1894.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 48. 5 



ited size as well as simple character of the taking ; and their 

 action was greatly facilitated by the liberality of the widow of the 

 late Elisha Atkins of Belmont, and her son, the present Edwin 

 F. Atkins, who contributed the large sum of $12,500, more 

 than half its entire cost, towards the preservation of this most 

 interesting locality, thus setting a precedent which it is hoped 

 and believed wealthy residents in other localities will not be 

 slow to follow. 



Steps have also been taken towards acquiring on the Revere 

 Beach certain holdings of a preliminary character. These it 

 is proposed to follow by other takings as rapidly as the com- 

 plicated nature of the problem in that case will permit. 



No steps have as yet been taken towards the acquisition of 

 Nantasket Beach or its adjuncts. 



Under these circumstances, the work thus far done having 

 of necessity been mainly of a preliminary nature, the Com- 

 missioners do not consider it necessary now to submit any 

 detailed report, or to make further recommendations, or to 

 ask for increased powers, or that additional funds should be 

 put at their disposal. It has seemed to them desirable to 

 proceed slowly and in a sure, conservative manner, rather than 

 to endeavor to make a large and, possibly, a more or less 

 deceptive showing of work already done. Evidence is abun- 

 dant that the idea of adequate public reservations has taken 

 firm possession of the popular mind ; and especially is this the 

 case among the inhabitants of the Metropolitan District. In 

 this respect the magnificent Boston park system has done a 

 great educational work. That this idea will grow steadily, and 

 now calls for no nervous action or emphatic utterance from 

 them, the members of this Board are well satisfied. They 

 further think that the means already placed at their disposal 

 by the action of the last Legislature will suffice to ensure 

 during the coming year the carrying out in its larger and more 

 general aspects of the scheme submitted a year ago. The details 

 of that scheme can then be considered and provision made for 

 them. Accordingly, with the coming spring, the Commissioners 

 hope to open to the public at least two large reservations, one 

 in the ^Middlesex Fells and one in the Blue Hill region. When 

 the inhabitants of the Metropolitan District once appreciate the 

 advantage and enjoyment to be derived from those reservations, 



