The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-06
CENTRAL PARK CHRONOLOGY.
Some Points of Interest In the Grent Pleas
ure Resort


The Central Park cost the city about Sc 600 =
600 for the land and about SD OOO.O 900 for con-
struction and maintenance. II IL now about
forty years old and tho total cost OF IL has not
been "a much expense MS for three weeks cost
OF the late war OF The rebellion. About forty
years ago tho idea OF constructing n great pub
lie park for the city was agitatod by A. j.
Downing. famous landscape gardener OF
that day. In 1901. Mayor kingsland urged tho
subject upon tho Common Council. which
promptly recommended the selection Of Jones <
Wood Rs tho site for tho new park. md tho
same year m net OF the Legislature ndopted
that plan. subsequently tho Common Coun-
Gil recommended Il change Of site to tho
present location. which was adopted by tho
Legislature in lSjS. fixing the northern limit
mt lotth street, ana The CITY got title to tho
property in 1866 The first Commission for tho
management OF the Park consisted OF Mayor
Wood and Street commissioner Taylor. TIE
chiei engineer was Mr.. lEbCrt Niele. and
the Advisory Committee, was Washington
Stewart Brown. new BoArd OF Commission
ers was ordered hy the Legislature OF 1867, Of
II. Green Treasurer The work OF clearing tho
ground began in August OF that leAr, There
were no expensive buildings within the. area
and most OF the structures were suuHttcrs huls
In December there were ll2O mon mt work. In
August, 1853. there were 1000 men at work.
Water was lot into the lake and the first slnt-
ing was had In December OF that year Tho
hs he Ms
which now ornament the Mall were all SGT out
at this time, and they We're the largest trees
The first curling on tho Park lnke was in
January 1889. In that year the northern
Old Boston road through the Park was closed.
At this tine there were 1900 men at work. In
July there were $500 men at TSrk using forty
concert In the Park was given in uly. 1859. by
private contribution. In tn. following Sep
first TRAVERSE roud was dec AIRED open. In de-
cember the construction south Of seventy ninth
street was declared complete. During that
Guiding most OF the deolduous trees south OF
seventy-pinth street The average number OF
In May. 1860 twelve swans were rre-
81 ambSrs 'pH ocTo S ioow VIM S Gy
sculptures; tho Winners Company OF London
presented twenty-iour swans and tho Dyers'
swans. The next month tho CITY Of hamburg
presented ten more swans, There were l6,2Ou
trees planted this year, During the war q
in the old arsenal in the Park. The regular
boat service on the lake commenced in April,
drives in use, and there were 81, 700 trees and
shrubs planted In 1862 there were 14.79O trees
n nnd shrubs planted and Mount 81 Vincent
The city OF Phladeuhia presented tho Park
with eight deer In September. 1853: the Com
missioners first assumed the cost OF the con
certs: the number Of visitors was 4,32G.5O0. In
1894 Manhattan Park was annexed 10 Central
Park. 10000 trees and shrubs were planted.
and a lady introduced seven pairs Of English
sparrows, tn" pioneers OF the pests OF the city
t2dta s Sr ov s ISL so, enjoyed y, the
merce was presented. sclooboys were first
permitted, TO play bal! in the Park. and the
The Harlem Mere and tho Kinderberg. rus
tic arbor FOR children We're completed in lsGG.
The next year the Belvidere, the great chill
bronze statue o." The Tigrcss' was presented,
and the art gallery with tho Crawford colec
first dollhouse and tho meteorological observa-
tory were established.
The rRlno2oic Museum was commenced In
1868 and tho hronEa statue OF the Indian
Hunter" by J. .. A. Ward. was presented. The
bust of Humboldt, was. presented in lsG9.
Dairy" was opened and the movable skating
house and curling houses were constructed
srnRs hs year eTs were 2 trees Hnd
tory was established IN the arsenal. steam
rollers were first used on the Park roads, and
the boys playhouse was opened.
Under the charter Of 1870 the Department Of
Parks was established. the, Geological Garden
bs Ss Esr be d @
pared. In 1870 the Sheepfold was commenced
and the number OF visitols was s.G2Ss26. In
menced, and the number Of vieitors increased
70 lO.764,4ll. In MAY. 1873, the Bethesda
4 Ountaln was lnhuRurhteQ. Inc number oil
visitors this year was lO.OG3.lj9. These points
cover the main features OF the Park as tnev
exist to-day. The great museums and art gal
leries Of the Park are almost entirely due to
the efforts OF public spirited citi2ens. the value
OF whose gifts and lonns rivals the expenditure
Making a rough estimate Of the cost OF tho
Park and the numbers who have visited It,
the actual outla y has been about 1--WE cents OF
PUBLIC money for each visitor, and the city OF
New York has more than got its money back
In the taxation on the increased value Of
adjacent property.