New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-30
THE LIKES IN CENTRAL PARK.
THEIR LAMENTABlE cONDITIoY-AN UNDERGRowTH
OF VEGETATION.

THEIR LAMENTABlE CoNDITIoN-AN UNDERGROUND
OF VEGETATION.
Owing to circumstances over which no one
has had any control the various bodies Of which
have or So l.rg time been ornament to Central
Park and source pleasure to the public fast
becoming nuisance and may be the cause OF malaria
whether they are the present moment creators of
aaral poison germs s dspued and experts differ as
experts are in tie habit OF doing 1t Is csrtan that the
employees the Metropolitan Art Museum have suffered
from ague and gesye chils to extent that very
suggestive. Upon other hand must be noted that
Island pie shake with chis to an alarming
degree, without ing able to accuse any artificial
lakes as the cause of their ills. And there old
ciuzens who assert that the region which
is now the Centre Park was always unhealthy and
notorious breeding of levers. 1t was wilderness
OF rock and marsh broken fragment OF the lava bed
whose regular eoumnar structure on the west side
of the Hudson Los gained it the of the Pail
sades. In this rock formation drainage by natural
means IS an impo, bty. the mourniul cry Of
ualaria comes FRI he Eysan Fields Ut HO0oken the
Palisades Of New sey and the Central Park region Oh
New-York 1t cult to think OF the land all around
as having been he OF volcanic activity as fierce
as that OF Vcsnvius Etna bu IL Is true, aud Long
Island which WAS I disturbed by the lava flow, and
preserves It's old formation Of clay beds, sand and
gravel was from fhe earliest OF English settlement
hore considered he natural sanatorium and place Of
refuge from feyeIs OF Manhattan Island. The Gov
ernor OF colony always spent the summer and TALL
at Hampstead IN the vicinity Of tie great breezy plain
which has LOW become the site Of cathedral
city, The Central Park region in those days was
ccused OF creating the from which the handful
Of nhab tants suffered who gathered in the narrow
southern corner OF island, although many blamed
the Collect for 1t.
now sug gested that the old malaria region which
was rendered healthy by the creation OF the Park
IL in danger drifting back 10 its first state In conse
nr..x
sey in lamenable There three of them the
great lake with lis notifications at the head of the Mall
the pond between Fh and Sixth at the southern
end of the Park and the small circular pond IN front OF
the site where the Iammany Ring proposed TO build
conservatory that should be joy forever to the public,
and sweet source ~ profit TO themselves. Here the
scochmen sing their curriers' when there Is Ice. and
small boys sell miniature yachts. The great
lake has boating stations, and the public, for q
small fee can be about tis picturesque body of
FEATURES but Its vicinity Is much frequented
because it is close 10 the most populous part
OF the Park region. A TRIBUNE reporter visited
them all Yesterday and fonnd ths water every where
mndy and turbid bu giving forth any evil smells
as reported Butis not ncut 70 realize Its state wneh
the reporter could not nd IN any part OF any
lakes single spot where tue no tom could be seen
coed an iuon or two. The water lnlck with some
thing and that something was evidently vegetable and
fou this IL may Ne guessed what must he the state OF
the 10 tom. 1t must Oe exceedingly FOUL
The reporter called apoa Gsnera, yeIe, OF tne fass
done abouti- lie said: ave have had water Tor
from the rUton ana we nave Dten forcel 10
depend entirety upon su face drainage In other words,
the lakes nave been fed by the that have fallen.
Naturally great deal foul matter miuges with water
nus obaned and susn have filters 10 strain the
they pass 20 tse iake, we recognLe the iacI
that they are imperfect There doubs that the
dillons nave been such 70 favor the rapid develop
Of vegetable growth at the tom OF the lakes But
believe that long tlis Is not exposed to the suns
heat malaria will nes be caused By It. We propose
as soon as winter to Drain tue lakes cleanse
them thoroughly and MI them from the Croi0r al
time when there rain upon the supply. but we
view the With osrust, and scarcely Ike 10 rely
upon surface wat, eyeh with the improved hlters
which we shall put Ia. Ne discussing the plan
of an aresan well which the lakes can be cOntib-
ualy fed with fresh wafer The chances OF striking
seam OF water the rock favorable. II we do we
shall be preserve the lakes whose loss cannot be
even considered without feelings OF regret We OF
course. Ia tghl place We arc abandoned by the Cro-
\ ton aud thrown own resources Tor water W.
nave 10 preserve The ark In It's integrity and IN the
uness OF It's beauty ana neither can nor Will aisre-
gard the health VI The community hope that the pub
lie will be patient WITH Tor are not Ignorant OF tnt
situation aud casting about In ali directions FOL
means OF remedy. IL ID serabc TO have grand fonn
tam play and lakes that are ike peasoup In
color aud consistency But Central Park without IL
lakes would be like the OF fair woman without
eyes We viii do every hng can " save tlem Tor the
public"