design for he Improvement o. lhe
PaIk cor forms 70 the c1nng qualities Of he surface,
snd since rs adoption II has been generally conceded
that any plan not based upon The pNent topography OF
the ground, would be roons;scnt with IDEAS OF
natural beauty, anc would involve expenditure not
commemorate with any results which might be attained
thorough study Of the grvuad In Us minute details ne
tesssrD7 prcceedes The wo,k o Improvement and
public ave 10 be The hps judges Of The merits or defects
Of the plan, they should pcssess general hposledge
the,e details IN orde, 70 discuss the subject u,cgeny
With this view description 81 the topography and q
sypop.s OF The physical investigations given ~ ar
ordlns The bes niuvsoos Of the principles spou which
The contemplated improvements are founded.
rorop.,fHY.
The blaad OF New OFT about twelve MILES long and
varies In width irom " ~ ancs. II lies upon the
upturncd edge Of tho primitive range which ertosds
tnrocgh Wescbester county and New England INTO o.
bads Tie basis rock gpesso, except about one nile In
kpfth ~ The northern exNcnity which n limestone.
The middle sad northern potlons rough and broken,
fron ssc aimoe constant out cvpprg u The rock The
bwcr portion k evvy vbwc covered and IN ssrse places
70 great ocpk with anuvia and diuvia dcposxs and
comparatively ,evci. me rock begins 70 make ~ sp
pcaraDoe In he pcshboroocd Il rrcsh street, and
tends from that pctrt ~ Nashsttaavtnc. The elevated
portions vAxy frc0 70 70 l9s feet abovo tide
wehr, ne vaDefs peSF sten deep md the nhs pre-
cpitous There Il hpe Of aevstsse Along the western
side OF the lsrd from woh Ne ground deecends t.
hudson and 10 the EAr river.
On the csstwn sopc Hes NE grsupd seacoed for puo
Nc pan extending Aom Fry ninth strcet on the scust TO
106h areN On NJ norm, sod 6ox, Fffib n Eighth
avenues, The iovw extremity n ssert I've miles frsu
M Eafferv the