66 HISTORY OF THE 



And now, to cap the climax, a betterment tax, on 

 account of this park, to the amonnt of |800, is laid by 

 the park commissioners on a single half acre of adjoin- 

 ing orchard remaining in the family. For what? The 

 land taken is unchanged. Change of ownership from 

 private to public title makes no ])ark, ami confers no 

 betterment as ground for assessment. Private use and 

 settlement would confer more value than the city's idle 

 ownership. This charge of nearly $800 levied on 

 owners Avho suffered by an nndervahiation of at least 

 $100,000, and are now summoned to pay, overshadow 

 Dr. Franklin's story of paying for^ieating the poker.' 

 Except in the solemnity of the reports, the whole trans- 

 action is unworthy of the city of Boston." 



H. B. S. 



I quote the remarks of the Mayor of one of our large 

 cities, who in his inaugural aptly said: "The first duty 

 of government is the i)rotection of its citizens in their 

 rights to life, liberty and property." Would that the 

 government of the city of Boston, in all its branches, 

 especially in the park commissioners' department, had 

 been, were now, and always will be of this way of think- 

 ing and acting; instead of sacrificing the property of 

 honest owners, that the citizens may enjoy the benefit of 

 it for luxurious purposes. 



On the Ith day of Maich, 1885, finding that all my 

 efforts in trying to make a settlement with the ])ark 

 commissioners were exhausted, hopeless and unavailing, 

 and after having a prolonged and earnest interview with 

 the full board of commissioners, and with the aid of 

 Hon. Kobert M. Morse, Jr., my case was i^resented with 



