THE PARKWAYS 185 
other local affiliations. The object of the meeting, the call 
stated, was to secure “intimate co-operation with the Essex 
County Park Commission, to the end that Park and Cen- 
tral avenues be placed in their chargé as parkways, and 
the construction of the projected north and south boule- 
vard be insured.” Henry H. Hall acted as chairman, with 
a list of thirty or more vice-presidents. 
The speeches by Messrs. H. H. Hall, A. P. Boller, H. G. 
Atwater, G. R. Howe, G. 8. Hulbert, W. H. Baker, G. F. 
Seward and Hamilton Wallis were dignified, forceful and 
to the point. A letter from Mr. Shepard was read, in 
which he stated: “If Central and Park avenues cannot be 
included in the park system, then new east and west park- 
ways could not be constructed through East Orange, be- 
cause of the great cost of the land. This would compel 
their construction through cheaper vacant land at the north 
and south of Hast Orange.” 
ENTHUSIASTIC MASSMEETING. 
The hall was filled. Enthusiasm prevailed. The effect 
of the meeting was instantaneous. The members of the 
Township Committee who had so readily declined the park 
commission’s application but three or four weeks before, 
and were seemingly so willing to pass the traction com- 
pany’s ordinance for one of the avenues, soon saw new 
light. The proceedings of the meeting, with quotations 
from the Park Commission’s reports, and the official map 
showing the avenue parkways for connecting the mountain 
and Newark parks, was printed in pamphlet form and gen- 
erally distributed. 
On February 15, 1897, the commission received a re- 
quest from the Township Committee for “a conference as 
to the proposed parkways.” This was held February 26. 
In the meanwhile the reader may wish to know what 
had been going on in the Park Board rooms. There was 
rearly as much activity over the question there as in East 
Orange. When the traction company showed its hands— 
