Year: 1860




BALTIMORE, July "a 1860


Owing TO the great interest manifested by the entire
community in the labos of the Public Park Commission
and their final action in the selection of ga Park or
Parks, have deemed myself authorized in advance o
IT'S oGla announcement to the City Council to publish
the following report for the information of the people
Baltimore 1t affords sincere pleasure to be able ia
state that at an early day. in September the opening
the noble Park which has been selected by the Commits
soners will be inauguraed and its enlarged accommo
dations dedicated to the use of our citizens.


To The Honorable, the Mayor


and City Council of Baltimore


The Commission for the purchase of a Park or Parks
having performed the duty assigned them under the
resolution of the Mayor and City Council approved June
1860, present the following report:


Their first act after their organization was to publish
advertisement calling for proposals Park to consist
OF not less than four hundred To this there
seventeen responses.


or these portion for single lots of insufficient
size, portion falling short of the de-
sired quantity, and eight came up to the acquisitions
the advertisement.


With the exception single tract whose remoteness
from the city was insuperable objection and some
small parcels, with which combinations looking to
Park of five hundred seemed practicable the Com
mission visited every piece of property offered
These examinations occupied the 10TH ith 18th and 18th
OF July. After they completed the Commission ad
dressed themselves to obtanining further norma.
ton IN regard to the several sites they deemed
sary


Previous to selection, they agreed upon some leading
considerations which governed them throughout.


The first of these the of paying the site
and improving it afterwards The plan suggested by
the Mayor and which has since been carried out by the
ordinance on the subject, to
portion or the revenue from the passenger railways
the payment of the interest the stock to be issued for
the ste-setting apart onefth of the balance sink
ing fund and using the remainder for the maintenance
end improvement of the Park


No other of the ctys credit than the above being
contemplated the capabty of the Park for
to the desired extent with the probable revenue appli-
cable to the purpose became necessarily important
consideration in connection with every site that pre-
sented.


The next consideration the accessibility of the
Park. Although in some degree dependent upon
ured tn he
regarded. The passenger railways became important ee-
inents in this connection


No location that was practicable would place the Park
within REACH on foot from every part city as
large Baltimore From the Ferry Bar to the intersec
ton of the Northern avenue and Charles street is
four miles From Milestone Point, the Fort the
distance is the same and it is about three miles from the
extremity of Fells Point. While these distances and
even much shorter ones, would make visits to the Park
foot, unfrequent, and confine its endowment in a
great degree to those in the immediate neghborhood,
or who used carriages reach it, the passenger railways
would make it accessible to ALL without regard to dis
tance, at a small and uniform cost


Thus, while measured distance was still to be regard
ed, the passenger railways materially essened its i'm
portance
Another leading consideration was the availability of
the proposed sites, by which the Commission meant
fitness for present early and capabty future
Improvement The present generation were to pay for
maintain it, and it desirable put them quickly
as possible in possession in the most advantageous



And yet, while immediate possession was important
it was not the only matter to be regarded The capab
OI.
able that the larger part of it should be well wooded the
trees healthy, and likely remain So good soil 1t
is much easier to thin wood than place in the
est fields in the world. And it desirable too that
the woods should be situated there over the
site if not covering it altogether, facilitate
combination as elements of the picturesque in landscape
gardening the largest scale, while they afforded as
near as might be, continuous shade for the roads and
paths that would intersect the Park


Again, it was desirable that the site TO be selected
should not be encountered with buildings the
expense of removing which, and obiteratng their ap
nnt.no tnia1h ht,
other beneficial result than to get rid of them


Again. as athletic games and military displays were
alike healthfu and useful the site be selected
be fitted for them There should be fields for cricket and
base ball and the like and open spaces where regiments
and prigades might be reviewed and maneuYred suit
able occasions.


Again. it most desirable that the supply of water
should be abundantno only that lakes mig be formed
where boating might be practced in summer and ska
tiers themselves in winter water in such stua
tons that it might be distributed throughout the entire
Park that there be drinking fountains on every
road and path at convenient distances apart s-s..
Again. it desirable that surface should be undu
drives and ss in all drections ned at graes
for pedestrians and carriages; and especially
rable that the Park should be of unquestioned heathu
ness And, finally it was desirable that public roads
should the Park which those charge of
1t could have no CONTROL and the rights of the public
which would in the judgment of the Commission be alto
gether inconsistent with proper preservation of the
property and maintenance of police regulations.


1t was with these views that the Commission COM
menced the examination of the sites that offered
them. E.lI sr-sle t..f ....
There were eight which came into competitions
l. The farm of Hunting Ridge, belonging to John Swan
Esd, and making, with the property of Charles H. Nc,
Blair, Esq and Mrs. Comegys obong tract miles
from the western boundary of the city CONTAINING soo
acres and offered to the Commission s292 397
eraging $5S4.79 per acre.
"a 2. The Almshouse property, with lands adjacent
amounting to 446 acresthe average cost of which ex
ciuding l02 acres belonging to the city was 81 $50


5. Druid Hill, belonging to Lloyd N Rogers contain
ing 42 acres acre. and capable of enlarge.
ment by the purchase Of adjacent property to 5e7 acres
A. tract including several country residences, and
lying between the Northern avenue the Green Spring
avenue, and the Northern Central Railroad Containing
2ssK acres averaging 81 e44 per acre There were sub