New-York tribune., 1888-08-27
OPENING JACKSON PARK.
APPRECIATED BY THE NINTH wARDERs
rRoGREss OF THE woRK-THE FIRST OF THE
SMALL PARKS TO BE COMPLETED.

rRoGREss OF THE wORK-THE FIRST OF THE
SMALL PARKS TO BE COMPLETED
II any doubt existed about the need of small parks
In the thcLy settled tenement districts Of tho city, 1t
would disappear after visit to Jackson Park In the
Ninth Ward which opened 10 the public for the
first time last week The park is one OF the score OF
shaped green spaces in the city which result from
the junction of several tLoroughfarcs. In this In
stance Grecnwich-ave West ThIrcenth-st, Fourth
and Gansevoort sts all open on or cross Eighth.ave,
forming Jackson Square 1t is only In the older parts
Of the city that such a combination Of streets is to
to be met with. One block above Is Fourteenth-st,
whore the streets and avenues begin to assume their
regular and the triangular spaces become rare
Jackson Square is at the upper end OF the Ninth
Ward. 1t not until some ten years ago that q
space In its centre OF about one quarter OF an acre
was incosed with high iron railing, sodded and dec
Grated with half dozen small trees, and transformed
into Jackson Park Tho Ninth Ward still retained
something OF the old Greenwich Village character,
and with recollection of the broader commons and
tho patches Of green which still surrounded many Of
the houses in the ward, some OF them as large as
Jackson Park, small green spot was looked at
with Indifference unworthy the name Of park But
years the last Of the private green patches have
disappeared with many of the old Ninth warders
Tcncmcnt-houses and fats have taken their places
and have clustered thIckly about the square. Tho
small In the park have fourlshcd the grass has
brought forth good crop each summer, and Jackson
Park In the eyes Of the ncghborhood is respectable
little farm only wanting cows and poultry to fill all
the conditions The children reached through the
ratings and pulled blades Of green seed grass, and on
warm nights the ncIghbon with their babies found
seats around the copirs where they could catch
whins of country air." and compare these with such
recolectons as their senses stu retained
When the Park Commissioners and Mayor Hewitt
decided to open the park there was great expccta-
tlon In the noghborhood. Few would believe II
until the workmen made their appearance carly In
April to begin the change The work went on so
slowly that there was plenty of time to observe
and speculate walk ten feet vide was made around
the Interior 1t required four weeks to excavate this
walks, which Is about 900 feet In length and
the circuit OF tho park and six weeks more wcrc re-
Quired to cover It with asphalt. The undertaking
was such a prodigious one that there bets be-
tween the butcher and the baker on neighboring cor
ners that IT would not be completed inside OF two
years. Two weeks moro were necessary to place
drinking fountain In the park and three additional
weeks to cut and build gateway and place seats
around the walk. Several weeks moro were occu-
pied in preliminary arrangements; then all was
ready.
No circulars needed to inform the
neIghborhood of this fact On the even
ing Of the opening great crowd assem-
bled at tho gateway before the gates were opened.
They came down from every of the streets that
open into tho square until strangers passing thought
there was to be mass meeting. The crowd was made
up of mothers and babies, some carried In their
mothers arms and some rolled in baby carriages :;
barclegged boys girls in their best dresses. young
men and young women In couples, old and mdde-agcd
men IN their shirt sleeves and with pipes and grand
mothers In caps and carrying their knitting The seats
ranged around the walk filed in few moments,
and then the swarm of rompIng children and promcnad
ing swcethearts moving around the walk was great
that The park policeman had difficulty in pushing in
among thenl There was no music or illumination to
TO celebrate the occasion, but the shouts and the hum
of voices could be heard several blocks and the
moon came up full and brsh; over the honsetops and
shed broader light the park than all the electric
lamps In the neighborhood.
Last winter $4,000 was appropriated by the city
to open these small parks. Another OF them IN
Canalst. is nearly ready and several more will BE-
opened noxt summer Abingdon Square. which has
The largest Of these parks and which IS only short dis
iancc from Jackson Park to have bocn opened this
sumner but II is now proposed 10 purchase the prop
erty the block north of this park, bounded by Jane
and Hudson sts and Eighth ave-. tear down tho build
ngs and make large park for the neighborhood.