Essex and Hudson Counties, New Jersey 

 and the Palisades 



Within a few minutes' railroad ride of Wall street is the most remarkable county 

 park system that has yet been acquired in the United States. Nearly all the citi- 

 zens of Newark and the Oranges, which are located in Essex county, are JNew 

 York business men, and therefore the park system that is about to be described is, 

 in fact, a portion of the park areas reserved for New Yorkers. In 1894 there were 

 in Essex county but twenty-six acres of park land and no parkways. A commission 

 was then appointed, and by means of five loans, a million dollars at a time, the 

 commission has acquired 3,500 acres of park lands and three miles of parkways. 

 The parkways are described as "but the beginnings of an extensive system of con- 

 necting parkways." 



In the neighboring Hudson county, in which Jersey City is located, a Park 

 Commission has recently been appointed but has not yet published its first report. 

 The Commissioners, however, state that their system will connect with the Pali- 

 sades Interstate Park. This park is being secured by the joint action of the states 

 of New Jersey and New York. It will preserve eleven miles of the shore frontage 

 of the Hudson where the famous Palisades are located. About six miles have 

 already been purchased. 



It will thus be seen that citizens of New York, whether they live on Man- 

 hattan Island or in the Bronx, on Staten Island or in Brooklyn, or in Essex or Hudson 

 counties, New Jersey, are securing park systems that are gradually becoming con- 

 nected throughout. They have not been deterred by the difficulties in their way, 

 such as the enormous expense of land in New York, the difficulty of securing the 

 appointment of an official commission by Greater New York, the difficulty of secur- 

 ing State action, as in the case of New Jersey, or the greater difficulty of securing 

 interstate action, as in the case of the Palisades Park. It is curious that people in 

 many cities, — for Philadelphia is by no means alone in this regard, — believe that the 

 difficulties that confront them are greater than those that confronted their sister 

 cities. Sometimes these difficulties are exaggerated by officials in order to excuse 

 delay in finding a way of overcoming them. In many ways, including the financial, 

 Philadelphia has a much easier task than other cities. 



For further information regarding the Essex County Park System, apply to Alonzo Church, 

 Secretary Essex County Park Commission, 800 Broad Street, Newark, N. J. 



Regarding Hudson County Park, apply to Walter G. Muirheid, Secretary Hudson County 

 Park Commission, No. 1 Exchange Place, Jersey City, N. J. 



Regarding the Palisades Interstate Park, apply to J. DuPratt White, Secretary Palisades 

 Interstate Park Commission, 31 Nassau Street, New York City. 



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