Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-11-13

other improvements AUouS sH0
Park-What a Yale Professor Says
of the Natural Beauty Of the Park
A COURIER reporter early yesterday morn
ing paid a visit to Superintendent Beebe on
East Rock Park to find how far the park i'm
provements had progressed and to what ex-
tent those in progress during last summer
had been contaminated. The genial superin-
tendent was found admiring the soldiers
monument, which doomed up from where he
sat on the steps of the restaurant over a hun
bred feet. It was learned from the superin-
tendent that there are now but about half a
dozen men employed on the park. They
will be kept at work until cold weather pre-
vents further outdoor occupation on the
Rock. The English drive, it is expected, will
be almost if not entirely completed before
the heavy frosts set in. There will be a
number of lengths of fence along the drive,
which will probably have to be set in the
spring. Work has been pushed rapidly dur
ing the last season on the English drive and
it now presents a splendid appearance as it
winds in and out along the
face of the rocks. The drive was connected
with the Farnam drive right in front of the
Orange street bridge about two weeks ago
and the spot where they join forms a TRAN
gular plot, which has been nicely graded.
Orange street enters the apex of the triangle
and the Farnam and the English drives to-
gether form the base of the triangle. Turn
ing to the right after crossing the Orange
street bridge one is on the English drive.
This drive here runs along the bottom of the
rock. A footpath leads upward from the
drive in zigzag fashion, starting a hundred
yards from the Orange street bridge. If one
follows the path it leads him five hundred
feet toward the summit. The path runs in a
r -
runs directly east and then suddenly veers
around to the west and then for a space runs
into the old Donneliy quarry. The
quarry is an interesting study in itself. The
massive walls of blue stone rise up hun
tons of the very best quality of blue stone
have already been quarried out here and the
quarry is inexhaustible. No more quarrying
is to be done here, the Rock being public
property now and forever. A number of
steps are to be cut out of the face of East
Rock near where the old Stewart stairway
came out. The steps will run from the Don
nelly quarry to the summit of the Rock and
it will be an easy matter to make them as the
layers of stone will with very little use of the
pick make very good steps. The English
drive with the Farnam make three mile
circuit of the park. The English drive
surpasses the Farnam in many points of ex-
cellence. 1t is broader and has better
grade The foot bridge over the Mill
river has been completed and presents
very fine appearance. The meadow for
space of five or six feet in width has been
filed in up to the banks of the river with
good solid foundation of stone. The bridge
is built of southern pine and presents very
neat and trim appearance. A foot path from
the summit of the Rock leads directly down
to the bridge and crossing the Farnam
drive.
A gentleman prominently connected with
Yale college affairs was making pedestrian
tour of the park yesterday when met by the
reporter. He says it may well be said that
New Haven has an everlasting monument in
East Rock Park and it is a fact which the
public are fast appreciating. The Yalensian
gave very glowing description of the beauty
and picturesqueness of the park and the
views from the summit of the Rock, and ex-
patiated upon the recent beauty of the trees
as they looked in their gay autumnal colors,
now fast fading. He remarked
in having SO near it an elevation of such
commanding height, go bold and picturesque
withal. Many a visitor here from some city
situated on fiat insipid plain, with no eleva-
tions to relieve the monotony of the land
scape, has almost envied New Haveners their
beautiful chain of bold bluffs, gray, solitary
and grand One great charm of the park,
continued the gentleman, is in the character
IF the landscape which may be seen from the
Rock, situated as it is SO near the city. The
rocks make up blue stone region of bold
bluffs, of gentle slopes and fine lines; and
hough they are elevated to a fine height,
he general character is refined throughout.
The beautiful view of the city which is OBJ
aimed from the summit produces the impress
ion of peace and repose, situated as the |
Rock is so near the city's busy hives of in |
lustries, its multitude of dwellings and its |
Many churches, and yet being, in itself SO Sc |
luded and solitary. The scenery. of the park
md that which is obtained from views on the |
ummit OF the Rock is the kind one grows to |
owe and that responds to ones every mood
n variety and beauty. The habitues of the |
lace are growing, find, more and more nu-
nerous as the people are becoming aware of /
he fact that grand and beautiful monu-
nent like East Rock is in their midst The |
ightseers would find themselves well repaid /
o walk up the long Farnam drive to get a |
,limpse of the inspiring view from the sum /
nit of the Rock. The city lies in the plain |
below and is very picturesque with its |
hurch spires and elms and mansions, and |
lothing could be prettier than the |
larbor and the long shipping |
many vessels and boats and tugs slowly /
;liding about, and the exit of the long wind
ng, snake like Mill river, which swirls away |
rom the foot of the Rock to join the rushing /
waters of the Sound which roll away to the Il
ea The whole picture has a lovely air of /
efnement. Indeed, New Haveners have |
very reason to be satisfied with their share L
beautiful landscape scenery.