Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-06-09
THE BEGINNING OF A COUNTY PARK

Middlesex county has the beginning of its county park sss-
TEN. Ever since the State Board of Health declared the tael
Of land at Menlo Park, unsuted as a location for a tuberculosis
saritarium the Evening News has been urging the Board Of
Freeholders to hold on to the property and develop 1t later on
for park purposes. The county cannot officially adopt a county
NOR system until it has a population of 100000 but Middlesex
is So ~ that figure now that there is every reason to believe
that when the next official census is taken 1t will have passed
the specified number of inhabitants.
Essex county has one of the finest park systems IN the eoun-
try. Union county, which adjoins Essex, is now developing a sys
tenn to link up with Essex, having passed the prescribed figure
as to population several years ago.
Middlesex is next. The Menlo Park tract is not so very far
from the Union county line. 1t has an ideal piece of property for
mark deveopment. 1t is naturally wild; it has some of the high
est land in the county, and there are several large springs from
which flows excellent water. These springs form the source of
one of the branches Of the Railway river. As a playground that
"a be reached by the great majority of the people of the county
the location is ideal. 1t lies almost half way between Perth Am
boy and New Brunswick, the two largest cities in the county and
with the fast line trolley running through it, 1t becomes aceessl
Bile to the people all the way from Carteret on the north, to Day
ton on the south.
Thanks to the interest taken by several organizations in the
county. a request was made of the Board Of Freeholders that
te tract be used as a camping site and playground for children
Of the county who cannot go to the larger and more elaborate
camps farther from home. At their meeting Thursday the free
holders gave their consent to the proposition. Thus the public
take possession, and once the people realize the advantage of this
tract as a playground, they will never consent to giving it up.
And it ought never to be given up. The eyer-growing popu-
lation, crowding into the towns and cities of the county, must
have some place to go where they can romp in the open and
enjoy the trees, the grass and fresh air. Such breathing
places are becoming all too few. Certain tracts must be set
aside for this purpose. While the county cannot appropriate
money for the development of a park now, it can permit the pub
lie to use the property until such time as the county has a big
enough population to develop a real park system.
With this permission granted, it remains for those who make
use of the opportunity to show that they appreciate the privilege
and conduct themselves in such a way that the freeholders will
be glad to continue the practice indefinitely. This means that
the property must be kept clean; camping parties must clear up
before they leave; there must be order and good behavior, and
property must not be destroyed. Under these conditions the
Menlo Park tract will serve a very useful purpose and the people
whose money bought the property will be getting the use Of the
land in a very profitable manner, making it a most satisfactory
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