New-York tribune., 1886-03-22
A WORD FOR THE NEW PARKS.
LUTHER R. MARSH IN THEIR DEFENCE.


rect some misapprrhensiOns and aliay some fears
which havo gone abroad IN regal to ITEM
lit were truo that tho parks viii cost as much as
many sur pose and that such cost. though much
less would have be paid by taxation. they wonld hnd
no more persistent opponent than myself. cannot
blame any one who really entertans tho he iei current
in some quarters tor heartily resisting them for meal
cuable will be tho benefits IN the future they cond
not afford purchased ~ such cost IN the present
But after giving nearly i've years to the subject be
eye It to he an absolute fact that the !rcsont policy
shall he continued these park areas 500 acres in
extent aud mArvcOu,ly adaTted To such purpose
Will not the city single dollar. either Tor purchase
putting in ORDER or for maintenance. And this magical
effect is to bc wrought hy issuing bonds thirty years
at uer cent, FOL the cost; which sum, with all IT. inter
est WILL before the bonds shall atre he aid into the
city treasury ir1m the increased taxation uron tho
enhanced values OF nechbornc prOpcrtyvaues created
by the parks This ia not sncul is It conjert
ure. II is by the experience of tho Central
Park in this city, AMI by other parks in other cities.
Your space will not allow to prove this but
tho argument has been carried ont IN detail and with the
facts and proofs and fsures IN the documents
prcpae for the legislature through the last tOu yeas
Certainly tho ton OF the expense Is tho only paus
blc oherion; Tor surely Tho people OF the city would
not object to receive cif'and it will ho practically
such--thcse IN Iennccnt domains, wnch VIII enhance
IN value with every succeeding year, and rasc New York
heiE the most nsgardly OF all cites in is regarl
tine posse OF public pleasure grounds which for
their extent variety AMI beauty will make our city an
attractive place Tor hereslencco % the rich aud cultured
men % country; avOite resort for visitors from
al ,odutrpS aud. all, mudicenrly prOvidng for
oar SONS AID daughters OG toni hrdthful places for
enjoyment, recreation aud iniercoursc with nature
rho movement for these parks began in the fall OF
ls~l ana iuau.uiatrd by large numbcr OF we'll
known cIzous iet behind ali .uthcr cities,
AL Ii me or abroad, New-YOrk III the matter OF
4 nan l!et W "a, is,up
unmendIu. the very areas IN location and quantity
wuicu subsequently, adopted This pamphlet,
with petition, presented to HE Legislature Of 1883
which acted on IT, and luthorlLod "a commission to lay
out the PARIS. This Commission reported To tue next
iisatDre O1 lS~4 and al cr tue fullest discussion IN
committees. was adopted. Governor Cleveland before
wnom the matter was amply argued DUtn Sides ap
proved biI As the with the Central PARK,
80 aero, vigorous ehort was maie before tho next
legislature U-oJl FOR tuc rcIel OF the act, but tho
attempt completely failed II also sought 20 have
the Jaw PRONOUNCED unconstitutional, both In tho
supreme Court aud III the COart OF Appeals. 50 that
the act has gone through thorough course Of PROBATION
durius Iye years tested ia variety Of ways "ud
received the stamp Of tDrcc LEGISLATURES ana two
courts And now, proceeding from our c"reiu Al Icr-
meu-ryet watcniu Of tine puolic rcyenue,-nuder tue
allegation that Pelham Bay PARK viii cost nine ml.lonS
I,-s-, ana Is presented hi io the repeal al thc
Latter park.
Tan, Pelham Bay Park. as shown in THE TRIBUNE Of
January I3 l-sj, after thorough exploration by your
representative, III winch II sta;oi that 10 throw
Open such place 70 the residents ~ t- city would oc
to add Immensely to tieT HcAth comfort ana pros
p.rty." crOwnn. aud dominating PARK oI all; IN
,t!aiIon in ,autIs,- III access, IN mdSnltuic, III IL
ilricd coast line Of mics, in beauty, variety,
aud what Is qul.e important III cheapucss Ii Is the
,nIy place where can have an lequate park ulon
tlo water unly seaside sanItdIium. It's Known
tina. Mr. Sians Glen I,lant. o twenty acres two mics
Hoovc, y>I ci by UuUUuo peoe jhc Hst summer ~
ie the SwncrI OF uo 200 acres OF this PARK prove
their value to az i've millions 'ne city .o1h'rl c'an
ln'' ny 1"r '''v' ' '.' - 49, ,',If ivis,
w ,. n,,, tirr a. ru judgments To be,r after
fail vcrsJna cXtnidatI M aui asctlid id!n "hhl the
ac. ta market Value Vas M June lN-4' dOhS tho pest
,ice they can 10 the prouelor- on Que slle ana 10
tp cN u te other; and their decision - ihen u pass
III tcvIsw before tho Gencia form OF rue 0uPirihe
CuIrt e report eau ne conniHtd. Heie are 'hir
guards cnuuEH and noltHor party, one would thuk'
some n.r,p, believe that the landowners delay
iu the al nIs.l a. benefit Of no Increase
I'M Naur; nut tu. Tor the Value Is 10 be APP
pr cl - June l. ,-I, and all Subsequent increase
Som, pco, object to Pelham Bay Park because it il
now ia Wrstc.o,,cr County! T"atl, strong lc''on
!ar clrIu now fOI J., bound. wthiI hvo years
TANK NItun rce ami perhaps l"o' 10 ." anhcAr1 nl
. oo uIuaiion u TIE northern hno rom tc hi"hN J."
