Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-05-26
COUNTY PARKS,
THEIR BEAUTIES
AND PROSPECTS
Annual Inspection by Commits
sioners Reveals Much of In
terest and Profit.

From the standpoint of acquiring
knowledge first hand, that mus
necessarily prove profitable as in.
formation to taxpayers and Other
readers of newspapers, the annual in
spection tour conducted by the ESSEX
County Park Commissioners yester-
day was a success. The commission
ers had as their guests, publishers and
editors of Newark newspapers, mem
bers of the County Board of Free
holders and others directly interested
In the mammoth work of developing
and maintaining the park system.
Among the guests of President
Franklin Murphy, of the Essex Coun-
ty Park Commission, were County
Supervisor Lewis G.. Bowden, Wal
lace M. Scudder, publisher of the
Newark Evening News; William T.
Hunt, editor of the Newark Sunday
Call, and George D. Smith, general
manager of the Newark Evening Star.
Alonzo Church. secretary and gen
eral counsel of the Park Commission,
and Engineer Reynolds, acted as
guides, philosophers and friends of
the inspecting party, Commissioners
P. Sanford Ross and Camillus G.. Kid
der, with President Murphy, pointed
out the various features of the park
system.
At midday the tourists lunehed
at the Country Club, and at the con-
clusion of the trip we're Mr.. Murphy's
personal guests at dinner at his
Mendham home.
But as to the day itself and what
the explorations revealed
Better Than Ever.
Secretary Church expressed be-.
lief which others shared. that the
Essex parks are better than ever be-
fore. The party noted that travelling
on the park roads was better than on
the outside highways, because the
park roads were oiled and free from
dust, which was annoying on other
roads, despite the rains of the few
days preceding.
Mr.. Church said the Weequahic
Park track, rebuilt last fall, was
very much better than ever" The
Weequahic police force of forty off,
GERS under Chief Thomas A. Gill
hooly, was inspected. The commits
sioners were pleased with the mems
appearance, and their guests ex-
pressed both surprise and pleasure
at the showing of the park police.
An Idea of the extent of the counr
ty's park system can be gained from
the fact that the party left the
in the State Bank
building at 930 a, m, and did not
reach former Governor Murphy's
Mendham home for dinner until 0 p.
m, after steady travelling.
The parks or reservations visited
took in this itinaraTV.
Riverbank Park, East Side Park,
Weequahie Park, West Side Park,
Branch Brook Park, Park Avenue
Parkway (all within the confines OF
Irvington Park, East Or
ange Parkway, Orange Park, Wat
sessing Park. Glenfield Park, Yanti-
cav Park, Anderson Park, Eagle
Rock Reservation, Grover Cleveland
Park and the South Mountain Reser-
walton. Belleville Park was not WIS.,
tied on the trip. 1t having been in
day.
IT was made quite clear that the
series of parks in the great Essex
system must be seen to be appreci-
ated. A mere word description can
give but n faint idea of the extent
If the county's possessions, their won
derful resources and marvellous
Everything bespealSs
health benefits and general happiness
for those who now care to take ad-
of the delights afforded, and
to future generations.
From mountain top to the west
of Newark and to a point almost
verging on the Newark meadows on
the east, the plan and scope has
been toward the health and comfort
of the people, through the medium
of the county park system.
Mountain Top Driveway.
While passing through the South
Mountain Reservation a proposition
to secure funds to complete the drive
way from South Orange avenue, at
the top of the first mountain range to
Washington Rock, Millburn, was dis
cussed by the commissioners and Su-
pervisor Bowden. The driveway Is
at present intended for horse-drawn
vehicle traffic only, automobiles being
under a ban. 1t Is of wood and dirt
construction and Is from one and a
half to two miles in length, and II
so improved as to permit automobile
travel would prove both an attrac-
tion and an advantage, as splendid
view of New York bay is afforded
from any point along its route. 1t
would further serve as a connecting
link from South Orange avenue to
the general public thoroughfares, to
the south of the southern extremity
of the big reservation.
Supervisor Bowden seemed much
impressed with the idea advanced by
the commissioners, as were the guests.
The drive Is narrow roadway at
present, but the opportunities for
widening and other improvements are
of the easy kind and the roughly es-
timated cost of converting it into a
splendid driveway does not figure
high in the expense column.