The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-11-28

Washington Square has been greatly i'm.
proved Instead of n monotonous prai.
rie, it has assumed a new appearance, and
the wearisome cxpanse of grass hereto.
fore visible, is broken and varied by broad
and firmly laid parkways, winding around
spots which in n few years will develope
into masses of shrubbery and flowers; and
the whole is cncompassed by modest
fence, which keeps alive the rural remn.
iscenccs Of the locality. Under their SUI
pervisory care, the space occupied by the
cemeteries has rapidly and beautifully
changed, and its appearance is already
very attractive. AS "the public eye
must and shall be respected" u purchase
Of the Lathrop property has recently been
made. This with small sections of neigh
boring grounds, as designed by Bogart,
Cuyter & Co., Landscape Architects and
Engineers, in their plan Of the park, will
contribute to form lake, which can
hardly fail to become one of the notable
features of the Park. Like the lakes in
"Central Park" it will be favorably 10.
Gated for rink in winter, and an abiding
place for the s,oan, and "that other gen.
tie bird" in the warmer months. When
the connection between the old cemetery
and Penitentiary grounds and Aims House
farm is established, and all the lands are
properly embellished, our new park will
begin to take rank with the "beauty spots
Of other cities, and will be source Of
delight to citizens. 1t will be to Albani-
ans what "Central Park has long been
to New Workers, and "Fairmount" to
Philadelphians. The artless simplicity
Of the iorefathers is noticeable, compared
with the magnificent "expandcrs" of the
present day, the contractors" Of the
past dwindle into insignificant respecta-
bility. Contrasted with the millions
spent for parks in other cities, the COM
missioners' restricted allowance is mea-
gre enough, the treatment Of the grounds
for the present must be Of the landscape
character ornamentation by shrubs,
trees, flowers, roads and walks, yet time
will give US instead, the more artificial,
and costly architectural style Of adorn-
ment. Nearly 800 trees and shrubs have
been planted in and around the New Park
grounds within the past month. With its
drives and walks its trees and shrubbery
and rustic seats it makes a most delight
full retreat from the noise and hustle of
the city. The Albany Penitentiary,with
its beautiful grounds and surroundings is
of itself most charming place, said to
be the finest, the best kept and regulated
abode for "erring man" of any in the
country. Gen. Pilsbury, its keeper, is
not only kind and humane to its inmates,
but is likewise attentive to its visitors.
The spot once consecrate to Mars, where erst
Tho bustlng burgher drank his fill Of war;
The sod all ploughed by martial hoofs. when
Town warriors dazzled in their soldier clothes,
And flashed their gorgeous buttons to the sun
And clanked and strutted in their dangling
steel;
That field, where later. rural forces strove
For eminencc in garden sass" or whore
The antic ball man yearly broke his nose.
Closes its martial gates unites its paths
With tho sepulchral regions of Mulhall,
(The paths of glory lead but to tho grave,)
And soon with flower and fount and spreading
elm,
viii rustic bloom and sparkle as The Park"
Hudson street, the main tnoroughfare
leading to the Park is laid with Nichol-
son pavement making one Of the most
magnificent drives in or near the city and
here, when the evenings are pleasant, may
be seen the fast horses Of Albany. among
which are some Of the fastest in the coun-
try, including the celebrated trotter, Geo.
NJ. Palmer, owned by Erastus Corning,
Jr.
Another work, commenced year ago,
ard which is rapidly nearing completion,
is the building Of the New Rail Road
Bridge across the Hudson river at this
place, and which. when completed, will
be an enduring monument to the genius
Of the engineer who planned, aud the
workmen who constructed it. Messrs.
Clark, Reeves u Co. of Phenixvile,
Pa, have the contract for the superstruc-
tion, guarantee that it will be inferior
to none in the country. The whole
length of the bridge will be little more
than half mile, and its height above the
water level, 81 feet. In its construction
there will be used about $4,000 cubic
yards of stone, 1900 tons Of iron, and
over 100000 feet Of timber, to say
nothing of smaller items. The river is
already spanned by one bridge of iron,
which, after the completion Of the new
bridge, will he used exclusively for the
passage of freight trains. 1t was whilst
crossing this bridge in the baggage car
that IIalpine, the Express Messenger, was
shot in January last, by Filkins, who is
now faithfully serving the State in the
prison at Clinton or Danemora
One year ago the corner of Pearl aud
Beaver streets was occupied by row of
low, filthy, wooden sheds, where liquid
death in its most revolving form was
dealt out cheaply, to all seedy candidates
for rnin,, who could muster sufficient
courage to enter the disgusting dens.
The wooden sheds have been removed,
and to-day "Martin's Hall" occupies
their site. This building was completed
last winter at a cost Of about So, 900,
and no one visiting the city fails to ad-
mire its architectural beauty and inpos-
ing appearance. Magnificent stores oc-
cupy the first floor, the rooms Of the Sec
ond floor are occupied by the Young
Mems Association" aud above all is the
hall, most gorgeously finished, and pro-
vided with ample staging tor theatrical
performances.
New York City reporters report from
day to day, mo feet" and a fearful anxi-
ETY. for the safety of the Grand Duke,
Prince Alexis, is prevalent Alas for
the uncertainty of navigation, he is still
en- route, and eyes as eager as were Enoch
Arden's, are scanning the horizon for the
Russian fleet. Whether the young ladies'
who are so anxious to meet the royal rep
resentutive take his tardy passage and
non-appearance as phiosoFhically as