Morning journal and courier., 1891-04-30
OUR PUBLIC PARKS.

That one of the Cruisers be Named New Haven.
 At a meeting of the chamber of con- merce last night at their rooms on Chapel street, a most important and interesting paper was read by Henry T. Blake, esq.,, on the system of public parks in the city. The meeting was opened by communica- tion received from James D. DeweH, ask ing that the chamber make application to the secretary of the navy that one of the new cruisers be named New Haven. The chamber appointed committee including J. D. Dewell, N. D. Sperry and John H. Leeds to make the application.
 MT. Blake then read his paper. MT. Blake said:
 MT. President and Gentlemen-At 8 meeting of this chamber of commerce held on the evening of December 27, 1857, 1t was voted, on motion of Hon1 N. D. Sper- ry, that new standing committee be ap- pointed to be called the committee on town and city improvements. One member ob jected upon the ground that such a com mittee "did not come within the scope of the chamber of commerce, and that the chamber should not fritter away its vitali- ty on unimportant matters" The com mittee was nevertheless created, and at the next following meeting, to wit: Janua " 25, 1888, our energetic late president, Hon. James D. Dewell, appointed it's mem bers. The province of the committee was defined to be ''to consider and recommend measures for the permanent improvement and adornment of the city and it's suburbs, to arrange plans there for, and to take action for the promotion thereof, subject to the approval of this chamber" It now seems proper, after the lapse of over three years, that something in the nature of report should be pre- scented of the work accomplished by the committee and it's results, in order that the chamber may approve or disapprove of it's action, and may ascertain to what extent the vitality of this body has been frittered away by it's operations.
 The committee had frequent meetings after it's organization and great inter est was shown by every member to carry out efficiently the objects for which it was created. No measures seemed to it more likely to promote "the permanent improvement and ad- vancement of the city and it's suburbs'' than the extension of our public park sys- tenn, and it therefore gave it's special at tention to arranging plans therefor and to taking action for the promotion there of" As 8 first step in that direction 8 the court of common council in August, 1888, by Alderman Frank o. Bushnell for the appointment by that body of special committee to take steps, if it should deem the matter advisable, ''for suitable and adequate additions to and inn provements in the parks and pleasure grounds of this city and it's immediate vii cinity." The resolution was referred to it's appropriate committee and disappeared from mortal view. Late in November of the same year no report had been made upon it, and as city election was then close at hand there was no prospect of action being taken upon it before the dis solution of the council at the close of the year. The proposed improvement could only be secured by obtaining appropriate powers by petition to the legislature, which was to meet in the coming Janu- ary and as the law required three weeks notice of such petition to be published be- fore the opening of the session, it became evident to your committee . that some special action must be taken work they had undertaken of at least two years. We now know (since the break down of the present legislature) that such a delay would probably have resulted in permanent failure. In this emergency this chamber, by it's prompt and efficient ac- tion, saved to New Haven it's future park system. At it's meeting of November 28, 1888, the very last moment on which time ly action could be had, on motion of Ex- Mayor Henry G. Lewis, whose name is identified with almost every great public improvement in this city, it passed unani- mously the following resolutions:
 Whereas, A general feeling exists among our citizens that the time has arrived for some liberal action on the part of the city and town of New Haven for the enlarge ment and improvement of our public park system as measure of vital importance to the prosperity and welfare of New Ha- ven; and
 Whereas, Any such action involving an application to the general assembly of the state for an addition to or amendment of the city charter must be taken immedi- atelv in order to meet the requirements of the statute of the state respecting public notice of such proposed application; there fore
 Resolved, That the committee of this chamber on town and city Improvements be and they are hereby instructed to con- slider what steps are necessary to be taken for an application to the next general as- senbly for such an addition to the powers of the town and city of New Haven as will enable said town or city, or both, to issue bonds bearing interest at not over four per cent. per annum and payable in -
 years from date for an amount not exceed ing - thousand dollars;the avails to be expended under the direction of commis- sion to be appointed by the mayor and common council of the city and the select men of the town, or otherwise, for the ex- tension and improvement of the public parks system of New Haven. And said committee is further directed to request the aid and cooperation of the city and town authorities in the support and furtherance of such application, and with pare or cause to be prepared such applica- ton; to give proper legal notice thereof, to present the same to the next general as- sembly of the state and to take any and all further steps that may be necessary to promote the success of the same
 Provided, That no expense shall be in- cured by said committee on account of the chamber of commerce, except such as shall be approved by the financial commit ter of the chamber and provided further that said committee shall be at all times under the direction and control of this chamber.
 In pursuance of the direction contained in this resolution your committee at once published the requisite notice of pro- posed application to the next legislature for the grant of the necessary powers to the town and city of New Haven. They also entered into conference with the town and city officials, as directed, receiving their cordial and valuable support. A bill was prepared after such consultations whereby the town was authorized to issue it's bonds not exceeding $200, 900 in amount and bearing not over four per cent inter- est, the ayails to be expended by @ com mission appointed for the purpose in the enlargement and improvement of the pub lie park system of New Haven. The bill having been approved by the city and town authorities was passed without opposition through the legislature, our local representatives, and especially the Hon. James N. States, then senator from this district and 8 member of this commit tee, rendering efficient service. Within thirty days after it's passage, at the request of your committee, the selectmen of the town, whose hearty and prompt co-opera- tion then and ever since must here be ac- knowledged, called special town meeting as required by the bill, for the purpose of approving or rejecting it's provisions. The court of common council had all ready expressed it's acquiesence in the bill by a resolution adopted in January nearly unanimously, directing the corporation council to favor it's passage. The town meeting was held June 13 1SSS The ap-