a., ~,d4d. iu, cannot nc long de!aj od Ii Mas If"-
ir-. ten year, .go. when thc other annexation was
tN., OBJ o-rI u, aad tine line STOPPED 1t t"o b.onA
f.u Iu- now. that ,heT taAes woad Dr icaa'heu ''d
tucIr advantages Increased; tAey now 4.'In /" 'UnG %
Wi'HIn the iod O tine c y. II VIII iIcn ho Iouhi lh't
tue purchase OF ~ anl Tor tne PARK 'h,Ic WIN "e "
great difference between county acres ahu 'lS '"'''
A uuccton Is miIe tnat 80 WIZ have 10 pay taxes 10
hr "liy 1000 year ana j"iN ""''' ' "'il Sli',.
lryldr lor by rentals from those WHO "OHld d,a"
home, j. c, viii. many tom pay Ir interest.
tcnf. th" prices awarded tom Anu lt-l'-, S''
taxation " dlI c"hi'hdo o"is uu'I d"' 'Ion. ".,o
h ara DC uuo.tcd tht' Tao roads rInalhs through the
pl.G Iic no, tlca Dat. ON dnne>aiou. te'c "lH ne
Park Do, ,ar,in,u and thu- hc oh ,incI "ithoh cost
has uccu slI talt tie cost NH nave l" ne put mo
nur ls~I condemned tnc lands. ~ the court of Ap-
eal- >y-. 10y noic, and bounds declared tnen parks
and conferred the right t.e cy {" Isle bond, 10 pay
It." .'',' ,, ,, i,,r ,,-,r doc nn; APPLY. Audl
the Issue OK Dods. uy the cXIrt on ot bonds fall
init 1Vcr if the ,ou.t %, Appeals should bold ia tue
city now owes tAc TjjOJ"oub oi II, own bonds winch
las pad and There Is NO i'ar "n ti' account
TuU.c who desire the Icleh Ot ne ACT u ""oe OF III
part. and -y tnorc Will bee nc hccd ter 81" procure any
o tines" pJ.d-. -lOud remember tlt II j." question or
now or LcNeI. Il tus oppurtWllN. No" preset i''
taruug5 live years oi anr. and against the most iorh"-
apr opposition. suonld now -1p by c.i rtrt r''.''
Gone now forever. inr Tusn "f poInhtlou' t'r
advance ol vaIdc, tnc haIcH "i lhlI",'u'n.t, '
alton of rapid transit ROAD ''t"' to",tI"' n' ''.'TN
WII prevent any future acquisition "l thc'' '"u',;
Fortunately lidct ucen Int eito witlnc! n
ior tl, very uuro-"- from being oNtfIuh 1t VIII n"'
remain much longer.
These opponent, suoul also reflect that by auJ re,
ucu now the city w0ll lO,r aiI tue money. time aud
,ir which tyr already been expended GA tnc project
\
try wouli have to be estimated 20 their NaIuc -. .!
sur iuiulc uc iHs;cd, now, rs oi the N'ur nearly
tNo wears a,u. Er~.db~, n may well he uodhl"d
yueiler the LEGISLATURE can repeal hr Law now. Many
good lawyers. haze examined the SUBJECT express
tue convict oA that Tia" law has become contract he
twern the owner and the city, which. under tue "on>u
tuition cannot be Impaired !hls question WILL have 10
bc met ,uOI.d tn repeal lee attempted.
I'm any event. II any repeJlng act should be passed
cach landowner would nave night ot az tDh a-ahst lhe
CITY such damages ne may nave sustained IN hel"L
prohibited - the act, now Tor nearly Two year. rom
sefc Z le t,inL improving hs property and tho next
OF Curpur itiIu Counsel would suO" very
rgc increase OF suits against tine city.
The reputation OF tue city estimated at one m
hon AND ualf have no doubt that. day, ulr
rolnt there would found l.1OOOOO residents ~ oar
,fy bstwsc the rivers. Ia seventeen years TINS popu-
l,tiou will he doubled, 3.iODOJO unless the rate Of
progression since the century came 10 shall he
sinpi Oi -Wcn signs "Tc yet Nlslrc. where VIII
yoI crowd then-- You cannot invade tuo say higher
tlnn fWrNn ,tnIIes- now not lIshcr thAn ak. IhrN