New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-04-23
THE CENTRAL PARK,


upon the Central Park begin to render i, an s.r,,.
place of rseort and thousands Of visitors can 4.
scattered ever the grounds every pleasant Ia, Al
though only sboo s. sores, lying immedisely ,s,.I !.
the Reservoir, are a. yet very nearly conn s..s -.
progress OF the work on the rest OF the Park the
OF men employed, the military discipline svsryvA,r.
apparent, occasional csnuonads Of BLASTING ,,,,.
gis1t of mil which grnds Up rocks in is las, v,s
as much nonchdsnce If they were parcssi c,,,
ard rumberless objects OF minor Interest, ar, upt,,
tourcee OF amusement.
Il req1ils 50 careful study and COO sidersb. ip.,,,
tioa to realize even approximately the sppesr.Oos A.
the PARK uaen completed. Upon niue tenth, Of n.
Area, it IS Only the LAST work which Will b, seen.
From detailed inspection Of the state Of tss vas,
aided BY the sdmirsbls rseor. which the Comuixis.
has just uade to the Common CounSl va IN
attempt to give some idea Of what has been Soss .J
what Iems Us to be done.
Below the reservoirs the drainage is nearly finished
q labor which has caused dry land to appear IN sl.s,
Of many little beg.
TIE drive Is for the most part graded ssd porter
of it have .been completed in dfsrsn. methods. 4,
order to es tbe relative cost sud eiioiercy Of each
The rds for equestrArs is In progress. Several ml.s
of the walks ersded, drained and grsrslsd sad n
condition for
Three bridges or viaducts, over which the curiu,
road is carried ana under which the hoTsebs sex nls =
to pass in state Of for sarnees aud promise 10 b,
structures of beauty well of utility; the prone.
made prominent feature Of the Park is nearly COM
plete, with its bro,d walk and lows OF trsnspssted
trees of twenty years growth The planting Of .h,
Park with gres. variety Of shrubs and trsss is rspiy
progressing.
The odor Of the shsnties which were the pest Of TIA
lower part of the Park, has been replaced By the
freshness of the upturusd earth Of which 500 900 cab,
yards have been moved-enough ID fill Btosiwsyt to
the fourth story of the buildings, from the City Hal
to Union Square. The sunken cross streets wAoa
excited 20 much opposition, are already sufficiently
advanced to show that the opposition Vas uu-
founded. They will be noticeable only at thsr
extremihes, where they unite with the ertera
streets at higher grade than the surface Ct the Pk
appearing as causewsys, few hundred feet 10 sng!h
termina.ing upon hillside The Park not being d.
recty accessible rom these streets it Will b.
necessary to close them at night when the public sre
shut cut from the Park itset They will furnish h,
means Of direct transit across the Park for business
purposes without causing inconvenience to It's visitors.
The casual observer might think the selection Of "a,
s.e unfortunate. At present, except in few places.
its aspect is one Of uudgni6sd ruggedness. Bat
this ia due almost entirely to the absence Of soil and
folisge When tbese are supplied, that peculiar po-
ture.quesness Of effect which can only be obtained
where rocky asses exist, will become strkingy obvi-
Gus. Although it will require heavy expenditure
to make the Park completes the final artistic effec. VII
be much finer than could be obtained upon tract Of
the richest and most easily worked soil, toe nstua
,u.l;naa of Which uere tame ard DrDsaic
OF the central plateau near the osntsr Of the oEa
Park, the boggy portion, shout ten acres, hs bssu
filled in to an average depth Of two feet sod s rocks
protruding have been removed by b.s,rgi large
lodges of rock adjoining have been reduced and the
Intervening depressions filed in similar manner, %
that there about thirty Of slightly undoatos
ground. This will form stretch Of turf quarter ofs
mile across, unbroksn by any road or foOt-psta. Il
may be uaed upon special occasions for military dis.
plays Ordinarily II will be like great county srsca
or open common-s place where children may run
about and play until they are tired in noboiys way
and without danger of being run over. or iojursd II
Trey fall. rocky ridge bounds this green on the
northeast which has been reducsd by blasting sirtsea
feet, throwing open from opposite points ths two
finest vie ss on the Park. The rock and earth removed
from the ridge together with that taken from low hB
10 fill swamp lyrg east of the green, and th, being
further covered with made soil TO the dopth OF fear
feet an additional level space has been obtained about
eighty rods in length ard twelve DDS in breadth, osly
separated from the green by slight depression OF tho
surface, through which passes cariageTosd. THIS
spot hss been planted with four rows Of Amuicaa
ems forming broad nal, with fountain at sithsr
emo seats for visitors, and accommodations for an or
chestrs. From it's southern extremity, views oil "a
open and pastoral character obtained for qu,tef
Of mile in either direction, terminating in forest OBJ
security and the general ruggedness Of The Park is Tors
SPACE entirely obiersted Tee diagonal direction Of
these vevs gives great apparent breadth oths PARK,
an effect which is highly desirable.
From the greater portion Of the southern valley, 81
rocks Of ins 1cant eize and such we're csculstsd
10 give an appearance Of bNrenness have been remoV
ed Some low parts have been filed up, and lsva
surface fourteen acres in extent thus obtained up'd
which no trees will be planted il being intended more
especially as play ground for match games at crokss
and base ball. Some fns rocks oyerhaDg the lower
and narrower end Of tho valley which viii be occupied
by small pond.
OF the central valley the western part has bssn
made more spacious by the removal Of tho spana
rocks, and the earth surrounding the larger, % Is 70
form shallow basin Of irregular outline. TINS ossa
soccaped by pond nearly twenty scresn sIt'n' the
view across which, from ths most favorsbl' point win
be Of considerable BREADTH and entirely unoroksn ia
upward of quarter Of mile. The excavation Of "a.
poId ia nearly completed Thi' the pond whcn 81
forded 20 much pleasure 10 the lovers Of skstlns %
Winter. Mex, Winter the apparatus for flooding 10,
pord ct night will be more perfect than last s'n1.
portion Of the upper end will be separately damned sn'
the wser kept twelve feet higher in il than IL the
.,Aar fnr hat nnrno.a L. snmmerit Is TO De noP9e