THE METROPOLITAN PARK SYSTEM. 171 



James S. Griimell, of Greenfield, was Chairman. At the hearings 

 given by that Committee, on this petition, Mr. Wright, Mr. 

 Manning, and others of the petitioners appeared and urged not 

 only the propriety but the need of such a law as was described in 

 the petition. Mr. Grinnell reported from his Committee a bill, 

 authorizing cities and towns, under certain restrictions, to purchase 

 or seize by right of eminent domain, lauds for the preservation or 

 reproduction of forests or to protect water supply ; the title of 

 such lands to be vested in -the Commonwealth, in perpetuity, for 

 the benefit of the cities or towns, acquiring them. It provided 

 that the State Board of Agriculture should act as a State Board of 

 Forestry also, and should have the supervision and management of 

 lands taken or purchased under this act. The speaker said that 

 the law covere(f all that the petitioners asked, and a kind of 

 jubilee meeting was held in the Medford Town Hall that season, 

 at which Governor Long and many other noted men were present, 

 to rejoice and to carry forward the work. Much enthusiasm was 

 manifested. Elizur Wright donated to the Association sixty acres 

 of land north of his house ; and it was expected that many other 

 owners of land would make similar donations. Subscription 

 papers were circulated, and many thousands of dollars were 

 pledged, with prudent conditions. 



In 1883, a notable meeting and banquet occurred in Boston, at 

 which a more formal organization was effected, and a Board of 

 Trustees was elected to take charge of the Middlesex Fells as a 

 public reservation. Francis Brooks, of Medford, was made 

 Chairman of this board. But Mr. Brooks went abroad, and was 

 absent from this country for some time, and Mr. Wright died 

 suddenly. No other member of the board of trustees took up the 

 active leadership, and the interest naturally languished. An 

 interval of several years followed when nothing was done, until 

 the movement started which led to the establishment of the 

 Metropolitan Park Commission, through which not only the 

 Middlesex Fells but the Beaver Brook valley, and a larger tract 

 including the Blue Hills region, have been taken already. It is 

 probable that portions of our seashore may yet become public 

 domain through the same instrumentality- 



Leverett M. Chase spoke of the paper which had been read as 

 an admirable one, covering the whole ground of public health and 

 the general public weal. But he asked what is the educational 



