New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-06

most third OF the length Of the tract taken out
OF its heart. Notwithstanding the letters upon
his genius he and Mr.. vaux produced features
Of apparently great sweep and comprehensive
ness The most was made OF the rocks and
glens AT the southeasterly corner. Many regard
that section as the most attractive in the whole
park The rustic widness OF the northern end
has been preserved TO this day. II is another Of
the monuments to Mr.. Olmsted, and Will be one
to him and Vaux probably forever. The Mall Is
another OF the enduring monuments. Though
disngured by features introduced afterward. 1t
is even Yet a thing OF beauty. which political
jobbery, bossism in its most aggravated form.
ignorance and bad taste have so far been I'M
able 20 deprive Of the charms with which he en-
doWed It. The bail ground and other features
have marred the broad meadow which he at
tempted to create. but 1T is great feature OF
the park. nevertheless.
When Olmsted K Naux's plans for Central
Park were presented in September, 1891, there
was a great outcry against them. Men prom
ment in business and politics denounced them
as ar1stocratic and un-American. one who
stood very high in the community protested
against the scheme in a letter to a newspaper,
couched in the following remarkable words;
such a park is too aristocratic to be sane
toned in America-too artistic 20 he respected
f'Ne'N
republican waste Of money to make il, for only
the rich would use il. If the poor used 1t,
they would quickly destroy its beauty
one Of the most prominent architects of that
time wrote:
The New-York people should have rustic
pleasure ground. and not an elegant park
Fence in the area introduce COWS and
geese. and let them make the paths and the
public enjoy the result with perfect freedom"
The original plan OF Chief Engineer Viele
which he was attempting TO carry out, was ex-
tirely abandoned when Frederick Law Olmsted
was made superintendent Of Central Park. in
September 1867. and the scheme which he and
vaux presented was adopted in May of the next
year. and the park was completed, far
original work was concerned, four years later.
There can be now no odium attached to
comparison Of Prospect Park in Brooklyn, with
Central Park. Mr. Olmsted began his work
upon the Brooklyn playground in 1866. Now
that it is OF the parks Of New-York City,
no hard feeling can be engendered by saying
what candor always required. that probab bly,
there is no other public garden in the world
where natural and artificial beauty are so well
blended that even the eye OF the expert is unable
TO distinguish where one leaves off and the other
begins The tract Of land submitted to Mr.
OImsted for treatment in this case was admit
]
devoted Its northern end the plateau OF
the terminal moraine OF the great glacier The
last high ridge Of the detritus Of the wonderful
continental ice cap which ground the rocks of
the northern mountains to powder and depos-
tied the grist where the melting edge overhung
the sea. perhaps Cor ages extended diasonally
across the tract in the form Of an irregular and,
at the southwestern extremity, preeipitous
bluff The ground. geologically historical. had
too drunk deep Of patriot blood. Some OF the
most sanguinarv engagements of the battle OF
Long Island were fought in the passes that the
foods OF other centuries had cut through the
bluff Battle Pass took its name from one OF
these skirmishes as the Hessians, advancing
| from Flatbush crowded washington's retreat
ing army too hard. Historians differ as 10 the
exact Mace but the monument to the four hun
dred brave Marylanders who laid down their
| lives in a struggle against overwhelming num-
| bers TO gain time for the rest Of the army TO
cross 20 Manhattan Island, now standing at the
foot Of Round Top. ascribes the battlefield TO its
/ immediate surroundings.
M Olmsted made the most of all these feat
| ures and Of hundreds OF others which appealed
! TO his discerning eye. The little Vale Of Cash
mere is the Mecca OF amateur photographers
| The rose garden. hard by; the Long Meadow,
probably the largest and finest public green in
] 7
moraine. the flower garden. one Of the most
elaborate bits OF landscape architecture I'm the
| United States. the lake. with its wooded isl
/ ands and peninsuias: the old fashioned flower
garden. where hoyhocks. larkspur. sunfowers
| mariCold and bachelors buttons abound al
| the top OF the hin overlooking the more elab-
crate garden and the lake; the great parade
! ground al the extreme south end; the beautiful
| Nethermead and at its very border. where II
slopes down TO isulwater the magnificent grove
Of forest trees. in which the music stand is sit
| uated. present such a succession Of dissimilai
| forms Of beauty as to delight every beholder.
/ II il said in Brooklyn that Mr.. Olmsted him.
| self regarded Prospect Park as his masterpiece
| among municipal Fairgrounds. 1t is also said
| that there more faithfully than anywhere else
| his every plan and purpose were needed and exc
| cuted. one OF the griefs OF the founders Of this
| marvellous park the fact that within it's lin.
| its was the burial ground Of the Quakers. Mr.
| Olmsted did not share that view. He SO laid
out the drives and distributed the artificial feat
ures as 10 make that quaint old cemetery, used
| for burial 10 this day. a place Of solemn still
| ness undehled. Its environments consid
| crate TO a fault OF the sacredness attached TO 4
bv those whose dead rest there. and yet IL is on.
| OF the beauty spots OF the park. II is a hill
| overlooking the main drive. but path saw,
that from the drive TO the gateway leads to IL
| sacred precincts. The motley crowd cannot over
| run its mounds. for they are Enclosed. and al
| the walks lead only respectfully near the fence
| Riverside Drive and Park and Morningsid
Park are too new and too prominent in the pub