New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-08
THE PARKS OF TIE METROPOLIS.


THE PARKS OF THE METROPOLIS.
Samuel Parsons. IT,. formerly Superintendent
OF Parks in this city, contributes IN inter-
estng and timely article 70 'Thc Outlook" on
| the parks Of the present city Of New York
! Ncw-Yorkers have good reason To he proud OF
their parks. which. in size and number. VIII
compare favoraby with the park systems Of
other great cities. Indeed NewYOrk was the
first great modern city to break away from tho
artificial and formal conceptions concerning
parks that obtained In the eighteenth century.
and which saw in tree trimmed and clipped
10 represent some fantastic figure the highest
ideal Of beauty 1t was the great good fortune
! ~ tho CITY 10 have as the creators OF Central
! Park those admirable landscape artists. Messrs.
Vaux and O!msted And il was their good
| fortune 10 have what no previous designer or
n park had had-a large area Of virgin SOIL 10
worl, on Their scheme OF development was
characterized by artistic unity and sympa-
| thetic regard for rural effects and the results
| OF their expert knowledge and fine taste are
moi only seen In Central Park to-day but have
| cducotcd the public taste so that 1t demands
similar treatment 50 far as possible OF all o'her
parks.
The total acreage Of all the parks in the pres
cnt city Of New York is G.714.3. The park acre
age Of the Borough Of Manhattan Is about
| 900 and Of the Borough of The Bronx about
1000 OF this grand total Of 300 acres IN the
| two borouc!s not less than 300 acres consist
Of highly cultivated park Land. The total park
acreage If the Borough OF Brooklyn is lo'43
The Borough Of Queens has as yet no parks
worthy of the name; but this Borough can
easily and cheaply establish fine park system,
and II will doubtless do 30 In the near futur'
The need Of a park system has not yet Deen
felt in the Borough Of Richmond. Much OF the
island in fact. is natural park Of rare beauty
! and charm. But now that it is part of the
metropolis. and Is likely soon to have large
! increase Of population. II Will BE- timely and
wise TO take steps in regard to an adequate
system Of park lands for that borough.
The total cost TO the city Of Central Park,
whose area Is about 700 acres. is estimated nj
| Sl5OOOOO0 and It's value today as real estate
IS not less than S2oO,OOo,0OO. From every point
Of view il l. without doubt one of the best IN
vestments that the city ever made. BESIDES
the smrilcr parks in The Borough or Manhat-
tan-such as the Battery. Bowling Green cry
Hall. Madison Square, Union Square. Tompklns
Square and Washington square there were
added 10 the public domain between 800 ana
! 1851 Abingdon Square. Jackson square. Morn
,ngside Park. Riverside Park. Mount Morris
square and Bryant Park. More recently other
small parks have been acquired. among them
Icannctio Park. Corlears Hook Park Mulberry
Bend Par, and the following. which are NOT
vet constructed. one along The East RlVer
from Eleventh to Fouricenth-st, one between
PIT, and Sheriff SIS. on Stanton-st one nj
Hester and Norfolk SITS. and one between
Twenty seventh and Twenty eighth $50. along
Ninth-evc The Eas, River Park. at tIe foot
81 Eighty fourthst." says Mr. Parsons, mas
also been enlarged by the acquisition OF seven
acres OF ground. which has been laid out IN
walks and lawns. In the upper part OF the
| island during the same tine. Fort Washington
Park was secured. extending from Vne-hun-
"dred- and seventy -hrst-st. TO one-hundred-and-
eighty fourth 81. and containing forty acres;
MISC - Nicholas. containing th.rty acres, stu
"atod between one hundredand thir'leth and
"One-hu hundred and forty -trst SIS. Colonial Park
"cmbraces fifteen acres. and lies between one
hundred md. forty-hflh and One hundred-and-
"nfty-nfth SIS east 81 Bradhurst-aye"
We cannot here speak in detail Of the mag
nincent park system Of the Borough Of The
Bronx which. when fully developed VIII give
the city parks second 10 none in the world IN
picturesque beauty and magnihccnce. Nor Is
there space TO do more than refer 70 the fine
park system of Brooklyn. WIKI Ia noble Pros
pee, Park wing with Central Park N extent
and natural beauty. and containing many var-
cites Of trees hardly surpassed anywhere IN the
country The parks ~ the metropolis are
among ,s most precious possessions. and best
Of all they have been managed with nteh-
gencc. Beyond almost any parks in the
world" says Mr.. Parsons. excepting perhaps
THE Boston parks. the control OF the N"w-Iork
parks is exercised entirely in the interest of
'ihe general public and not IN that Of any
"cl,aue or class No one In \ew-York can force
Into the parks railroads. trolley lines. race
| courses mcnager!es. military shows pcddling
"or advertising schemes baseball matches. or
ANY game that tends 10 collect crowds" IN
der the new charter this high ideal Of manage
| mcnt has been amply confirmed. Not only can
| the landscape architect of the Park Department
veto any Objectionable scheme, but an hide
pendent body. The Fine Arts Commission has
been created. with full power 10 protect the
parks from all kinds OF vandalism. And the
method by which this expert Commission Is
| chosen makes II all Int certain that II will
never fail below the high artistic Ideal which
has thus far animated the creators of our park
system.
Rea-- Admiral George Dewey. Tint has the
right ring.