The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-02-12

rs result OF the experiment more than five
millions OF dollars have been added In q
single year to the taxable property OF Bos-
ton; in other words, the city treasury Is
benefited by the Improvement in the sum Of
more than eighty thousand dollars per
aDnum. The far greater gain to the public
In the way OF health and amusement and
recreation Is something that OF course can
not be measured by pecunlary standard.
In our own city The foundation OF Central
Park added millions of dollars TO The trea.
sury, and II Is destined TO become a slill
larger source OF revenue as the property
surrounding il is developed aud improved.
A public park is one OF the very best in.
vestmentS city can make"
Those portions Of Richmond that first
meet the eyes Of visitors, as wei as those Of
which they have a parting sight. are alto
eeiber the most neglected and forbdding
in appearance. At the same time they are
the least valuable for business maris. Thus
these features are fortunately combined TO
encourage the use Of them for parks. The
cost OF the land, too, would be very small,
for reason OF their being unsuited for busi-
ness purposes. Richmond thus presents
advantages for the construction OF public
parks tnat are rarely equaled and those
promlnences above and below the city pro-
per, once 30 appropriated and adorned,
would complete its symmetrical beauty and
attraction, the like Of which would rival
the world; and we might then most conf
| IDENTIFY anticipate the admiration of those
thousands upon thousands VINO will be At
tracled among uS by the Centennial, and
who, from their acquaintance with 80 many
other cities, would Oe 30 capable OF judging
Of ours. Things appropriate to 4 city are
| indispensable 10 it as such You may at
tempt TO have one without hotels, but it
would soon prove faIlure-and one with
poor hotels will drag Oul sort of ephPme-
raj existence. People that never saw Blltl-
more, Philadelphia, New York, Boston,
Paris, or London lin which latter city whole
squares vi valuable buildings were blown
down to convert the grounds into parks.
cannot be easily made TO understand that
| park are equally indispensable TO cities.
Especially would 1t have been fortunate
| Just now If the ChimbOtazO Park had been
200 acres instead Of 81, and had been pros
eculed to completion. A. you approach
the city by the York River railroad and
| by the river below it i in full view. ana,
| lifted up 10 an eminencc of 100 feet above
the valley beneath, it looks Is ii surround
ed by mountain atmosphere aS pure rs
the heavens above it. Thi, beautiful plateau,
once clad i'm yerdure, Its sides >loping pre-
lcipitously from $50 to 200 feet into toe
valley below, grass clad ia green, with its
rainbow hueS OF fountJin-spray, would pre-.
sent 10 the approaching travellers Il spectacle
OF surprising beauty; ard oh bow eXhlla-
rating TO their wearied body and mind to
behold in IT such saIutationS OF joy and
rest as would requte perhaps an indefinite
iDurn amongst IL.
We intended TO speak OF the other pro-
jecied parks tfor none are c0mplctedl, but
| the DjSpdtch fayOl- short articles, ana We
must try our hand again.
We may add that the ChmbOrazO Park j.
most suitable position for the Lee mOBu.
ment, and we are most happy TO know that
lemen OF fire taste and information in
such matters fully concur with uS IN this
view.
We deeply regret the dilatoIy progress
OF the work on this park, a. well a. the
| long promised avenue TO Church Hill,
which will give easy access TO the park. II
i now some four years since these works
were promised us II almost looks like
triling with the wants and lu>t eXpecl9-
tions Of The public TO thus delay works 80
reasonable aud so easy Of Accomplishment
In view OF the approaching lively scenes
and mulliiudCS OF. visitors 10 which we baYe
alluded, it is OF great Importance that the
utmost efforts should be made by the city to
complete these WORKS and render them
slightly and useful before the coming fail
what say yJu, our City Fathers: I.