The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-14
o pccrle'> Park-Sosne Interesting
'"> Suggestions.

-, rrrSrnt the subject of a park very
''" ,.~'hly aritatcs the public mind; and
Ill arr, agreed that il should be eStah-
n.,j somewhere. the main difficulty lies IN
..,~;,,, where that somewhere shall be.
a., very well understood that the Church
,rf ,.n,nje will never consent that their
..',,o, shall he appropriated TO the purchase
- ,r,nn., !, west Of the city, accessible main
:, - :, thc residents of Shockoe Hill. And.
=. ,,r same rule. the residents OF Shockoe
,i;r will never consent to the purchase Of
-,a,,r3, rass OF Church Hill. So these two
s'f; ,;"i. We at once dismiss from our consider
a,iHN.
a., -,c~;on of country northeast of the city
,,n,Irri on the cast by the Chesapeake and
nt5o rGlroad. on the west by the Brook
,,r,,,,lc on the north hy the Chickahominy
,3rrr and on the south by the city itself.
Rr, - nv mind there is an insuperable OBJ
...,i,n 10 this on account Of its inaccessible
49, Forto cross the immense ravines or con-
.,s ths, lie between with wheeled vehicles
..ar the accommodation OF which parks are
,njrav constructed) would be to put in peril
,rc lives of women and children and keep
n, public mind in IN inceSSant state Of un-
Ca>iuc->.
fourth and last locality suggests itself,
and tbst is the south side of the river, ac-
Ts>>it,Ir bv toll-bridgeS, free bridges, railroad
hrid.cs. and boats TO all parts OF the city.
I, !, we'll known that the city of Rich
rond ha> been kind to Manchester, very
kind and without any advantage to herself,
immediate or prospective, has recently united
IN very expensive. and, may say, almost
u.,,,s. structure called 'sfree BRIDGE"
which. am informed, has enhanced the
value OF real estate in the neighborhood of
i, southern abutmcnt fourfold, or, as my in-
jormaut told NE, sufficiently so to pay the
co., Of the bridge three times over. And
whv should the city of Richmond, with its
rlrthorc cXchequer of bonds, so freely
offered at twenty per cent. discount, "grow
weary of we'll doing?" Would it not be as
vie. therefore leaving out the city Of Man.
chester and some few thousand acres of its
sn,irouS-to purchase and throw open for
Tprk 10 all the world the whole county Of
Chesterfield:
Ry nv calculation the area would not ex-
r,ed five hundred thousand acres, which, at
AZ average value of say 81 per acrce, would
amount 10 $4,000, 900, all Of which might be
purchased with Richmond city bonds pay
able thirty Years after date. or at any time
thereafter at the pleasure of the Council. 1t
i almost unnecessary to speak OF the adap-
rAtion of this area to park. 1t aboundS
with rocks, rivers, and creeks, from Which
i,> fountains. and cascades might be pro-
'rutnd. and its numerous mill-pondS con-
Ncrtcd into lakes.
Having secured the county, my first OBJ
i,yl would be to revive the old Richmond
and Petersburg turnpike Tor drive, and
plant it> entire length with double rows of
cm walnut. poplar. and ash. For Jet ii be
understood we make no mistake in the va
ricly VT adopt, as the people of Richmond
have done for the last fifty years. AS we
npproach stream or come upon damp
-tuund. for the sake of greater variety We
might introduce the beach, the weeping
widow, and the wilow-oak. The above may
tr ,aid 10 embrace almost the only kinds OF
trees scryiccable for shade or beauty.
But would also open other grand ave-
nuv, t. Bermuda Hundreds, BevPs bridge,
stony creek, Winterpoc6, and Skiuquarter--
81! r4iIitiug from Manchester--an endeayor
to cultivate more intimate acquaintance
with arace OF people, comparatively unknown
TO u>. called Ielow.JacketS.
Besides these grand avenues, would in
trrduce the narrow-gauge railway; and as it
j. known that Chesterfield abounds in pine
poles, h0Op-poles, &C., with the simple ap-
pIicaton of II strap rail we might occupy
every natural ridge and ditch-bank, and per-
meate every in and out of the way place in
The county.
The next thing l would suggest, Messrs.
Editors. would be TO appropriate large areas
here and there for sheep.raising and wool
growing. for we have good authority for
sayin. that umJ and mutton pay remunc-
ratn. prices in the New York markets, and
The article of wool is now ruling higher than
i, mas done for many years. There would
be no good reason why VIC should not intro
dure the Cashmere or any other kind OF goat
for they delight in short pasture. and besides
That the flesh is good for the table, ICON
>idering as how you are raised" the SKINS
might he made available for gloves. aud give
employment TO thousands of old women
and Young girls who now engage IN 'he
folly of knitting socks and the frivolous
Of worSted work.
Now, it is possible, Messrs. Editors, these
suggestions may seem absurd, but / WISH TO
inform your readers, or that portion of them
y ho don't know. that at the Central Park in
New York, now almost in the heart Of the
city, they keep flock of nearly eight hum
drcd sheep to Craze and fertiliZe its lawns |;
and the shceptold-a magnificent brown
stone building-cost nearly one-fourth as
much as the entire park we propose to pur-
rhi>c.
But there is another advantage this park
would present not known to exist in any
other in this country mean in the article
OF ti>h. The smaller streams abound with
the minnow, the yellow-belly, and cat,
alYording the most charming diversion to
White boys and little negroes, while the
largcr->,ich rs the noble James and Oft
times drowsy AppOmattoX-would give en-
ployment, enjoyable and profitable, TO those
o! larger growth in trapping, netting, and
hooking the sturgeon and the shad, the fiat
back and mullet. But this diversion might
br Increased TO All almost unlimited extent,
for have in my minds eye gentleman
who, If authorized to do so. would, as q
labor of love. stock these streams with the
finest Of black bass, and perhaps salmon. II
i only Necessary for the Legislature to APP
posnt him commissioner and appropriate d
small sum for the purchase OF tish-roe, and
YOU may take my word for it he will not
only do the work. but do it well.
And there is yet another branch of amuse-
Lhent which no other park has ever yet pos
sessed, and which ours would have in an
eminent degree-hunting; for it is well
hnoWn that The fields and forests of Chester
held abound with the partridge, the wild
turkey, and deer, while the marshes swarm
with every variety Of wild duck and .sora.
But nobler exercise awaits us, aud will
serve to attract that class Of i'm
from Europe which we SO much
cov1t 1t is only necessary to say "fox-
bunting" 10 an Euglishman and the desire
IS irresistible to raise the whoop-halloo."
Appoint commissioner, then, TO this de-
lar'ment, and the Allan" and Anchor"