The Jersey City news., 1903-07-22
nALCYON PARK
Picture Of Desolation and
Decay on the Edge
Of Bloomfield.
PATHETIC OLD RUINS
Conservatory That Has Grown
Only Weeds and Club.
house That Was
Never Finished.

/ Old ruins have very little of the pathe-
I tic about them. They are romantic, may
hap, but the sobs and tears, the sighs
and groans, the mirth and the merrinient,
all passed SO long ago that one finds it
hard usually to call up any feeling akin
| to pathos in gazing at them. 1t is not
so with new ruins, where human life has
been recently and gone out entirely and
probably forever, within ercent years.
New ruins that were never inhabited, but
(which We're to have been and for some
cause failed to gather inhabitants, pos
sess peculiar after-action of their own,
an attraction hard to analyze, although
its existence is unmistakeable, says the
Newark Sunday CALI
A short distance over the Newark city
line, as one goes along the old Bloomfield
road, lies Halcyon Park. 1t extends from
the road a considerable distance toward
Bloomfield avenue, and is not very far
|. above the old Silver Lake section. Anbi-
tious plans were laid for its future, and
much money was spent. Nothing re-
mains today but the macadam roads now
rapidly disappearing beneath a rank
growth Of weds,a few paths, half
completed clubhouse, battered conser-
yatory and lodge buildings. yegetatioa
seems to be hastening the downfall of
the park. It almost seems as if grass,
shrubs and trees had united to cover up
the failure and hide 1t away as quick
as may be-
When the Rev. Cyrus K. Capron, at
! that time of East Orange, projected Hal
cyon Park, six or eight years ago. he was
very sanguine of success. Circulars were
gotten out and widely distributed extol-
ling the beauties of the place, giving
! terms upon which lots might be bought,
etc. Many people visited the park,
watched the improvements then under
way. Not few were well impressed
and thought seriously Of buying, rearing
homes and settling down there. 1t is
said a few lots were sold, but if this is
SO the houses that were to have arisen
on them have not materialized.
Halcyon means calm, peaceful. rest
full. This park has certainly not belied
its name. 1t is very calm, indeed, much
more so than it was intended it should
be. a g1eat stiffness pervades the place.
People wishing to get across from the
/ old Bloomfield road to Bloomfield avenue
walk silently through it, along its paths,
NOW high with weeds. or through its rap
idly disappearing roadways, past the
clubhouse which was to have been, but
| which probably never will be, and out of
the gateway. The conservatory is near
! the gateway, and its condition is truly
iamentable The glass was shivered
long ago Aby naughty little boys. The
earth within the gaping framework is
now thick with weeds. Decay is ram
pant The massive stone lodge and gate
way show the least evidence of decay.
i Tie clubhouse, however, fairly yawns
in its desolation The sashes were never
put IN, the doors were never hung
Otherwise the. place has faint air of
festivity about it, just enough to make
the whole building mockery. The lit
tie artificial lake. which lies beneath a
group Of grand old trees, is about the
only spot where there is human life.
Here the boys Of the neighborhood come,
for the lake has perch and the urchins
who have not passed beyond the string
4 and bent pin era have jolly times.
4 Halcyon Park was not a success for
several reasons. For one it WAS un-
/ wisely located. 1t is too near the Silver
! Lake section for people Of means to buy
lots in It and to rear homes there to
come. 1t had no steam railroad con-
nections and it was good bit away
from the single line Of trolley ears which
penetrates the neighborhood. 1t il
rather iow-lying withal It is said the
property has once more come into ths
hands Of the former owners, the Far.
rand estate.