The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-10
BALTIMORE.
THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1859.

Acceptpr as we do very cordially, The Ameri-
cans endorsement of suggestion, that the city
should Immediately take steps to secure he land
living between North Charles street and the York
avenue, to be devoted to a Park, we must say that
we would scarcely turn on our heel for the sixty
acre paddock, TO which its ambition appears to be
limited. We do moi suppose that The american
really believes sixty acres to be large Park,
though from the division it makes of the space into
a parade and cricket ground, children's play
ground, and shady drives for exhibition of splen-
did turn-outs, we might fancy that it has the Pra-
ter of Vienna, or the Bots de BOulogne of Paris,
in its eve When it speaks of ''the advantages to
fbe derived from the extensive size of the in
"cluded within" the limits it proposes, we have
no doubt that it means an area 'extensive' in
comparison with the very small interest at present
taken in the subject and the little likelihood that
the taste, energy, and wealth of Baltimore will
achieve anything better than what it proposes
We do not mean to accept for this community any
such compromise. The whole area first outlined
by lis, including all the ground, at
present nearly waste, running on the east
side of the Falls, from Eager street
along York avenue, to the Northern avenue,
thence TO Charles street. thence to John street, or
even further south if possible, and thence to the
Falls, and along the Falls and Eager street, to the
place of beginning, is only too small for anything
really worthy of the name, and tit for the uses OF
a Park. Wepoined out however, that the woods
of Greenmount would add TO its apparent size,
while a portion of the territory of the county
lying to the north, might be annexed under the
development of our 'manifest destiny" The
irregular shape of this tract presents no objection
TO its being used for this purpose. is, on the
contrary, rather advantageous than otherwise,
affordng opportunities for landscape effects, which
cannot be produced within parallelogram. This
ground might be improved down to the very bed
of the Falls where the rocks which the
wasted water once so picturesquely fell, and
which are now almost dry, might readily be
brought in to lend new charms to the design. By
taking in the ground to Eager street, the Park
gates would be brought almost into the heart of
the city, and place it within easy walk of the
most crowded part and that most requiring such
an outlet.
The obvious appropriateness of the site here in
dictated, we have reason to think has struck the
public sense. 1t stands almost precisely halfway
between the Eastern and Western limits, and
reaches nearly half way across the space inter-
vening between the harbor and the Northern
avenue 1t lies equally accessible to the two great
divisions of the city known as the old and new
town, between the Eighth and the Eleventh Wards,
and as near TO the Belair market-house as to the
Monument. 1t possesses advantages which no
other site possibly pretend to-and such as we
firmly believe will secure its conservation 10 the
most humane and ennobling enterprise ever con-
templated by our city. Had we but the will, how
speedily would all the difficulties vanish! Many of
our citizens have q larger space enclosed for their
private pleasure-ground. Shall two hundred
and fifty thousand in body, be content with less?
Having given millions for trade-shall we give
nothing for beauty, for health-for repose? If, as
it has always been thought, it is wise TO play in
the proper place-should we not apply the maxim
literally and provide proper place to play in?
Our neighbours well intended hint to the own
ers of the ground indicated for our Central
Park urging them not to spoil a pretty
thing by advancing the price of their lands is
thrown away, we fear 1t is beyond human
nature to grant this, but mans avarice,
or within, or wish should be nor is ever
allowed TO stand in the way of great public
works. We have an entire respect for the
rights of property, and know that these cannot be
infringed without their owners consent except for
public purposes and upon tender of their value;
but it will be in vain TO treat with the
owners for this land. 1t will be absolutely ne
cessary to get act of Assembly TO condemn it,
on the principles upon which other land has often
been condemned for public uscs-estimating all
the advantages and disadvantages, and subjectng
such adjacent property as may be benefited, to Il
reasonable part of the burden-as is universally
done in parallel cases. This course was found
necessary in New York, when it was resolved to
appropriate the ground for the great seven hun
dred acre Park and that single act has done more
to advance the pretensions of New York to metro
politan dignity than all her wonders of enterprise
and architecture. 1t shows that she looks for
ward to a long future and means to enjoy grace
fully what she has so toi!somely won.