Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-02-18
pznKs FoR anomINa cIrIEs.

and F0T6M upon Inc SUBJECT ol Idrks
for Growing Cities" the following is
found Our rapidly growing cities will
all be compelled, sooner or later, to face
the problem of providing ground for
public use, and the sooner the problem
receives careful study the more per-
fectly and economically can the necessi-
ties of cities In this matter be met.
There Is no longer any need of argument
to provo that ample and convenient
open spaces for public resort and recroa-
ton are essential not only to the pleas
ure and comfort, but to the physical
health and the mental and moral growth
of the people. This is universally ad-
mitted Twenty-Five years ago the case
was different. Men of high professional
rcpute IN this city, even as late as seven
or eight years after the act to create
Central Park had been passed, argued
that additional pleasure grounds would
only offer more space for riot and dis
turbance; that no police force could pre-
serve decency and order in such broad
areas, where the lowest denzens of the
city would congregate; that no gentle
man would ever visit the park or allow
his wife and daughters TO 60 there.
No man in his right mind can now be
found who harbors opinions of this sort.
The park questions with which public
spirited men now concern themselves
are, how to secure enough land, how
best to adapt it TO public use, and how
to maintain and administer it most
effectively for that end. These ques-
tons are growing more urgent because
of the rapid increase of our urban popu-
lation as compared with that Of the
whole country. In some states there arc
actually fewer people on the farms than
there were ten years ago, and the cities
now contain more than half of our
entire population. This tendency is
likely to be stronger for years to come,
and the abandonment Of the country
makes it more necessary 10 supply the
town with some of the country's ad-
vantagcs. In most cases the expansion
of our cities outstrips prophecy, and out
lying districts arc swallowed up before
any preparation is made for their future.
Before any one realizes that park may
be needed the lands have become so
valuable thatth cost ofany area spacious
enough TO give the city visitor sense of
enlarged freedom is appalling. The
danger Of delay in this matter is illus
trated by the example of the cluster Of
large cities in New Jersey, just across
the Hudson. Neither Newark, Jersey
City, Elizabeth nor Paterson has any
park worthy Of the name. No doubt,
it would pay even now TO acquire land
within reach of the centres of popula-
ton in all of these cities, but had this
been done 20 years ago comparatively
tritling expenditure would have been
needed and the investment would have
been paying liberal returns in the COM
fort, health and business prosperity of
their population. If action is delayed
20 years longer there is little hope that
any adequate provision for public plea
sure-grounds will be made here until
the cities are forced to demolish solid
blocks of buildings to make room for
grass and trees
Nearly 30 years ago, in their report on
the design of Prospect Park. in
Brooklyn, Messrs. Olmsted, Vaux 81
Company, indicated on map the be-
ginning of load from the southern en-.
trance of the park, and made sugges-
ton that it should be shaded pleasure
drive, and practically an extension of
the park. Without having down the
course of this parkway. the DESIGNERS
stated that the ocean beach would he its
natural terminus, and IL was added that
similar road might be carried through
the rich country lying back of BROOKLYN
until IL could be turned without striking
through any densely occupied prounds
so as TO reach the shore of the East river
at Ravenswood. From this point. over
high bridges thrown across the narrow
straits into which the river Is hero
divided, the parkway could be carried
through broad street directly into
Central Park, beyond which was to
stretch system Of sylvan roads leading
to the northward. Such an arrangement
would enable man TO drive In half
| a summers day through the most in
| teresting parts Of Brooklyn and
| New York, their most Characteristics
suburbs and both of their great parks.
with the long stretch of the Hudson, the
Palisades in the middle distance. and
the mountain range in the background
for prospect at one end, and the foars-
ing breakers of the Atlantic at the othaa
and "lhe whole might be taken in cir.
cult without crossing the same vround
and would form a grand mupicinai
promenade hardly surpassed in HE
world for extent or continuity of inter
est" If this project had been promntlv
carried out that drive mirht have heon
taken now under trees of stnte,v mo- nro.
portions. 1t is hardly possible nov that
any comprehensive scheme ~ Ms ctar.
acter, or like The one outlined fo r'I tho
greater Boston, can ever he adon,e Ne. ' hv
the cities in New hersov. INT tbero hoy 10y
been time when a system of narl,s anJ
parkways might have easily boon A.
signed to link together The be;ghts a of
bergen. the Palisades and NJ ,h ne, H.a ..