72 HISTORY OF THE 



purchasing or the condemning of all these pai-k lands, 

 then 306.80 acres, worth more than $2,000,000. These 

 facts have become matters of history, and I shall feel it 

 my duty to place them on record. 



By request of an agent of the city government, I re- 

 luctantly bonded this property in October, 1879, to run 

 till January 1st, 1880, for $80,000. After the time had 

 expired, the commissionei-s again put the screws on to 

 the poor owners of land within the park area, and many 

 of them were obliged to submit rather than to spend 

 money in court to secure their just rights. 



During all these years, from the inception of the park 

 project, nothing could be done with my lands by way of 

 further improvements or by selling, because they were 

 already irrevocably doomed; meantime I was held 

 strictly accountable to the city for the payment of my 

 annual tax bills, paying into the city treasury more than 

 $20,000, while at the same time I was losing the interest 

 on this valuable property, as it was then beyond my 

 control. Such is the fact. 



The Ashler stone, lying upon the lawn, was taken 

 from a large, elegant mansion house, built by George 

 Bond, the elder, on Winthrop square. It was consid- 

 ered very handsomely hammered stone. It was bought 

 entire and teamed out there at a great expense, for the 

 erection of one or more elegant structures. 



I have felt a deep interest in the park project, and 

 was one of the earliest movers to secure a ])ublic park 

 for the citizens, spending time and money to accomplish 

 the object, not, however, suspecting that I might be 

 fleeced by advocating the enterpi'ise. 



During the winter of 1873 and 1874, I obtained the 



