Daily Republican., 1886-04-08
THE PROPOSED PARK.
Tho Report OF Frederick Law Ohm.
stead, ESQ, Landscape 9ardener %
the Park Commissioner of wE- =
Nm m,ngfsn, pei.
10 gns PARK Commission ERs

II "kf~Hs behs Nf =.
no THE PARK Commission ERs OIL
WILMINGTON:
sSIRs:--You have asked my profes
sioual judgment OF the adaptation OF Ger
lain lands 70 the furtherance of Al
object defined by the term park. Al
che grounds called parks vary much IL
character, aspect, and methods OF use
folness, will begin by stating what
regard as the most generally important
object OF park, and the reasons o.
this Importance.
II has been found by experience tha
when large numbers OF people are liv
ing closely together, and especially Il
they arc generally much confined b.
Industrial pursuits or domestic duties
that it does them good to be brought
occasionally under the influences Of nat
ural scenery. The reason 1t does them
good is not that IL brings them &c
breathe for the time better air, nor that
1t presents 70 their view things that
gratify curiosity or taste. Equally
good air, and things of certain kinds
by which their curiosity or their taste
would DO equally gratified, such o.
flowers, birds, music. and fire works, II
found In limited space In the midst OF
town, might aiso do them good, ba.
not 10 the same way, nor in rs valuable
way. To understand the special value
OF natural scenery, We m lust first recog-
nize that the artificial circu mstan ces
OF city, walls windows, roofs. flags.
pavements, plants In pots and gardens,
all sorts OF fabrics, and the constant
evidence OF work, intercourse, and
traffic, gradually and insensibly have
a wearing and depressing effect. Sec
ondly, We must reflect that TO enjoy
nalnral scenery We must not only have
escaped from all these artificial circum-
stances, and from the confinement OF
vision by walls and roofs, but that
which engages our admiration is the
reverse Of artificial. 1t Is the result of
nature working In q large, free, Rener
Gus, and spontaneous way. Thus 1t
supplies not simply relief, but diver
s,on or counteracting inf1uen e.
Whatever 1t may be called, O prop
erty adapted to give ready opportuni.
ties for such diversion Is OF great
value 10 a city, and the most un-
Questionable duty Of the bodies
OF public servants called Park
ommissioners has been proved to be
the devising and diResting and suitable
preseD tation OF sound schemes for 80.
curing such opportunities.
To due performance OF this duty
the first necessity IL a realizing sense OF
the fact that the benef "a possl Die to be
obtained in this way are not simply
those OF luxury, but that they supple
ment necessary food, drink, and cloth
ing and that every man taxed to OBJ
tain them is better off for having
portion OF his wages invested co-opera
lively for him In this form, precisely as
he Is when they are so invested skill
fully In procuring common supply Of
water, common means of protection
against fire, and other civilized require
ments OF town community. II be-
cause Of what Park Commission shall
do the people shall not be better able to
carry on their various caliings, and
possess larger measure of physical,
intellectual, and moral vigor aud
ability for active industry during Ion
ger lives. Its work had better have been
left undone.
All this may be fully realized,
ard Jet as we are accustomed
20 weigh and measuse benefits that
come to us In such intangible forms as
those We derive from the influence of
natural scenery less than those com ing
In the form of water, firm and clear
road ways, security from fire, and other
objects Of city administration, 1t 10
found difficult TO pursue this object In
public grounds steadily and simply.
The difficulty is aggravated by the cir
oamstance that 1t Is impossible TO give
any considerable town population the
advantage Of interesting natural scenery
without providing extensive artificial
arrangements for the accommodation of
those seeking to make use OF 1t, such as
roads, walks. bridges, and shelters.
Very few can realize tn At these things
are not an end in themselves, or that
costing, as they needs must do, much
more than the main elements of natu.
raj scenery, they should be designed
with all possible art TO be OF subordi-
nate interest. This difficulty is SO great
that natural beauty is often sacrificed
to make show OF artificial beauty.
Taking the view that has been thus
explained, OF what Park Commission
should If possible, aim to oaccomplish and
of the besetting difficulty oitenest found
in the way, there is q question which
should, In the case of Wilmington,
have the most careful consideration at
the very outset. 1t occurs In this way:
The people of Wilmington, when the
town was small, ard no part of 1t very
densely occupied, aud when 1t had
much less OF the stir, drive and confin-
ing and nervously irritating toll OF q
manufacturing com munity than it has
ut present, enjoyed the use, by suffer
ance, OF . passage of natural scenery
which TO larger city would be OF rare
value-so rare and desirable that In q
number Of cities several million dollars
have been willingly spent 10 obtain re-
suits of which the best that can be said
is that they somewhat distantly ap-
proach In character and expression such
scenery as the people of Wilmington
had provided for them without cost.
But, until recently, the need OF the
people of Wilmington to have their
mental currents occasionally diverted
into the poetic channels of natural
scenery has been comparatively slight.
As the need has increased, the means
Of freely supplying IT has been lessened,
rapidly increasing popula' ion, II Is so
much restricted and interfered with,
and 1t appears so likely to be wholly
destroy ed, that the public mind may
be more ready to look elsewhere, and to
wait upon the slow formation OF q park
by artificial means, than to give due
consideration to the advantages still
pertaining TO the Brandywine Glen.
Several sites are, no doubt, available
for park near Wilmington, com pairing
lfavorably with suoh as have been gen.
orally taken for parks by other cities.
To one. more particularly, attention
has been called, because OF o generous
proposal made by its present owners for
conveying 1t to the city. 1 believe that
the city wonld find 1t profitable to ac-
cept this offer; but cannot advise that