The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-10-01
RitIru,ol1d 1ispattk.
,,rrsDAY......... OCTOBER l, 1867.
Ahont Parks. Drives. &c.

that tho CITY populations in this country are
nroyiding means for srural enjoyment ana &c
taxation that are the objects of the surprise 'S
vol, as the admiration of tho world. farKs'
a-ircs. and baths, are established, which LOT
,hcir beauty and utility, and the pleasure an"
h.,lth they afford, are admirable and inVaiua-
,,o Roston has her public baths rs well as
80. ,arIs New York has her grand Centrai
ply besides many others, and Brooklyn Is
,r;np a nork which will vie with the
Central Park In beauty, while IN some re-
.,ncts il will excel 1t. Following the example
Of these great cities. others OF less mag i'"oe
,re resortins TO parks and baths as amongst
the uohiest means of promoting the neal III ''''o
banoinsss Of their citizens. Baltimore mas an
immense. park, which she is constantly 'in-
nroyinc and identifying, and Phliadeiphia IL
famous for her numerous parks, WIN 1heir
SQUIRRELS and deer and every pracllcai means
NJ sot,ening the sharp edges of city life by the
oa, rio Influence of rural scenes.
p,o- os This city is, we deem it not inappro-
-, % J., vito the attention of our people to
t,.arcstiuc subject. We are not always
.. 30 embarrasscd-not always to be hard
,,---and we will suffer in nowise by locking
..ont ms now with the view of adopting all
,,s.nn,iances for the promotion OF the health
srd conf of our people that more fortunate
communities have already established.
The great beauty of the system OF improve
,neut BY parks, etc, is that il pays for itself:
The enhancement of the value OF grounds ad-
;acent TO the parks more than covers the cost
of their establishment. Tho same principe Is
illustrated in the running OF city rallroaos
into the suburbs. a company owning lanns
~ lNv 1nnn a
in The suburbs may be suiilclehliy oeheAtoo
IN the enhancement of the value OF their ianoS
10 iustify them in running the railroad ioi 4
time AZ a loss and the same means oy WHICH
.nev are iudemnified will make inc roao pro
n.oh,a and \ source Of perpetual revenue
x;y the sale Of lands and the increase OF
nonnlation on the line Of the road.
The railroad also enters into the question OF
tho bniId;ng Of large parks. IL aHoras sucN
cbnouaud pid trans portatlon mat distance Is
diminished and park may be built miles ou1
NJ town and yet reached with entire conNe-
n;ence. Lands may be purchased cheapiy tar
from the city, and converted into most oeauu-
IN, Measure grounds. The railroad, LOT i've W
ION cents. transports the citizen to 1t. lie en-
;rs q ,urer atmosphere than he would In q
mark within the city, and he moreover en-
;vs ride which he would not dispense with,
az il is an important part Of his recreauon.
The Citv of Richmond some years ago took
The park fever, and bought grounds Tor three
we believe, within the city. II has since now
ever. sold one or more of them. This is 10 be
regretted Had we all of them, we might oy
their sale buy hundreds Of acres in the couh-
trv. which, by the city railway, could be more
conveniently visited than the grounds they hao
selected ,yfhin the city.
The subject is exceedingly interesting. NO
city has q position and surroundings more
eligible for picturesque and delightful sys-
lem of parks and drives. In the plan Tor the
defence of Richmond military road was con-
slructed. forming q grand arch, resting upon
The river and enclosing the city northwardly.
This road would make the most admirable
drive anywhere 10 be found and ought TO be
kept open-n the language OF Mr. LYoSsis re-
solution-' cost what il may" [Some old
fogies don't like that sort of talk. 1t Is the
right sort. No man nor community should
fail TO accomplish an important measure on
account of cost. or course every one knows
that what is known by COST may be i'll eX-
cess: but not to that degree that should de.
feat a great object; and every man who uses
Mr.. LYoXs's language means that, and no.
thing more. They would pay anything, even
though upon that excessive scale which mus.
have its "possible'' limits Imagine TINS
road put in elegant order and adorned Win
fine trees-what grand drive ii would make :.
Assuredly there would be no land damages III
the making Of such q road. What would be
thought of q man who, forgetting the I'M
1nense advantage to the value OF his lana by
such Il road, would presume to exact dam
ages? There might be one great park or
three lone for each ward opening into TINS
fine road and three lines OF railway would
convey passengers to each. These parks would
become the nuclei of residences more or less
imposing and comfortable, and the adjacent
territory would be so enhanced in value
that the people now owning lands about
those they would occupy might afford TO make
Il present of land enough for them and reap
great profits by the operation
These things might be accomplished by
proper strategy with no great outlay Of mo-
-ney, for which we are inst now not exactly
prepared. But times are getting better and
there will be means here in not q great while,
and we should like now to see attention turned
10 the subject.
We have before lis a sketch of the grand
park Of Brooklyn, which we will give brief
account Of II is called Prospect Park, ana
engineers and workmen are busily engaged III
arranging and identifying it. 1T covers QUO
acres Of land. A system of drainage OF
the most complete character is first COM
pleted and then the laying out Of walks,
construction of cutters, building Of bridges,
&c, goes on with wonderful energy. There
is a grand entrance and q wide space in front
for the ears to switch off, The drive through
the grounds is fee miles long, and will be one
of the finest roads in the world. 1t is built
first, of a foundation of fine sand and gravel
on that "Taltord " pavement, then thick
layer of macadamized stones, and then, to
finish the road, comes the Peekskill gravel,
which is susceptible OF being firmly COM
pacted For smoothing and hardening this
road roller weighing nine tons is used. The
road being first sprinkled with water, this
great weight is drawn over it by eight horses.
The sides Of the CUTTERS are paved with BRICK,
sustained by curbstone on the outer edge
The bride path handsomely constructed,
Is ontsideof the carriage way. wide space,
commanding an ocean view of ten miles, and
overlooking 4 lake in the park, is appropri-
nted 10 children's playground and q ladies'
"croquet ground" Close by is a handsome
bridge for carriages, and y walkway under
meath it. The nurseries " are but q short
distance from the playground. The lake
covers an area of ffty acres. 1t will be sur
rounded by . carriageway of over two miles
III length, and in winter will be kept in order
for skaters. 4. ~ ...
Ihe euect OF this park on the value of ad ia
cent property ~ remarkable. Lots have more
than doubled since the park was begun, and
they will be continually enhanced and npr