The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-07-30
RIVERSTDE.

The following description of River
side Park, where General Grant is To be
buried, is taken from the account OF Col
Fred Grants visit TO New York this
week to inspect the different proposed
sites for the sepulcher:
The drives of Riverside begin at Sev-
enty-second street aud extend three
miles, to One Hundred and Twenty
ninth street. There are several of these
drives, curVing gracefully along the
bank of the Hudson. 800 feet above the
water. The bank slopes gradually to
the shore, and the Intervening space be-
tween the drives and the river is filled
with groves of tall trees. Little has yet
been done to improve this park, which
IN its primitive state Is faVOrite resort
for picnic parties and pTomenades OF
people living in the western portion of
tue city. The drives are broad, level
and macadamiZed, SO as TO be ss smooth
as floor. A heavy stone
parapet runs along the brink of the hill
with recesses for seats, passage and steps
down into the groves along the river
bank. Workmen are engaged in the i'm
provemcnt OF the park. At the Seventy
second street entrance is handsome
bronze statue of Washington, which was
subscribed for largely by the public
school children of New York, and was
unveiled by them last year on the Fourth
of July. The hills continue to rise In
an easy grade to One Hundred and
Twenty fifth street and at One Hundred
and Tweniy-ninth street deep cut sep
arates them from the range known as
Washington Heights, on the northern
end of Manhattan Island.
This Is to be the beautiful park of
New York ten years from now" observed
President Sanger, as the carriage drove
along the avenue looking over to the
Palisades on the New Jersey shore.
al have no doubt of IT." said MIR. Cum
mings. The members of the Park Board
are much of one opinion that a more
beautiful sight could not be selected for
General Grants monument.
Col. Grant said that he had never re-
allied that this drive was so BEAUTIFUL.
In the river were scores of sail boats and
the steamboat, General Sedgwick, was
moving up stream, filled with pleasure
seekers from the city. The music from
the steamer could be distictlY heard.
Beyond and up the river the view ex-
tended to Tappan Zee. Forts Lee and
Washington are short distance
beyond the park, and Mr.. Powers added
that the surrounding country was filed
Win oSoOClulLOuS Vi IuC ICNOlullOH. Al
One Hundred and Twenty fifth street,
the highest point, is what used to be
known as the Clairemount house. II
was built by Lord Courtney, an eccen-
trio Englishman, before the revolution,
and was occupied by him for many
years. Recently II has been fitted up by
the park board for q park restaurant,
and is q favOrite resort for bicycle riders
and horsemen. The old building Is re-
tanned entire, but piazza runs around
IL, aud the wooden figurehead of George
Ill, which used to ornament the house,
occupies an honorary place on shelf
against giant oak near the house.
Col. Grant expressed himself greatly
pleased with this location, which not
only commands q view of the Hudson,
but boats can be distinctly seen On
Long Island sound, east of New York,
Mr. Cummins said that If this site should
be selected space OF twenty acres might
be devoted to it, and the surroundings
| developed or modified with the design
that was determined on. The work of
improving this portion of the park is
| now progressing, and Mayor Grace said
that from the first 1t had seemed to him
| one OF the grandest and most fitting
places for such a monument as Gen.
Grant ought to have. Col. Grant did not
say that he regarded this spot more
| favorablY than one in the
Central Park, but he said that he
would present its advantages to his
mother on his return. The party dined
at the ClairemOunt and returned along
the Riverside avenue, ent. NJ Cntr,.I
Park at Seventy-secOnd street and stop
| ping at the Belvedere.
It is proposed to make use of this as a
temporary tomb. The Belvedere stands
like an old Norman castle at the southeast
end of the reservoir. A flag was fly
ing from II at half mast, and could be
seen all over the park. The building is
of stone, and it was said by Mr.. Cum
fitted temporarily, as the Garfield tomb
had been, so that guard could be kept
over the body aud it would be In the
most perfect security.