The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-10-20

have been cast-however elevated or however humble
We here to proclaim equality of rights to ALL and to
dedicate this Park now am forever to the people OF this
great city.
should overlook its most agreeable feature if omitted to
state that in terminating the negotiations with the pro
prietor of Druid Hill, stipulation made for
fourth of the purchase money in cash. the ordinance hav
ing provided that the whole amount of the consideration
should be paid in the bonds Of the city So this
condition became known, number of public spirited
citizens, unwilling that any mpedtment should stand IN
the way of the prompt execution Of the contract gener
ousy rendered their checks to the commissioners IN u
therance of this object and became the purchasers from
the proprietor of fourth Of the bonds paid him by the
city The names of the gentlemen sharing with the Com
msOners in this advance Chauncey Brooks, john s.
Gittings Thomas Winans, John NJ. Orem, Geo s. Brown
and Benjamin DeFord.
In the midst of specuations looking the accomplish
ment by the Public Park Commissioners of the most
gigantic plans in the execution of their trust the pur-
chase of greater than the city of New York
aspred to possess and the expenditure of millions in
its decoration and improv the fact have
been lost sight of-that this plan Of a Public Park has
been based solely upon the ctys proportion the
ceipts OF the passenger railways 1t is part of the OBJ
iect of the Commissioners to create debt for which pro
vision is to be made by taxation throw the slight
est burden upon the legitimate revenues of the city
The chief merit of the plan is its independent Organiza
tonresting exclusively upon its own resources and
looking to no probable contingency where the limit of
expenditure would be permitted to go beyond the meas
of receipts actually falling into the hands Of the Com
msslonerS 1t no small part of the proud satisfaction
with which stand before you here today than deiv
eng into the hands Of the people this princey acqus
on TINS noble patrmOny for those who may come after
u.s. we bring no bill of cost, and ask provision for its
support and main tenance in the future.
OF the many sites which have engaged the attention
the Commissioners in making up their final decision
would be impossible in the brief space allotted to
speak in detail 1t is however, in spirit Of disparage
ment, feel bound to say that considering the limited
at their disposa-the suitability the location to
the wants of the people-accessiby great
of the community its facilities for conversion to the
plans and of Public Park, the Druid property
stood without competitor. The most attractive of the
sites offered in the extreme Western section of the city
would have met the objection of remoteness; the
South offered no temptation; the East could not be
brought and he heaV
expenditure involved in the "Sony Run tract, to say
nothing of the original outlay in the purchase of the site
left the Commissioners alternative but the adoption Of
Druid Hill as the most advantageous whether considered
in reference to natural beauty and aractiveness
the cost of placing it in condition to meet the demands of
the public.
And my friends, point yon to the place ITSELF and
invite your impartial Judgment upon the selection
which has been made.
The first impression will be the extent and magnitude
of the space secured. comprising of more than
hive hundred and fifty acres, already for the part
in condition for the uses of Public Park. 1t comes
you embellished by the hand of nature. Its easy ap.
proach by the Northern Boundary Avenue and Madison
street, through which railway passes within few
yards of the proposed gate of entrance will also attract
notice. placing in advance of every other location from
which choice could have been made If the map of
the city be carefully measured, Druid Hill will be found
to meet the convenience of by far the largest number of
citizens by its cenrality and access and the
indications already point to the belief that at distant
day it will become the heart of vast and rapidly in
creasng population This feature is strongly illustrated
by the tendency which has long existed the part of
citizens in all sections to appropriate portion of
the property comprised in this purchase on public and
festive occasions Cast your eyes then upon the undu-
latng fields and uXurian forests which surround you
You behold here the growth of centuries.
The of the woOdman has not marrel the grandeur
OF the stately sentnels Of former age that stand before
and around you They date from primitive epoch
The painted Indian sought repose under the
stretched arms that now bid you welcome. These time
honored trees stood here when John Moale with rude
but truthful pencil, than century ago pictured
the city of Baltimore with its twenty-five houses and
two going vessels, comprising her entire population
and her whole commercial marine; they stood here
V6pDW adpft tlIn
stood here when Lafayette and Howard and Williams
looked out with anxious but determined eye from your
then humble city, upon the advances of an invading
enemy; and the odd Maryland Line glittered with
the of Rogers and Gst and Oldham. and Dorsey,
and Punkett, and Philpo they stood here when the
glorious ensign of your natonaiy-red with the blood
of freemen-was flung in triumph to the breeze to float
forever over an enanchised people and the reoicngs
of nation of brave and gallant men proclaimed the in
dependence of these States In the midst ofdsractons
already alternating section from section of beloved
country and scattering broadcast the seeds Of disCord and
dstrust let indulge the hope that the history of these
times and the example of these ustrious patriots may
inspire with forbearance aud moderation and increased
love Of glorious Union What "reminiscences crowd
upon the midst of these land marks of former
The hunted stag longer pants beneath these shady re-
treats The fox has sought his hiding place in the
atnesses of remoter forests. The of mighty
city has penetrated the silence of reposing nature, and
the shrl note of the steam whistle has scared the warb
ling sOngSter from his rooSt But these stately trees
tinue to wave and sparkle in the golden sunlight,
though unconscious of the mighty change without, and
the approach Of the swelling tide which already beats in
restless surges at their base.
