New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-14
CITY IMPROVEMENTS.
A NEW PARADE-GROUND

The rDoI AN THE PROBABLE COST 100000
-wuERE MILITARY REVIEWS HAVE BEEN
HELD. -,
late President of the Park Commissioners to whom was
ip,rstcd the selection OF desirable site Tor initial
,,rade pronpd having made choice OF tract VI i"nu,
cported their action to the Commissioners VINO wiz
probably take at their meeting on wednesday
ncxt 20 obtain title the territory The tract CHOSEN
t ,,e nurose is 900 yards from Inwood landing ana
railway station, on the Hudson RIVER near lever
,roet 100 feet wide as already laid out The greater
norton OF the land fat and low, and small part -
under water 1t Is estimated that, to bring IL 10 SUI
able elevation about $4,000 cubic yards OF maei W.
be REQUIRED The needed material Is 10 DC lo'i,U ""
hill inst within the western boundary luo s''o' a'
chosen contains 81 acres Of land Of which 70 are he9
level and hence available for paadeS VINE 'o tes' =
more elevated aferding standing room, ioi
and ample space for roadways and buildings M Ou'
stead, in his communication 10 INC - -
Soma time ago there was project susseste W ,t
onirng and setting apart for the purpose & ny nv
territory the Harlem mats imeu11Ty yared Inv Con-
troler Green in respect TO the necessily oi pa a.
g be Central Park or any existing public ground.
rere accented by Gen Shaler and myself anu II Nus
;e 20 sce in eXen, should be view requisite
for the proper parade Of the National Guard OF thS ely
It was found that the value of tract OF lang Sl Ss
extent the site proposed noTth OF 6a IJ no
safsfsctory ground could DO obtained south Of Hgh
Bridge at less cost than four mlhOhs. IL was .Hil
ground north uf Fort George. After much study slte
has here been found in which it is believed the required
accommodation can be obtained at less cost than az any
other point on the island. There is hill within the
boundaries winch is largely formed by iedse PL 9oT
ing marble winch would De quarried lncidehtaly 20 s
REQUIRED reduction. The right 70 sell this being aoTeo
IL is estimated that contract for the necessary srAuuh
could be made at sum not exceeding SJ5lOJO. -
In determining the boundaries OF the proposed GROUND,
the Kngsbridge road is avoidev certain special value
also that which is thought of Harlem River as
from inc prOspec'A All Of the land embraced within the
t,f T.viaa at u,
prices establishing Its net value at S26U sinoe ~n
sales have occurred that ahoIo lhlC 20 VI IN
present value Assuming an advance OF 90 PER cent III
two years present value OF the land would De SiUl
south OF Observation-Disclosures Guh-st would probably
cost times much, and if south Of Oue-nundrednu-
proposed. Mere can be no reasonable objection
10 the site on tue ground t2at u Is u.hculS
boats on the Harlem River viii land passengers directly
upon H. ami railway ron the U2on Depot loH9~s .1v
opposite bank N site upOa the island heller ihe cay
is approached with equal convenience and Iapdy Ilou
a. many different points.
The large space which it proposed to set apart lot
the purpose has been chosen to accommodate not only
the military hut also the crowd that attends military
displays The parade-grOund will also be composed OF
noseess dustcss material II cannot be injured by h'
passage of cavalry and artillery, and adequate shelter
Will be provided the men, their arms, and their equip
ments.
This city during its whole existence has never had
parade-ground adequate to its necessities Under The
act OF April 3, 1907, battle-ground, lying between
Twenty-third and Twenty-four,h-sts. and Third anC
Seycnth-aves laid out embracing about 200 acres
The Commissioners their report Of 1oll when will
Great Britain seemed inevitable, said
The question therefore not and could not be whether
there should be Grand Parade bat who're ~ SnOuiu D
placed and what should be It's SIZE III 90 ne iahero
That Uc parade ground could not be brO0gnt farther
south and aGe larger than II Is, without mourning
trshtiUl expense
In 1874 during the excitement Of the the third
year after the paraderound Of go acres was laid ont
the Mayor Aldermen, and CommOnalty represented 10
3D., lore ffsrt
requisite that the expenses would be enormous, and
prayed lat might be reduced 1t was accordingly re-
The legislature as 10 contain about 50 acres
Fifteen years aiterward the whole Of it ceased to De
used. Tho Battery grounds containing about
were used until 1899 OF the principal parade
Grounds Wa,Lugton-squarc containing about the same
pace was laid out in 182S paradcground, and wheI
was first prepared Tor the purpose was surrounded
ith trees Of the being left opeu for mtary
olutOu7. but il rea1raugcd by the city with tree
walks as a square park From this time TO o late
C. no effective measures were taken by the state o.
telty 10 secure a paradeground, the military perform
i9hcir cyoluuo1s the smaller squares, streets ana
Ief,rt was made in 1864 10 csfs,Iish ii'e
GS5iH1lG{ fptI1hto h-sqaS.6 Ijlhg east OF Fourth
a'Fbout Is acrcs-wds set apart by the Com
mhE0uucil for a parace-TOund. II was en-
p-nAa c,,c1, and regulating the park for the mr.
poaeVin l55I $4,000 more was appropriated by the
the so was closed and ijs sale directed bv the ISgs
1ture,j In 1869 the additional sun OF $4,000 APP
prOptai" Tor damages 20 the CONTRACTOR Tor grading
HlmIliOuuare." InlS68, the Il gslture appropriated
100 to'applied Tor l3yinS in Tohpkins-Square the
fk pai emit ia order 10 render the ace suitable for
hJ.I!nE ularades, which, the legislature OF 1866
hld prJyi6 r,igbf he hed there.
I1us aAor of the squares OF the city surrounded by
deus; pOtitl.n WAS transformed. IL as been long
ohaerv3- ul whenever grounds have ben set apart
peru&HoAt OK military purposes, they boone useless
as parks III objects sought 10 be secure IN a place
for popular d,viuput ana IN one Tor miltay DISPLAYS
arc 90 DIM ri aud the arrangement Of the Sounds 50
lacJupIdo ~ it Las bccU generally regired as uu-
wise inpir,HclQe 70 combine the two. OLtrOller
Green took "a Wv OF the matter ia loC, when,
"a Communication addressed TO Gov hoffman,
no urged IN lani\ should be takq for
the purpose fsde Of ne Central PARK. The
Legislature inisI0 empower I'd the PARK Counts
tJAcrs b. cOnulton Win Cen Shaler, 10 locate the
5.!uIu acquire dc 10 the land. IA ADAPT II sfely
t1e poipJse. here is preyaiu SentlnSht Ia ne
immunity thar g. city should have II laIauc.SIoud,
CuAdcHSuIate inelze 10 HE wants OF Zoe mctrOpOE,
il' tAete slild be further delay N lIOHiuIf
- 4Ao HIiiify nhOritics said to be E, uoutu VIZ
80 bVahu Whclas been selected. and TIT g IS lltIl,
-c- La t-ls ant OF the city vii be 5uppS' III
49,