The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-09-02

10 Ia2 EDITOR OF THG HERALD.
Ngw Yoeg ogas, 8

New loAA aogasi u, 1880
q. >, uS MR. Shes ihe committee was sitting
a; ths Aetor uou,e to Investigate charges ssS'a'' th
Ceatral PAR Commissioners 10 AL me hard usres nSr
made yourself e1d your readers very merry over M
evidence It seems your reporter who VISITED the Pafs
ago. little 10 admire there = I'D yous
humble servant That you may not be auorant 81 the
opinion Of a. professional Of any atts.nen.s whc
not employed by the Commissioners v 10 do aoI
hope for employment from them, take the ieev OF al
dressing this letter 10 you with the l.
stand on ground secure enough, having the connbu
sense Of the public and the experiences or proaceus a
my side The design OF 0lmsted ant yaux was vita
three four exceptions the OF the thirty three
submitted ARD the execution OF il does Il in ustce
Conceived without just ideas OF what required has
been executed regardless OF cost crude and III considered
from the start drags its slow length along exhaGstng
alike the patience and the pockets OF every not
In the Park concern. Though literally supplied
with money and with professional assistance Of
acknowledged merit to be had for the asking the
Commissioners have squandered the one aud scorn-
cd the other. In their arrogant conceit they
have undertaken the largest work Of The kind
In the country without the help Of q single landscape
gardener OF character and have placed such hey
have in positions subordinate that though their inca
pacty has cost hundreds of thousands of dollars the
ability such as IT is could never have saved cent to
the city.
bring no general charges unsupported by particulars
unsustained by evidence. The charges make
proved before the committee by npatent authority In
different capacities Professor Ren1 OK condemned the
roads; others who assisted TO build the bridges
demned them. Mr.. Daniels condemned the landscape
gardening generally Mr. Curtin, practical gardener OF
more experience than any one in this country,
demned the planting. and lastly, though do not like to
speak in my praise, fatter myself ny orin
ons scarcely favorabeo the Park Or agreeable to
First challenge the sunk roads the feature in
the whole design and the cause oil all the worst faults IN
n IN rOldQ n mon m nj
useless They will in all probability be wanted,
certainly not for twenty thirty 10 come, and
between the old and reservoirs and not sunk wilt
be sufficient Gu my plan ! showed such road,
only one bridge to keep 0 the PARK en ssT
distinct and not showing contemplating that
bridge it would in my opinion, be entirely
street. at the lower entrances OF the Park.
Note what the wisdom Of the Commission has DONE
any Of cross travel in the Park they have gone
to the expense Of making sunk road az Sixty sixth
street. about quarter Of mile distant, seven blocks
only, spending money enough Il 10 have made grand
central avenue, such designed and such yor once
praised very highly THIS single sunk Ave
brdgee-wh.ch they completed may yet cost
any you liSe-and Is the uglest thing yoa ever cav
sunk road If used at ALL should be executed thus-It
shond be dug out tea feet and the earth excavaed
should be filled at the Sides there should be retaining
wallis whatever, Dor yard OF wall except at the abut
ments Of the bridges the slopes shold be planted and the
This is the way Ioudon Rep'ou Paxton and Kemp
as Greensward, and follow their example That men
grossly ignorant Of the Grst principles CT landscape
garaepug engineering snoud DO entrusted to make
plan for out the northern portion OF this island Is
nconcevabe, that the wreched results the Central
Park Will be repeated at Nanhattanvlle II the
genius presides is beyond peradyenta and OF
biguties A road rsdc in the proper could be
for tenth OF what the canals In the Central Park
have cost they would besides De very Ornamental both
In themselves and as objects from the Park, Can
any say much for the grand canals OF Cnsc!t.
Secondly challenge the entrances as badly placed and
ia agtl 9TH
Seventh avenue aud both Of thoee avenues will be
thronged with vehicles going TO and returning from The
Park. fiflh, Sixth and Seventh avenues
finished TO Fifty ninth street Tue Eighth Avenue and
Boomngdae road will then be deserted approaches TO
the Park u only requires common sense 70 see the bu
the Commissioners hare none; obstiracy bad subsi
Thirdly, challenge the width OF the roads As being In
almost all cases double what Is necessary or beautiful
Your reporter complains OF the want OF shade How n
the Of nymphs and Lsmadryad winding road
i pscy ROAD II sa sdS Sc
shaded in the morning and Afternoon, provided
a,c ,,y ear, old resv Avenue take,
about that time TO perfect solf but when perfect there
would be imposing ut thirty years growth
but must have time To grow, for though many large
shade might be transplanted and placed Upon the
Park such trees would not do for ths avenue which
should have the choicest Of young trees about i've
old, out Of nurserytrees that have teen previously
transplantcd twice What the wisdom or the Conrnis
has been is THE they have taken wcedy lot OF
elms out OF some swamps rs the growth Of the trees
nesry as fas, as hey arc planted and the DO
not thrive any one can see who goes 70 what tney CA
The roads are badly located as to position wba; your
reporter rightly calls the ay o. the land, and abe a.
TO level
road should never wave up aud down. You should
never sec over cmincnce against another as B.
Nothing u easier on curved pan, or a.
amateurs would say, a winding road, tasn TO make
the grades true. A boy 81 fifteen, who had studied
three the Office OF any respectable landscape
dener vouli know how to avoid sch egrcgous bluudes
n hasa haap IN he mr. ID
rage gradually sink sink, sink until nothing was visible
bot half the coachmaur, perhaps his hsiihcn TO see
the vehicle gradually rise, rise RTE III stood against
the shy, like a sign on a carriage factory roof
Fourihy, challenge the construction q the bridges,
dence brought before the committee some croiche,
about planting the sunk roads By trees placed on the
bridges compes an cnormas width q mlage-'.Ilee
what necessary FIR travel twice as expensive a they
would have been eotts 1dfitfs, ana al 70 mae inc
hideous sunk roaes.
Tinhiy, challenge tho play ground Al aboGt sixty
fh street. on the side oC the Park. damp and
/ DOUBT II viii be Ct for play ground AL bal
taee for lake as Used 10 be here every winter.
Sixthy, challenge the way % which The drains are
made rather not made Tho ambic has rrface drains
In the walks for . few Yards only. and after
storm sso cut Up that found bali score OF gullies
deep enough to bury all tho Board but us ioy taxes
but shallow fellow 20 know that -rnvel vi not stand
the wash Of rain Gown descent. side CUTTERS should
have btca provided IL every case wfh traps moro or les
frequent, the ground moro or less PERCEPTIONS. IN
the roads many paces the eratnrs ssd traps 70,
placed the lowest potnt the Consequence 10, IN a
storm the water reiussg 70 run W III -. ~ pe tne
eng neers the read In these places s converted into
pond hch ladies' have 70 be carried n the arms
of their cavaers whilst the ducks depcr Themselves on
the Sidewalk, rejoicing after their manner u their ex-
tended water privilege.
Scvenihiy, challenge the planting. A. every particle
Of wrong showing ,kr most pit sble ignorance OF the
rudraen,s of art I defy suy one CO and the
New York public viii day know enough 70 confirm
my opinion your reporter though no, quite an ADEPT,
knows that something wrong. but cannot exactly cay
what, how should bc altered: car, bot shat Keep
my Information 70 my self.
john ARTHUR HUGHES, once Of II Ianes.