a
which you have just left Nature has been your land
scapegardener in preparing for you the groundwork of
your future abors in the adaptation and improvement
of this Park For centuries past guardian spirit, as
though anticipating the event which here to Gel
ebrate has hovered and protected from violence and
desecraton its sylvan beauties. The stately tulip tree
the oak with its laCeWor of foliage the hickory. glaz
ed in brightest green the maple ready the first frost
of Autumn to open its magazine of coors: the beech
with its grey and weather beaten trunk the dogwood
and the countless varieties of humber shrubs all flour
ish around you in unsurpassed beauty in ever variety
o combination of liuh and
shade Look onward to the southern boundary OBJ
serve an ndentaton where our experienced landscape
gardener to have marked the outlines of exten
sve lake, awaiting only the hand Of time to supply the
wanted element upon whose surface is destined to float
hereafter the miniature cmblems of your commerce and
the varieties of graceful spOrve birds that dip the wing
in the water" Still farther onward extensive plains
meet the eye, adapted by their broad and unobsructed
surface to the sports of the field and the display
tay exercises. Skrting the boundary the SOUTH
prospect is sustained by the same endless variety and
bold outlines, and diversified by ornamental trees OF
every class and foliage, standing alone, and now
clustering into groups OF singular beauty and richness
Here and there ravine oyerhung with densest shade
and shut out from view by tangled vines disclose the
source of some cooling spring around which nature has
been left to hold unsurbed sway and assert her undv
ded mastery. Following the line of the grand
which intended to form the outer boundary the Park
the attracted not less by the singular adaptation of
the ground for the convenience speedy Improvement
than the extent and vastness On the north and
northeast rugged passage Falls breaks the
continuity of the landscape bringing into close proximity
the great progress of construction by the
city, and covering surface of many acres itself
prove most important adunct at not distant
day. The forest this side of the Park is without par
aliel in any part of the world. Emerging from its almost
impenerable shades you are directed to eminence
the mansion. where is presented which it
would be difficult for to attempt to describe. great
city lies your feet The noble Chesapeake, bearing
upon its bosom the busy of trade and stretch
ing away to the stands before in its broad
panse On the right approaching the city from the east
inlet, is the site of old Fort MclIenry consecrated
by the most stirring incident of past history and for
associated with the symbol of our glory and nation
ality which so gaily floats over us here today.
a towering
manding spire Upon every eminence-n every valley
the rush of population planted standard of its i
umphant march. Piercing the confines of the West
boundary of the city the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
is to force its way holding in its iron grasp the
trade Of the Ohio and Mississippi, and forming combna
ons of more than thousand miles with that stipend
highway which points to union between the two
great oceans. Towering above ALL like some proud
tnel, the majestic form Of the Father of his Country
the summit of the nObest shaft which art has de-
vised perpetuate the worlds brightest example vr
tue and of greatness Such is faint outline Of Druid
Hill Park and its surroundings
have spoken of the Central Park of New York the
result of millions OF expenditure This Park, as is well
known, occupies rocky and almost impracticabe sur
face and already presents example of what indomita
BILE energy and the power capital may It's
parison with what you here may be inferred from the
testimony of one of its most enthusiastic advocates:
Notwithstanding the vast amount of labor and money
expended the Central Park and the general progress
made there since the work commenced the visitor who
it for shelter and comfort Of these hot days will
be disappointed in finding little shade there and
without grateful shade such weather as this comfort
is out of the question: and place of pleasure becomes
place Of torment
1t is very much to be regretted the Central Park is
SO deficient in this essential element There is doubt
that great deal ofwork has been accomplished in laying
out the walks and drives building bridges cutting hand
roads draining and planting shrubs but after all
this makes very little show for the time and money
avished it, and good long shady avenue
of full grown trees would be acceptable to the pub
lie Just than the whole oft
One of tn, first things to be done in the Park was
transplant large number of full grown trees; few
believe transpanted from the shores of the North
river but they do not seem to have Ourished we'll
Why net adopt the system practlsed by the French En-
peror Paris when he laying out the Bois de Bou
ogne where large trees of natural growth might be
daily caed along the to be planted in their
beds in which they rested securely without leaf
branch faded. 1t would be worth while spending
great deal of money to accomplish this. A Park with
shade trees like theatre without scenery it but
the skeleton of Park after ALL be its walks and drives,
space pleasant shade is the most essential feature in
Public Park but afraid at the rate the Central
Park going this respect that the present genera
ton will have passed away before of citizens
enjoy themselves there like Ttyrus of old Sub egRiHe
fdgi."
Greatly as we estimate the energy and perseverance of
sister city in the improvement of the Central Park
creditabe her taste and public spirit it is doubtful
whether this essential want be supplied in the next
halfcentury, to limited extent. What would be
tho ght of attempt by human skill great as it has
proved itself in day and generation to create such
this by the removal of trees and forests such
you here2 Fortunately for the Commissioners that in
the improvement of Druid Hill Park this essential want
has been so literally supplied and that they enter
their abors with such for dsappon tment and
heavy expenditure Their work will be rather to prune
than to multiply shade trees.
In England this feature is less important. in practical
view than here where the heat Of climate much
oppressive. With Park can be complete with
out abundance of shade Next in Importance water
and it is not less of congratulation tat IN lls
respect the advantages OF nrud mn are an tat eau pe
the principal ravines and furnishing liberal supply Of