The New York herald., 1871-09-11
Oar Beautiful Cisy PARKS.

Oar Beautiful Cisy Parks.
New Yorkers always gladly come back Il
town at the close Of their season OF summer
travel with all its mingled delights and an
noyances. After the discomforts and dis.
courtesies Of country boarding houses, the gay
confusion Of Long Branch, Saratoga, Newport
and other crowded fashionable resorts; after
the monotony Of rural seolusion; after the
diversified scenery Of rivers, lakes. forests,
mountains, valleys and plains; after long,
wearisome journeyings on dusty, dangerous
railroads; after risks of steamboat explosions !;
after voyage across the Atlantic or Euro
pean tour, and even after the exhilaration of a.
yacht cruise, they are glad to get home.
They unfsignedly rejoice at once more seeing
Broadway, with its Kaleidoscope varieties Of
life, and our fine avenues, with mile on mile OF
brown stone fronts, after having often pined
for them, as Madame de Sevigne used to pine,
far away from Paris, for the very CUTTERS Of
Rue du Bac.
This year the pleasure of returning New
Workers. is enhanced by ths magical transfor-
nation of our city parks into beautiful sources
of health and joy and refining influences.
Not only does drive through Central PARK
and along Sixth avenue, which has just
been thoroughly completed on the Telford-
McAdam plan and opened for public use for
two miles from the Park at llOth street to tho
Harlem river, disclose abundant proof Of the
energy and lasts and almost incredible
rapidity with which the Commissioners of the
Department Of Public PARKS have worked
since they entered upon their labors on the
Sd day of May, 1870, scarcely sixteen months
ago, but tour of the city parks will suffice to
show how deeply indebted our metropolis
already is to Judge Hilton and his efficient
conductors for having more than quintupled
the attractions which it offers alike to ous
citizens aud to the stranger within our gates.
1t is truly marvellous to fud what has been
actually accomplished at the Central Park in
carrying out and in correcting the pl,ns of the
former Board Of Commissioners and in devils.
ing additional plans for the Improvement Of
the Park in all that relates to its Official man.
agement, its police, its army Of skilled laborers,
its drives, bride-paths, walks, transverse
roads, the sheepfold, the stables, the dairy
house, the menagerie, the Arsenal mus cum.
the Belvedere, ths Terrace and Esplanade,
the pretty ona6ras, the convenient settees, the
fountains. the sculptures, the projected zoolog-
cal garden the conservatory. the hot houses
or propagatng houses, the green fields, trees
and shrubbery, the lakes and ponds, the
sewers and sidewalks and the wall around the
Park. The recently completed Sixth avenue
will in few days be lighted throughout by
new lamps, each of which is model of ele.
gance and utility. The superstructure OF
145th street will shortly be finished, thus
making continuous drive from the Central
Park to Macomb's Dam Bridge.
But to return to our city parks. The Bat.
terry, so long neglected, could never loss its
unsurpassed natural advantages fresh sea
breeze and comprehensive view Of one'
Of the noblest harbors in the world.
In addition to these 1t now offers,
extraordinary artificial charms. The first an.
nual report of the Department of Public Parks
to Mayor Hall makes this gratifying statement
with reference to the Battery:-"We have
filled in about seventy THOUSAND yards of ma
terial; we have nearly finished the sea wall;
we have laid out the grounds in plots, elegant
and picturesque in appearance; we have
planted over q thousand trees and bus res" I"
Nor has the necessity been forgotten of adapt
ing the adjacent streets to existing and future
business traffic, not detracting materially from
the capacity of the Battery itself. Thus White
hall street, at the entrance of the ferries, has
been converted into great open plaza, by
throwing into it about seventy five feet of the
Battery, being a portion not very capable Of
ornamentation. State street has been i'm
proved by adding twelve feet to its roadway.
Several drinking fountains and several for the
use of horses will be erected around the exte-
rior of the Battery. 1t is intended to erect
similar fountains throughout all the city parks.
wide space has been devoted to the purpose
of holding public meetings in the open air.
The Introduction Of public ulinals and ladies'
cottages here and in several other parks is
highly commendable. In fact, the Battery
may be regarded as type of what the Com
missioners do and intend to do to convert our
parks from the neglected, repelling and un-
many years into breathing spots that shall not
only be ornaments, but also pleasure to the
masses who have not the means of frequent
access to the Central Park. The Bowling
Green, so interesting for its memorable
Revolutionary associations, has been tastefully
renovated The Duane Street Park has been
made an elegant little triangular spot, Glled
with deciduous trees, evergrecns aud shrubs.
The Beach street triangle and the triangle at
Christopher street have likewise been made
attractive. Even the old dumping ground at
the foot Of Canal street has been provided
with new railing, coping, sidewalk, curb and
park keeper, and is now favorlte playground
Of tho chiltren in tho naiuhnorhOod Tho