New-York tribune., 1884-03-02
PROPOSED NEW CITY PARKS.
VIEWS OF MR.. WALES AND Mr.. MARSH.
THE COMM ssIoN's RrPonT DTFoRE THE MAYORS
cABrNET-IETrERs oN THE SUBJECT.


The Mavor's Cabinet listened yesterday to
Psr, Commissioner Wales and Arthur II. Marsh on the
subject of additional parks in the Twentythrd and
TVcufvfourth Wards Mr. wales said that be appeared
as an individual Commissioner and not 10 represent the
views OF the Park Department He spoke upon me r.
port to the Legislature Of the Commissioners appointed
10 select sites for additional PARKS and upon the bill
authorizing the purchase OF the several sites mentioned
in The report After commencing the report IN general
terms Mr.. Wales said that if the Com
missioners had erred al all it was IN
going FAR possibly, IL direction. he then con-
tinued
No ono will dispute that more parks needed. This
proposition being conceded The question OF location 0
iOws-alsO the additional one, when and IN what, Wy
shall they be acquired The proposition to take 'oy
ceres OF land known Pelham Bay the east sid G
the Bronx River think II oJeciIonaDe lhe ah IN IN
question not IN the city limits II Il naccesslDie. o
think it is Increasing In value or hkely 10 IN
Cor time to come Therefore y seems 10 ne
IL would be more prudent 10 conSurL, Ln ,7'' tbe
annexation Of the territory W Thers o,es,i io1 n1
afterward do not know what yalue the owners Of hs
properly place upon their land am Informed, now
ever that they consider worth three or four times as
much other per ons do who are quite familiar Win
questions Of that kind =. ,..a
for the Bronx River Park II appears to he good scheme
and If the lands can ne acquired, under proper ste
guards the project ought to be carried without further
delay. am informed that some OF the lands have COS.
their owners $1,000 per acre derno S,! nertT rs e
consisting Of 653 acres, is abont $4,000. o
cannot recommend that all th' property FOR Van Court
only that part Of II that lies west OF the Cro
northeast point The western section embraces, should
think about 600 OF the picturesque features
including the parade ground ana ie range Ihe easterI
section has great advantages for dwellings lhe lAhd II
estimated by some 10 he worth about $1,000 per acre
would take Caremont Park indicated upon the map
OF the Commission and extend rts area s0uthward 10
point 10 be determined by careful examination or the
ground. And 1 would take 81 Mtry's PARK. GrOt9n
Park would not take 10 the extent proposed Dy tle
number Of small parks airspaces and some Of these
already indicated upon the Department maps
MR.. WALES MAKES SOME SUGGESTIONS
offer the folio wing suggestions In regard to the policy
to he pursued. assumed in the report based upon
the experience the past that whenever 1t Is deter
mined take lands for public purposes, the value OF
surrounding properties is greatly changed would not
dare to dispute this proposition. Therefore as measure
cannot be benefited by parks so far
sS. Of feoFa om at sn eas an to be
laid upon all real property In the Twentytnlrd ana
NV my % IT. ae fa m e nnrcbase of the Lands in
tails district II appears 10 that the orrble arguments
advanced by the Commission would clearly justly tis
distribution OF taxation The Department Of Public Parks
having already indicated upon ITS survey maps certain
park purposes and being po:sessed OF al!
