New-York tribune., 1896-06-05
StTE BRONK PARK.

N,vo- Strong has taken the right we" u
,he pror osition to turn over 26l acres Oh hIo"N
p,rl; 70 the Npw-YOrk Geological Soci"'! '"' Z"
o,rdcn II X Of the greatest Importance 10 '"c
nr.sont and future Inhabitants of this clty 'i'''
,his hc,utjful tract of public land be prcSprVeu
I'm IT'S natural beauty The total area OF bTohA
p,r,. ,s only GA ncres OF that 30 acres nav"
,,rco,,v bcen set aside for botanical garden
Thorc vos excuse for this owing to me pec"i
,,r admiration of the tract for the purpose. the
large variety OF trees and plants alrea"! "
ho found thcrc. and because Of the allied cii;'r-
actor of mark and garden To take aho'h"r
plot of 2Gl acres from the park lahds """'"
ioovc loss than 40 acres near Pelham-hv' Ill
,bclr natural state. This would mean the pra'-
ticol destruction Of the whole tract as an cN-
,,,so ,f unspoilcl woodland and meadow
of all orr outlying parks Bronx should be
most carefully projected against INVASION III
however worthy n cause In IFS wliu s'''' !"
Is rho most charming of all or pleasure
orourds M other public land IN the city has
such variety OF scenery. diversity or sur'a'''
picturesque masses Of rock blending OF s'r'ai''
forest. pond and field Not one stone or tree
in II should DO moved, for its great charlh lies
In i,s bc,ng real country. The projectors OF
.sou,h Rroux Park is now n rough tract OF
wild land with one rond running through It,
..hut with not one inch Of sidewalk not square
foot of shelter. nor Il seat OF any KIM S'Nc
"mothcr eorth" II IL "liabln to lie Just "a IT Is
raw woodland for twenty-five years 10
"couc. II not improved and made atraciiv" TO
"thc public by some private corporation hhe
",hc geological Society" Exactly so. 1t Is
In
what every one who appreciates It's wonderful
beauty, unmatched about Ncw-iork, wah's II
TO remnln not only for twenty-five but for 123
wears It's winding footpahs. stone waiis, 'ai'
grass blockhcrry thckets and daisy fields are
lust what should not bc "improv"d OUT OF 'N-
istcncc We have enough asphalt walks and
trim lawns and artificial lakes. Let Ms have
III, of country sacred from both the house
builder and the landscape gardener, where We
can 90 and walk over the hills through the long
grass and see the earth as God made H.
4 geological Garden would be n most dcsir-
able acquisition for the city ana IN" IooioSi'hi
socIctv should have the gratitude and the CO
operation of all good citizens In their attempts
70 proyide one Rnt the people have n right TO
choose how their park property shall bc enl'
plovcd and when the promoters settle upon
nlOt nuu announce lUil INV! VIII H'' '''''
take 10 establish II geological park on any
"othcr site" they show themselves more anX-
ions to have their own way than 10 give the
peoplc what they want There are nearly 1000
acrcs Of park land In m" Annexed Distrlrt.
Van t'ortlandt contains over 1000 acres nnd
Pelham Bay about roo Neither OF them pos
scsscs the special character which makes their
improvement into n sophisticated PLEASURE
rround 80 lncongruous and cnch Of them IS SO
much larger than Bronx Park TINT @bl ncr"s
can bc set apar' from one of them without
changing rs character. n must inevitably he the
case n 2GI acres bc set apart from IN" io' acres
left Of Bronx Park The projectors answer tn"
argument that properiy-ownrrs near HroiN
Park ohicc' 10 tho garden hy The statement that
Pelham Bay and Vnn Corilandt people appr"-
clntr It's vnluc md wish II M their doors Then
l,i II 60 whore people want il and where there
Is room for II The city might better AFFORD 10
20 beyond Bronx Park md purchns" som" OF
the most accessible of The inexpensive farm
lands 20 thc cnsi or north than tO give this
choice. spot which I, cost SSf,lpsl To acquire.
In proper place II geological garden would
h.. n good thing. AMI the city might with pro
prlciv aid I'm It's foundation and maintenance.
but The unique wilderness Of Rronv Park is cni-
phatlcay not the place for II.