The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-11-28
For the RfGis1En.
New Raii-Road bridge 49, Washington
Pnrk--t;rand Duke Alexis.
Albany. n. Y, Nov. Hin 1871

.Hr. Eddf0r:- Experience seems Il
establish the fact. that while city peopl
prefer the city Us II permanent residence
country people, be the reason what i
may, readily iorsakc their woods ant
wilds for the hustle. excitement aud so
ciability of the town. In view of thi
fact, the expcdicnt suggests itself of unit
ing town and country. II impossible tt
transport city airs and graccs into tht
fields and forests, or, on the other hand
to deck the Travelled malts OF husines,
with the fresh aud lovely gainiture o.
nature, it Is at least possible TO bring
country and town Il little nearer together
The absence ofproper resorts Tor the pur
pose Of enjoying the air and scenery ha.
always been noticeable here. The "lung:
Of the city" provided by the keepers oI
the public welfare, have always beer
distinguished for their limited dimensions
and the expanding population in its holi
day researches after fresh air and variety
Of scene, has been compelled to crcak its
shoes upon the city sidewalks, grope a.
mong gravostoncs, or startle the unsoph.
lstcated innocence of Bethlehem and
Grecnbush with the murmurs and con.
fusons of the town. Cleanliness, fresh
air, and the presence Of vegetation, are
essential to health; private enterprise,
even when aided by intelligence and
wealth, cannot always in large cities OBJ
tain these it requires the interference
of public authority to provide open and
accessible grounds for the enjoyment Of
these luxurles beautiful park in any
city is great moral power, and does
more than criminal courts and policemen
to repress crime. Men are wiser, better,
n.ore temperate, more loving, when they
have wandered amid trees and by water
falls, and heard birds sing and children
laugh and play. The slovenlness and
filth which sometimes unnecessarily dis
grace the tcnements of the poor in cities
are put to shame by the sight Of the
beauty and freshness of nature.
The great parks of London, Paris and
other European cities, have long been
famous. but in this country, it has been
within comparatively brief period, that
parks in cities have grown into popular
favor. The duty of providing an ample
park for the city of Albany has beea from
time to time suggested in the history Of
the city. The traditonary apathy Of
Albany has been well hit in the allusions
made to the public poverty in the mat
ter of parks, enumerating the Capitol and
Academy Parks, Clinton Square, always
kept locked upon all who desire to stroll
beneath its leafy shades; Lydins street
Park, religiousy preserved from intru-
sion; Hudson street Park, the palngs of
which are often ornamented with a parti-
colored fringe of old clothes, hung out to
dry during the summer season; ; and one
or two Others, good enough in their ways,
but meagre and poor compared with what
ought, ere this, to have belonged to the
Capital City Of the Empire State. The
city authorities impressed with this con-
viction, saw the necessity of some move
ment in the dircctien Of our extensive
park. In 1859 law was passed grant
ing us, ";he Washington Park of the
city of Albany" the area of the same ex-
tending over the Washington Parade
Ground, the old State street burial ground,
the Aims House farm and the Peniten-
tiary grounds, with such other property
as might he acquired by purchase or 9TH
erwise A brief reference to the past
history Of this square is appropriate, and
may not be uuinteresting. a supposi-
ton existed, indeed, kind of tradition
prevailed among certain citizens, that
part of this ground, comprising Washing
ton Square was originally dedicated by
some of the Van Rensselaer, family to
the purpose of military parade ground
but the supposition is erroneous, the
truth being that the ground was the gift
of His Majesty James the Second, to the
city in the year 1886, beng included
within the city boundaries given in the
famous Dongan Charter. In 1872 a
portion of the ground was set aside for
the purpose of Powder house. Its ded'
alton as a public square took place
Oct. 9th, 1906. The Military had un-
disturbed use of the Parade Ground un-
til about 1926, when the corporation
granted it, or part it, for botanical
Garden" The ire Of the batallions was
reused at the incursion, and the desccra-
ton of their historic grass By roots and
bushes with hideous names, and they
charged upon the city statesmen; sword
in hand, to rescue their domain OF glory
from the invader. This action produced
it's effect, and the coveted square was re-
gained. Eated with their victory over
botany and agriculture, the civic warriors
continued to dazzle, march and prance
up and down the Champ-de-Mars AS oc-
casion warranted, and from the vicinity
of the grave yards, the little boys and
girls continIed to associate funerals and
parades in the traditions Of the town,
County fairs, however, soon introduced
variety of peaceful aud ignohle vegeta-
bles within the martial iuclosure, and a
new tournament. in which cabbages and
pumpkins We'd with samplers and patent
CuulHS HltN w 't a iibA'Si VI NOhioS,
where formerly, nothing but muskets and
brass buttons were tolerated
For one or two years during the peri
cd when skating ponds were the rage, the
Parade Ground was flooded, and afforded
a tolerably well patronized rink. Prise
cattle, radiant bed-quilts, and "agonising
ROSTERS have of late years been the
features of the spot, whenever public at
tention has been especially called to it,
with an occasional broken feature in the
way of a nose at base ball.
The old State street burial grounds,
which comprise another portion Of the
Washington Park, have history not
less interesting than The Parade ground,
but space will not permit entering into
details concerning them. The State
street burying grounds were surrounded
by common fence about ten feet high
Each congregation had its own gates for