SELECTION OF ORANGE PARK 139 
mediately place all the land within the proposed site, on the 
“city lot” basis. The extension had been deferred, pending 
the decision of the Park Commission. If a park, then no 
sewer extension. If no park, the extension would be 
promptly built. With this see-saw of possibilities, the un- 
certainty continued for months. Mr. Reynolds would not 
fix a price. The commission decided, owing to the opposi- 
tion referred to, that it would not undertake to acquire his 
property unless it could be secured by purchase. The local 
committee did not know what proposition might, or might 
not, be “to the commission satisfactory”—and thus the in- 
creasing doubt continued, to the advantage of the opposi- 
tion, though not to the discouragement of those favoring 
the park. 
At last the uncertainty culminated. The Orange Com- 
mon Council arrived at an understanding with the triangle 
property owners that, if on December 7, there should have 
been no decision by the Park Commission regarding the 
park, proceedings to extend the storm-water sewer would 
then be taken. The public agitation continued, more gen- 
erally and more earnestly than before. All the newspapers 
favored the proposition. There was not a dissenting voice— 
outside the Park Commission. The citizens’ committee and 
the local authorities were becoming impatient at the delay. 
Finally, on December 7, 1896, Mr. Reynolds was invited to 
attend the Park Board meeting on that day. He was pres- 
ent. For nearly an hour we endeavored to ascertain his 
price. These efforts were without success. It was then 
after 6 o’clock. The Common Council was to meet that 
evening. With the passage of a resolution to extend the 
storm-sewer, there would be no triangle park. 
OUTLOOK BRIGHTENS. 
By one of those peculiar decrees of fate, when, at the last 
moment, the tide seems irrevocably set in an adverse direc- 
tion and is as abruptly changed, so in this instance a single 
incident completely altered the drift of events. 
“Mr. Shepard,” I asked, “what, in your judgment, would 