Typographical knowledge and OF thesnrveys OF
the district, II would save both time and money
so amend the law TO authorize the Department TO
proceed TO acquire lands Tor parks subject, now
ever to provision that BEFORE any proceedingS
undertaken to acquire such lands the project be sub,
Apportionment. some such safeguard should be pro
vded in the BILL for upon question OF such vial I'M
10 he heard Ny suggestion II carried out would enable
all parties first 10 be heard by tne PARK Comnssloncrs
and finally by the Board or Estimate and Apporton-
ment A.,
how the proceedings 10 acquire land shall be carried
forward. II IA open 10 this objection that IL
is wise anaaS % a the should direct the S'nar n
thortes Of the city 70 proceed to acquire al these sey
fhe fl M 5nsseson gg have already sdeNthat The Lees
tre authorize the Park department TO acquire e sun
cc however 20 the approval OF the Board OF Estimate
aud a F01fGldld
possible under tue proposed act and when ought 10 De
precuded Another section 0f the bill open To objection
the language Of which somewhat obscure as IN the
aut4o 2" 40 cnc wcr-proyi1es tlat the Auth9rlues
saa snail thin three months after title 70 the land
bounuru ana uescrtb W the act Van C0urtanGt TX
proceed 10 lay out 100 acres for military parade ground
This section Will be imperative unless u provides way
whereby the money to be- raised I0r thc purpose ls
desirable provide proper proper parade ground for
tile First Division or the National Guard Therefore the
Board OF Estimate and AppOIuonmcnt should be au-
thorzcd % rase the necessary an oy bonus OF
through tue tax levy for such improvement as might ne
Section 70 677 Of the, Consolidation Act
authorizes the department OF ParAs & 70 SSqniTe Sqi
or puc uuarcs and places and assessments Tor benefit
NJ Le is ,tifir one mile Il Is Oovou, that ths pro-
vision Of law would De wholly inappca1ie to taking the
l,7,Ii7 nr5Iorr could bear no such assessment.
me lection to mandatory legislation is that IL forces
the ciy ID tAe i4ocer--u2' "i.Ll @ ,.i'li'@ Z Ztli1
to be worth a.. ont - 100000 This might work great
hardship the taxpayers ~ IN the ease oi tue Brooklyn
BrG1c the cost OF winch was greatly Ia excess OI the
or1uaI estimates far the After this work was
undertaken, There was No escape from nj me CITY was
00l-e TO provide IT. share OF iAe hnds 10. us cohpe-
non. The cry NeNI I0rl ought justice 20 nave some
means OF escape from the eeasiiy oi taxing aI me
property de.ate, rspec ally lfin ne process or nc and
experience -noud appear Co. be unwise to take all the
laI.ds proposed by the commission.
Iur experience OF the owners OF urimITOved property
warrants the statement mat with interest taxes aud s
scssIncnts added 10 tue original Investment the cost oI
rather und the case but u true, or approximate
y so appears O me that % would IN view oi the cry
GcD and the ia ,e TO he expended on the new
alucduct. bee ve 10 deitr taxing sOme or these PARK
ueuts douut the value of OF these lands VIII
during the coming i've years muc u any more
than amount or the Interest taxes and assessments
MrNORANBA BY ENGINEEK VAN WINKLE.
Mr. Wales also presented statement prepared
by Z. B. Van Winle, Typographical engi-
ncer in which 10 stated tlat Pelham Bay
Park being sixteen miles from the City Hail, could
only be reached m excursion occupying the greater
part Of day It woId make very ons dive ior those
owning horses; those who did drive would be com
peed 10 spend time and money travelling; that would
great interfere with It's usefulness as park Tor all
classes Any public benefit, accuins from the park.
which would the taxable value OF al adjacent
private property would bc entirely for the bcncnt 0f
Nestchesler County, While the cost o tie parN, AS
proposed would be PAID entirely by the
INV of Aew-Iork. A large expenditure
ould be annually required TO afford proper police pro
lection park Of this size. 30 feddi.y redched
from boats ana without thoiOuA1 ponce lLuVeciln IL
would undoubtedly become dangerous locality. Wlth
view to using part Oi Van 'lIllndt falA or parade
ground purpOsest "od seem desirable 70 eA1ce ON Ihe
west broadway wnIcu taxes In large area Ol meadow
land. Bronx Fa was approved, DuL CfOtOhd fhfk was
aid 10 be zoo Lear Bronx Park the line OF tine sub
urbau Ripid Transit Railway, and presents
M views has no especial picturesque
features and parts is rather UUatuacuye ON account
of It's swampy condition. II would undoubtedly be
maarouz unless drained great expense. II contains
the head water swamp of Bound Brook. The general
admiration Ci..fclOut Park ground for park pur-
poses wIs SAID to be excellent while the selec-
lions OF CIotona Park approved.
PRESIDENT MARSH DEFESDs HIS REPORT.
Mr Marsh defended the report Of The commission Of
which he h president and the bill intended to carry out
ts recommendations His address necessarily nained
much mat was printed IN the report. He sad that
after the bill ws- made law two or three
wears would elapse before the title 10 the park areas
cond he secured by ciy Reference Was made 10 the
expense attending the flung up OF Central PdrK hut Mr.
20. -aLLLennra MMuLL NOT pc