New-York daily tribune., 1858-02-06
THE CENTRAL PARK.
rof T1>y Y Ir,bua<

been at considerable expense in the matter can hard.
y consider the sweeping resolution lately passed by
the Board to be either fair or business-lke. In No
yember last perfectly ineligible and satisfactory
proposition was made the part of the Commission
TO receive on March plans for laying out the Park,
If they were drawn in sepis TO prescribed scale and
accompanied by explanatory report, and 70 pay
premiums to the four competitors whose dcsigas
should fulfill these Instructions IN the most sats'ac-
tory manner-a prOviso being made that these four
premium plans should become the property of the
Commission; and the suppositiQn that this pro-
posal was bona fde and complete, over sixty appli-
cants, ! understand, received particulars. Designs
have since been cnceived plans are in progress ana
in n few weeks the lst of March will arrive.
TIE new year had commenced before the levels and
surveys were offered for examination, and very
limit. tire was therefore left for studying out plan
thai should suit the actual Character OF the ground,
which il very intricate and difficult. No contour map
TO the scale prescribed was furnished and each COM
pet.tor who De sired accurate information had conse-
quently TO wade through the whole mass OF plans, or
TO large expenses for the services Of others 70 do
the work for him-and now what is the result AT
the eleventh hour resolution is passed demanding
that each competitor in consideration OF scanty
chance Of premium shall not only send in plan and
report in accordance with the instructions issued last
year but shall also furnish an elaborate specification
and estimate Of Of work which Is 10 cost mil
lion and half of dollars!
de allied plan for the agricultural drainage Of 700
acres Of rugged and dissipated ground would alone
take months to prepare could only be successfully
accomplished after thorough examination OF the soil
below the surface duty which it would be imprac-
ticGbe to execute in Winter and winch certainly cam
rot be uI dertaken BY each competitor on his own
account between this and the lst of March. IL there
are TO be ten miles of road for driving in the Park an
accurate specification estimate tor TINS section OF
the work would be equivalent TO preparing hne OF
railway ten miles in length for contract which re-
spectacle engineer would risk his reputation by
attempting to do in three or four weeks, DO matter
what remuneration might be offered him.
ui,a tiDra anfH u II.
of the method and expense of forming the roads, are
also questions of detail that do not affect the general
design or conception, which Is all that the Commis.
sioners originally proposed to obtain and all that
should be demanded N such preliminary compe-
titi0n
The real question to be answered at this time Is,
simply what plan s beet adapted TO the nature OF the
ground, and the general requirements Of the case,
bearing in mind that the of 81 10000 has been
set apart for the purpose OF constructing the Park.
Ii will be for the Commissioners to decide the rea
tive importance of the different parts of the work,
and to determine whether to make large sppropria.
tios out of their fund for iron railing gas lamps and
handsome edifices thereby reducing the available
amount for road-naking, renchlug, etc, or whether
they shall adopt contrary or intermediate course
Probably the very best and the very worst designs
that may be cent in could each be executed after some
fashion for 1.-THE Of the III the hands OF the Com
missioners for the expense Will be question OF com
pe,eness ID execution and detail, while the value OF
The leading idea plan will be to great extent, inde-
pendent Of detail. go
The general design tor such park mlgnt, Wtn per-
feet urOprcty remain the same, whether the SUN 10
be 1pended happened to be million or two millions,
for the smaller the sum, the roads and foopaths would
have to be less expensive the trees ana shrubs less
valuable the grass lees perfect, and the buildings ana
fences les ornamental but the varying charac or OF
tie soil the shape OF the ground, ana its haturai
landscape attractions, would always exist as nAed
facts and trustworthy guides, while the reasons that
might be urged in favor Of any particular distribution
Of par;s would be strong in one case az the other
The importance OF obtaining exact specifications and
detailed estmates before proceeding to expend the
money in hand, If undeniable; but TINS Is not the
prt per time 10 demand them, and the competitors
ought rot to be expected TO supply them IL the res
outon had formed part of the original proposal II
would although Objectionable, have been only mega,
,iyey injurious for any who was dissatisfied could
have refraued from competing. Now, on the other
hand all are caught as it were in trap, and no one
who has given time and attention TO the matter can
retreat without serious loss yet proceed with con-
fdence on the extraordinary terms winch nave inter-
polated upon the contract
The proyiso now suddenly Inserted with regard 10
cOIored duplicates Of the sepia plans Is also most I'm,
satisfactory. The Commissioners by their original
instructions compelled competitors TO prepare pans
in a particular manner, apparently with the desic
that no imposition should be practlced on the eye
with gaudy highly colored designs, but this is a SET
aside and the temptation is OF course Tor every COM
pc,tor 10 slur over his carefully commenced sepla
plan hurredly finishing ii to come just within
The Instructions, aud then st any cost rs hs only
chance TO make bright and blooming plan sparkling
with green and yellow trees anu Due Ponus, "hiCH
will compare favorably in brilliaucy with the other
eff rts OF Ike nature that he calculates will be pun
ished in accordance with this last bulletin OF the Com
missoners. ..
As the Instructions stood originally the competition
was fair and open one, and il q contour plan to
prescribed scale had been furnished by the Conission
as could have been done very little outlay in COM
parion to what il has cost competitors, all would have
et that the chances were equal and that the evident
intention was TO obtain the best result in stragtor
ward inteligibe way. Now, on the other hand, the
whole thing assumes totally different aspect, and It
is impossible to know guess what is to happen nex
or whether, between this aud the end Of tho month
some resolution may not be passed to abolish the
petition al.ogetherI remain, Sir yours respectfully
A LABORER ON THE PARK.