The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-14

Inc Nhue Oh the central Park as pleas
ure home Of the people makes anything we
do to increase its attractiveness a work Of
more than ordinary public utility. Nothing
could be more at variance with the true value
of pleasure grounds than the exclusive policy
which sometimes governs their management
A park which is closed to the people, or
which is surrounded with restrictions Of an
annoying or humiliating character, is Of
little more value than panorama. The inn
agination will enable one to find as much
pleasure in stereoscopic view or painting
as in a park surrounded with the restrictions
which we sometimes permit in our public
places and in Central Park especially.
correspondent, in letter we print else
where, calls attention to this in an effective
manner. Visitors, and especially the chill
dren, should be allowed full liberty to
romp and stroll on the grass. But
Just now no one can go into the
Park without a criminal feeling, as though
under the surveillance of the police. We are
so driven from point to point by annoying
regulations that, as our correspondent says,
''one imagines himself Theseus in the laby-
rinth of the Mnotaur." All this comes from
an extreme desire to do the best A police
man of an active conscience in public park
can do great deal of ''duty, and in doing
so make great many folks uncomfortable.
This should be restrained. 1t should not be
permitted to enter the police mind that be-
cause citizen enters the Park he of neces-
sity means to violate the law More than
this, there should be regulations in reference
to the riding paths. There should be
parallel path for horsemen, bride path
running side by side with the ordinary car
riage drives. This is so in the Hyde Park,
where there is a bride path alongside of the
famous Rotten Row" In the Bots de Bou-
logne there is a bride path parallel with the
ride around the lake. 1t should be SO ar
ranged in our Park, and the regulations
should be shorn of their annoying features.
These are reforms that we can urge with the
more confidence because the management of
the Park has always been so enlightened and
admirable that the Commissioners will see
the value of any change that will commend
their administration to the popular APP
proval.
While on this subject Of the Park we may
as well call attention to the condition of
Fifth avenue. This avenue is as much
part of the Park as the avenue of
the Champs ElysGes is part of the Bots de
Boulogne. 1t is the walk of the poor and
the drive of the rich. The spacious walks,
the splendid architecture, growing more and
more magnificent every day as our people
add to its attractions in the way of public
and private ediices-the fact that it begins
at one park. and, while passing two on the
way, ends in the great park Of ALL makes it
our representative highway. Whatever is
done to improve the avenue is an advantage
to the city and should be at the city's charge.
There must be general change in this whole
business of the streets of New York, and we
can do no better than to begin with Fifth ave-
nue.. The owners of property on the ave-
nue., although less interested than any others,
will be glad to do their share toward this re-
suit There should be a macadamized road
like what we have elsewhere. We do not
crave any more experiments in the way of
plaster or wood or any of the horrible
chemical compounds which have made New
York a city of evil name for health and COM
fort. We need well-built and commodious
avenue, macadamized after the best plan,
that will grow better from year to year
This should be done without any delay. 1t
should be the beginning of plan for the
Encouragement Of the whole city system of
streets and sewers. This is now the crying
reform. We are on fair way to have rapid
transit unless we should have some decep-
ton in the carrying out Of the plans laid
down 10y the Board Of Commissioners. That
done let the whole question of the health of
the city be made matter of the most care
full inquiry and of prompt remedy. As it
now is the evil is ever increasing and of the
most dangerous character. This city, which
should be the most healthy and the most
beautiful in the world, is reproach and a
shame, reflection upon our government,
and justification of the fear expressed by
the Archbishop Of Baltimore that our dem
ocratic form of government is not calculated
to the best interests of the community.