The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-24
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
TFOy Additional city Intelligence see Fsfa Paoe1

The EXTENSION OF FAIRMoUNT PARK.-The
Committees OF City Councils on Law, Finance
water and City Property, met last evening in
Select Council chamber for the purpose of con-
sldering the resolution relative to the extension
OF Fairmount Park, which was referred to them
by Councils on Thursday last. This resolution
provides that the offer OF certain gentlemen of
the transfer Of the purchase of the LANDS
dOWne" estate, as communicated through the
Mayor, be accepted. The "Landsdowne" estate
: on the west bank Of the SChuylkill, above Fair
mount, embracing over one hundred and forty
acres, IL seems, was purchased by an asSOcia-
tion of citizens for six hundred dollars an
acre, and now they offer IL to- the city at the
sum they paid for IL. To all who were familiar
with the ground, the price named above seemed
extremely moderate and as an association was
formed for its purchasean private speculation
the gentlen en- who were looking TO the interests
of the city purchased the property upon their
own responsibility.
Mr.. Wagner Chairman OF the Committee on
Law presided at the meeting last evening, and,
on motion of Mr. King, the resolution accepting
the offer adopted. The chairman was also
instructed to prepare an ordinance for the pur-
chase OF the property, and to submit the same
10 Councils to-day,
The act appropriating ground for public pur-
poses having reference to the above subject,
which was referred to the committee was
, amended as follows, and ordered to be sub
mitted to Councils to-day with a resolution re-
questing the passage of the same by the Legs-
lature of the State:--
Section l. BE 10 enacted, &C.. That the title to
and ownership Of the area of ground which Is
bounded as follows, beginning at a point on the
river Schuykill, at the intersection of the north
said river, thence along said north line of
Bridge street to Bridgewater street; thence
along the easterly side Of Bridgewater street
TO the north line OF Haverford street, as
now used thence along the northeast
line of said Haverford street to the Penn
sylvania Railroad thence along said
Pennsylvania Railroad to the Junction Rail
road: thence along the said Junction Railroad,
its several courses and distances to point
where it intersects GiraTd avenue; thence west
wardly along the north line OF Girard avenue to
Forty-frst street: thence northward along said
street "a thence
along said landsdOwne avenue westwardly to
Belmont avenues thence along said Belmont
avenue northwardly to Montgomery avenue;
thence eastward along said Montgomery ave-
nue. in a direct line TO the water line of Fair
kill along the low water line thereof to
the place of beginning; excepting there
from and thereout that part of which
the SchuyllIill Navigation Company, the Penn
sylvania Central, the junction and the Con-
seized, for the execution of their franchises,
shall be vested in the city of Philadelphia, to
be laid out and maintained forever. as an open
public place and park, Tor the health and en-"
ioyment of the people of said city, and the
preservation of the purity of the water supply
Of the city Of Philadelphia.
Section 2 That the Mayor. the Presidents Of
the Select and Common Councils the Chief
Engineer and Surveyor and the Chief Engineer
of the Water Works together with ten citizens
Of said city, who shall be appointed for five
years, five of them by the District Court, and
five of them by the Court of Common Pleas of
said city, be and the same are hereby consti-
tuted commissioners of said Park. They shall
act, or soon thereafter as convenient, and
annually thereafter, by the election of Presi-
dent and Secretary from their number, but they
shall receive no compensation for their services
as Commissioners
Section 3. That the owners of the said ground
10y the first section OF this act appropriated for
public purposes, shall be paid for the same by
the City of Philadelphia, according to the value
which shall be ascertained by jury of twelve
disinterested freeholders, to be appointed by
the Court of Quarter Sessionss of said city, upon
the petition of said Commissioners and If the
said Commissioners shall delay petitioning
as aforesaid for period of sixty days after no.
tice given of taking possession of said ground,
then said jury shall be appointed upon
the petition OF any person whose property
any case, the said Commissioners may nego-
tiate directly and agree with the owners of any
part of said ground as TO the price thereof; and
said price shall be reported to the said Court
of Quarter Sessions, and If confirmed or APP
proved by said Court, shall be conclusive upon
said city; and provided further, that whenever
il shall be necessary to have recourse to a jury
to assess the damage for any property TO be
taken as aforesaid, the said jury shall estimate
the advantage to property adjoining, or in the
vicinity, and said jury shall proceed, and their
award shall be reviewed and enforced in the
same manner as provided by law on the open
ing of roads in the said city of Philadelphia.
Section 4. That the Commissioners of the said
Park after they shall have secured possession
OF the ground, shall adopt plan for the inn
provement and maintenance thereof, and all
moneys expended shall be under their super
vision: but no contracts shall be made for said
imp ovement, unless an appropriation therefor
shall have been first made by the Councils OF
section 5. That as soon as the said Commits
sioners shall have fully organized, they shall
have the care and management of Fairmount
Park on both banks Of the river Schuylkill, and
all plans and expenditures for the improvement
and maintenance of the same shall be under
their control, subject to such appropriations as
Councils may, from time to time, make as afore-
said.
Section G. That the Commissioners are further
empowered, whenever the Councils of the city
of Philadelphia shall so declare by ordinance
take such other land MS may be necessary fol
the extension of the Park, between the Spring
and between the Reading Railroad and the
river, as provided in section third.
The meeting then adjourned.