The weekly loyal Georgian., 1867-08-24

ham street and the Bowery. Let us
take a car for the Central Park, and,
as we go, survey the map of busy life
spread out on every side. The cars Of
the principal lines start from the
vicinity of the City Hall Park. Leav-
ing the new Herald building, of marble,
on the right, and the Astor House, of
granite, on the left, we proceed out
Chatham street and the Bowery to the
Fourth Avenue. The walks TEEN with
wares of every kind, in which furni-
ture, carpets, and ready.madc clothing,
predominant. Soda water. apple, cigar,
and news stands, also do much abound,
and the three golden balls of the
pawn broker tell where starving pov-
erty may pawn the last relic of better
days for money to keep body and soul
together, until, perchance, employ
ment, or some turn in the run Of luck,
will bring relief.
From the City Hall, Or more properly
from the Battery, half mile below
the point from which we started to Thir-
teenth street, the streets and avenues
cross each other at very irregular angles.
At Union Square, neat little public
park-we enter the Fourth avenue, and
proceeded in an air line to the Central
Park, which extends from Fifty-ninth
street to the extreme outskirts of the
city, at One Hundred and Fifty.flth
street, to the neighborhood of Spuyten
Duyyil creek and Harlem river. These
streets extend entirely across the city, a
distance varying from two to three miles
in length, and are fast filling up with
fine residences and commanding busi
ness blocks.
The Central Park contains about
$50 acres. The land was originally u
wild, rocky, aud unsightly swamp, in
habited by few squatters, and many
frogs and mosquitoes. Under the
skilful care Of the Commissioners in
charge of the Park, the swamp has been
drained, and its vast area is now TEEN
ing with picturesque beauty, and crowned
with the charms Of the most artistic
landscape gardening. 1t is grand pic
ture, in which the artist has used trees,
rocks, flowers, lakes and lawns as the
colors which gid the whole with re-
splendcnt loveliness. The principal
entrance to the Park is at Fifth Avenue
and Filty-ninth street. Leaving the
Mall we pursue walk to the left, where
the irregular and rocky shores Of the
lake are seen, and the shady arbors
invite us to rest moment and
watch the swans gliding over its
CLASSY surface, and the boats
as they arc rowed from point to point
by sturdy oarsmen. The Mall is n
straight avenue, quarter of amile in
length, @nd two hundred feet wide,
borderede by eIms on either side, and
leading to the Terrace, which is the
principal architectural structure of the
Park. Parallel to the Mall, and com
manding a. view of il, issthe. Trellisy.
interviewer with twining evergreens.
Here the Green, Music Stand, Terrace,
and principal lake, may be seen, with
many of the serpentine walks that con-
situte the ''Ramblc." A graceful bridge
spans narrow passage across the lake
near the Terrace, and commands some
of the finest views in the Park. The
"Ramble" is the most ingenious, as well
as most attractive feature of the Park.
Penetrating the most rough and rocky
portions, all the natural advantages of
the spot have been used to produce the
most interesting and varied landscape
scenery. The visitor, in pursuing its
labyrinthean defles, is invited through
sailing lawns, bedecked with shrubs and
flowers, and made musical by singing
birds, more than eighty varieties of
which have already made their bones
amid these leafy solitudes. Little wind
ing paths lead out to romantic
hooks, overlooking the lake,
where congcnial groups linser to enjoy
the freshness of the air, the fragrance
of the flowers, the murmurs Of the foun
tains, and the last blended harmonies
of light and shade. Most of the attrac-
tions of the lower park are due to the
art of the landscape gardener but in
the upper portion nature has been lavish
Of her charms. Bold hills break out
from alluring valleys, and river, lake,
cascade, and forest solitude, crown the
sombre aspects of the scene.
Turning aside from the Hamblc, we
look out on the smooth waters OF the
Croton Reservoir We are here sur
rounded by rich growth of Evergreen,
and a recent writer has aptly suggested
that this portion of the park be called
the Evergreen Drive. Stretching away
to the right, at Ninety seventh street, is
beautiful meadow, surrounded by mas
siye forest trees, grouped in such care
ful order as to give the effect OF great
extent, and most pleasing perspective.
Here again the birds are at home, and
these forest wilds, though surrounded
by teeming multitudes, are vocal with
anthems Of praise to the genius of the
landscape gardener. Nesting amid
these artificial soltudes is tiny lake,
whose waters 81 adden the eye as the
forest trees are mirrored in its crystal
depths.
As we proceed to the border of the
Park the frowning Palisades of the
Hudson swell away in the northwest,
while the busy borders Of Manhattan
vile nestle along the opposite shore.
Away in the distance gleam the waters
of Long Island Sound, dotted with
white winged vessels; and still beyond
the green slopes of Long Island itself
are seen. The focks of sheep grazing
ON the green hill sides, under the vigi-
liant eye of the quaint old shepherd ;
the buffaloes tcthercd on the lawn /;
the birds caroling their native songs in
the artificial forest shades the merry
groups of young people, sporting on
the spacious play grounds; the ear
riages rolling along the smooth drives,
and throngs of pedestrians lettering
along the walks-all present picture
which, once seen, will linger in the
memory as source of pleasure while
memory lasts.
From the annual report of the Park
Commissioners, just published, | OBJ
serve that the total cost of the Park has
been little over $10,000,0O0. The
total length OF the carriage roads in the
Park is about ten miles Of the bride
road, five and a half miles, and of
walks twenty six miles. Nearly eight
hundred animals, reptiles, etc. are con
fined within its limits. Seven thousand
I,.oJ- - G. -, ,,o,,,,r, have han oJJoJ 10 tho