New-York tribune., 1878-03-29
IMPORTANCE OF THE PARKS.
MEMORIAL TO THE LEGISLATUI

MEMOhlAb ~ lIiE LCOISlAI JlIE.
SAMUEL b. RUGGrEs REVIEWS THE HISTORY OF
NETWORKS OPEN SQUARES AND SHOWS THEIR
VALUE.
Samuel B. Ruggles has prepared memo
rial the Importance Of the open squares in this
city, which was presented TO the Legislature Wednes
day. Mr. Rusgles writes that, as an old vsident and
taxpayer IN New-York he IN common with many OF his
fellow citizens, has learned with serious concern that
the Common Council had passed resolution which the
Mayorhad approved asking the Legislature to pass annct
authorizing the erection OF an armory IN Washington
square. This measure, if carried into eject would he
believes lead TO the occupation OF all other public
squares by blocks Of buildings.
The objections urged in tho memorial confined
chiefly TO representations of the fragrant egalitY and
iuqaity OF such proceedings in violating the plainly
vested legal rights of the pubc at large. and especially
of the many thousands of OF land specifically
for the individual benefits 20 be derived from
such squares. aud OF which such measures would de-
pIive them. without compensation OF indemnity :; and
TO the very serious pccunary consequences OF such
measures III depreciating the taxable value of vast
amounts OF real in the vicinity Of the squares
which annually contribute largely 10 the treasures
OF the city and OF the State" brief sketch then fol-
lows The history of the publc squares Of the city,
which given Ia the hope that the Legislature may re-
aze the magnitude them, and the interests Involved
The facts are reproduced from lecture delivered in
1851 by Charles King president of Columbia College.
The State OF New-York, early as 1907, appointed
three commissioners lay out the City of NewEok into
streets squares These commissioners were Gouver-
neur Morris Simeon Dewitt and John Rutherurd. They
lad whole city OF NOrthst and OF Artist.
fuoy Astor-pacc in avenues and streets, numbered
to aud designated,
to their by marble monuments, fixed IN the
ground The main of the old Dutch City was the
"Bowerie" II also called tho Old Boston Road.
Its course crooked hence when the streets aid
down upon the commissioners map came to be traced
out Il was found that they would often make curious
work with the old lines, and leave here and
there some most oddly shaped fragments, when the
commissioners, by allowable figure OF speech,
smoke OF as the " Children 0f Necessity Union
square is made up largely Of tbese " Children Of
Necessity. The old Pott's Field together with po-
| tou Of the Ludlow Farm" was thrown. in the year
1927. into that spacious now known a. Washing
| ou-square" The ancient Gramercy farm, occupied hy
Judge James Duane. on the death OF IFS owner was
divided into Eve eoral parcels These shares having
been consolidated in 1881. park laid out in cen
ra part Of the farm by 6anioa'y& & GonteS 10 10
! the grant n condition that $40 lot should be annually
paid forever by the residents around thc square as
| was denorninatcd "Gramercy Park" Next came. iu
1888, Unon-square described as an "irregui1r tTae-
giun " on the map OF the commissioners ana h"lo up
largely Of ffagmeniary lots Ike thoso alluded !" ~
| Children of Necessity .
Nj. Rugges then continues: The Act on 1907 iurn-
| sfes perpetual safeguard through all coming axes
against any illadyood and suicidal attempt 10 d.nlIe
Onilttfate or hlock UP an! square DS .No C''.t ~
and fundamental declaration and requirement that the
maT"r AideInen and Gommouaity of the Cty sna be
seized fee simple Of all lands 80 TO b. taken, subject
however. the perpetual trust, 10 keep the same ior
ever OPEN which important provision was made sii
more stringent the revision of the Statutes IN 1913
and yet in force by adding ilt words to be used ~
like manner "a the other pubNc squares III the faid cv
are and OF right ought 10 be, The present generation
NAV surely cherish the hope and belief that tie existing
Department OF Pubic Parks' In the city, already con
taiuine its million OF inhabitants which department has
legally and succeeded this high trust Of foster
ing and preserving our public squares WIZ Iuiy carry
on the solemn Injunction thus prescribed more than
| ReVenty years ago.
F" The evidence afforded in the opening OF Gramercy
Park and UnlOnsquare OF Their 6caents aud ADVANTAGES
both pubic and private soon led 20 the establishment oS
other squares Of greater area in localities where the
lands less va uable On Tie Jlat of March 1854,
Tomplus square, containing 1Oo0OO acres was opened
by legal proceedings under te Act OF lSg as Iey.ed
in 1913. On toe 2Oth OF September, l-oo AlF refer
Gerard Stuy vesant sole owner Of the large estate known
a. 'Petersfeld. gratmtously ceded 10 the Mayor Al
dernen and Coinnonalty city OF NewYOrk 42'loO
IN central portion OF The estate iyng bel"cth
second-nye aud now known 'stCyvesani-square. In
1870 Manhattan-sGuare n 1864 made part OF Central
Parkj extending from Eighth 60 Nin,h-ave, and from
Seventy first to Eigbty-frst-s was lad out Madison,
square opened next In ls47 II completed the local
tieh and Tweny-frst Wards. which, in their proximity,
exerted united influence III RAISING tno aha9S & yaIe @
be strikngly manifest by compafns the % @
| four wards III question:
In 1855 the aggregate was. 80 6o352o
In In 1879 increased lsoSi9l99
In 1878 increased Z'oe0I39o
and that TOO notwithstanding the general depreciation
OF city during the I'VE years from 1870
10 1873 The increase population In that period was
only from 15G2O7 in 1853, to 25e,lG0 in 1875 less
than 20 per cent. ,,,
In 1883 The city entered upon era OF prosperity:
In that wear Central Park established by an act on
the Legislature. This followed by The opening to
OF the extension OF Cebtrai
| PARK IN Aprl, 1868, which Increased lis area u
e3gi5,o acres the opening of Morning Side Park. OF
acres on the 2Sih OF July, 1870, ana the opening
OF Riverside Park containing s5SoO acres, on Tie isth
| Of July, 1872. -, c.. ,,.a., ,
Tie following table shows how the CITY Ircasury has
Gained Iy the steadily increasing taxable vaue OF real
| esiare uortn Of FortetiI-st., as follows:
In 1855 assessed AZ U
In 1868 II assessrd
1870 assessed AZ
aTsi ZtSJJI,Jb3
"srey the city at lcest afford TO be ukt not gem
erous TO individual OWntrs OF me 90 ~ !os' SHOWN
he rue table whose money contributions III assessments
for the So s37 furnished 80 cOhsdciaDie OI
| ton OF the seed for harvest thl~ enormous, $780,.
fnhle n1oG 10 LIE mcnnrLl snOW9 IhAt lhc cOhl