Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-05-21
PARK COMMISSIONERS.
The Boards First Annual Report an Inter
esting and Desirable Document.

I
Fresh from the John NJ Rogers Press
| comes the first annual report of the
Board of Park Commissioners. While
1 tho report itself is for the year ending
December 3lst, 1895, the commissioners
have carried out the plan OF including
a general review of the work from 1883
to 1894. BY this mesna they give a
history of the inception and develop
ment of the park system of this city.
The book lie adorned with several beau
tifully printed pictures Of park scenes,
which alone are enough to make it
worth while to possess copy.
The public grounds of Wilmington
comprise the main park system which
includes the North Brandywine Park of
rs. 80 acres, South Brandywine Park,
65. 40 acres, Kentmere Parkway and
Rockford Grove of 14.78 acres and
Rockford Park of 6s. AZ acres, a total
of 1913. 81 acres; the small. parks which
are Kirkwood, 4. 45 acres; Delamore,
5.3i acres; Eden, I. 80 acres; and other
small parks and open places which are
not under control of Park Commission,
Cool Spring Park, Franklin Park
| Eighth and Broome streets). Garfield
Place, Kennett Place tPennsylvania
avenue and Franklin streetl, Shipley
Place Twelfth and Market streets),
aud the Soldiers Monument, which
aggregate 10. SO acres. The total area
of parks is 252 acres, which is one acre
OF park land TO go inhabitants and
one acre Of park land to 251a acres of
city area.
From the historical sketch it appears
that the first organized action with
view to secure the land adjacent TO
the Brandywine for public park was
taken in 1868, when committee of
citizens was appointed TO draft report
to City Council. embodying their views
and desires and urging immediate
action. The committee comprised
Thomas 4. Bayard, Samuel M. Har-
| ringtop, Charles b. Lore, Daniel w.
Taylor and George W. Stone. In July,
1869, this committee presented a com
prehensiye report and prayed Council
to take immediate measures for the
purchase Of tho tract along the Brandy
| wine. The report is given in detail and
it shows, in the light of the present,
| tho farsightedness of the members of
the committee. 1t declared that all the
elements that make park beautiful
were found in the tract. On the
Brandywine it said:
No city in the land has such
stream 10 its park, and neither can
| they, with all their lavish expenditure
of money, build one that can compare
with IT." The report even spoke of
the fact that splendid drives might be
made on both sides of the stream, as
we'll as walks and beautiful vistas.
| The committee emphasized as con-
sideration, the effect of the park on the
culture. taste and morals of the COM
4 Na, IoIx Il 4knE H. IL
grounds were a physical as well as
moral necessity.
Urging speedy action, the committee
said . Let us not postpone until the
ground becomes too valuable to be pur-
chased without an immense outlay.
| Let us not disregard the lessons Of the
past, not only in our own history, but
in the history of our sister towns. Let
US all come up to the work like pro-
gressive men, and men proud of our
own beautiful city and it's surround
ings. Never yet has an enterprise of
this kind failed to do good. -
This report did not secure the needed
support 10 City Council but the project
continued to live The delay was ex-
pensive to the city, for the property
had inreased in value before its final
purchase
| In 1883 an epoch making act was
passed by the Legislature. In spite Of
persistent opposition, William p. Ban
croft, William M. Candy, J. Taylor
Cause, George II. Bates. Francis N.
Buck, d. j. Mention, George W. Bush
and others succeeded in having bill
passed providing for public parks for
the city and creating the Board of
Park Commissioners to have the care
and management of such lands as
would be acquired under the provisions
of the act. The first meeting of the
new board was held April Goth. 1883,
when William M. Candy was elected
president, and Joseph A, Richardson
secretary and treasurer. The board as
created included, besides Mr.. Candy,
II. Bates. Thomas f. Bayard, Edward
Belts, Francis N. Buck, George W.
Bush, Joseph L. Carpenter, Jr., Henry
A. du Point and j. Taylor Cause. and
ex-officio the mayor, president of Coun-
Gil, chairman of the finance committee
of Council and the chief engineer Of
the city surveying department.
The same year the board received a
report from Frederick Law Olmstead,
the celebrated landscape architect, who
favored the securing of the Brandywine
tract, neglecting no opportunity to
secure also the land surrounding Mount
Salem and including tract of about
As acres on Rockford road, which had
been offered by William r. Bancroft
free, on condition that the city acquire
the adjoining tract of 33 acres.
City Council showed no inclination
to help the Park Commission until in
latter part of 1884, when ID. j. Mention,
chairman Of the finance committee. in
terested his colleagues, and special
committee of five was appointed to
work Jointly with the Park Commits
sion. The passage of Legislative act
was secured in 1885, whereby City
Council was authorized to issue bonds
to the amount of $3.50, 600, the proceeds
of which were TO be expended in the
purchase of land for park purposes. In
June Of that year the Park Commission
recommended to City Council the pur-
chase of four tracts, including tract
along each side of the Brandywine and
the square bounded by Broome, Maple,
Franklin and Beech streets in the
Eleventh ward
The special committee of fiye--D. j.
Mention, Il. HI. Taylor, Il. Il. Latimer,
L. c. Moore and Merris Taylor was
appointed to cooperate with the Park
Commission in endeavoring to secure
the lands on the most favorable terms.
The work finally deyolved on Mr.. Men
ton of the committee and William M.
Canhy of the commission. They found
that some OF the property holders
wanted exorbitant prices The COM
mittee's report made in February. 1856,
shows that be owners Of the property
nm tho north ei6a nf tho Rrop6ywina