CHAPTER XIV. 
GOOD CITIZENSHIP HELPLESS. 
East Orange having completed the parkways’ transfer, 
the Park Commission having formally accepted both ave- 
nues there, and the city of Orange having twice failed to 
complete the transfer ordinance, the parkway situation, 
early in 1899, might be compared to a well-equipped, safely 
ballasted, strong coach with a balking team. Every facility 
was at hand for the commission to mount the driver’s seat 
of that coach, to quietly and firmly take the reins, and with- 
out resort to force, not even to the lash, to guide the load of 
obligations and pledges, which the board had already made 
to the public regarding the avenue parkways, to a safe and 
successful destination. 
Not only did the Park Board possess ample power and 
full authority for accomplishing this result, but it had the 
press and the great majority of the people of the Oranges 
and of the county then in its favor, to approve and support 
any and every measure or action taken for the good and the 
protection of the parks and parkways which the commis- 
sioners were especially entrusted in their charter, by the 
people, to create and defend. One of the leading papers on 
January 7, 1899, voiced public sentiment in contending, 
editorially: “It is probable that nine-tenths of the voters 
of Orange are in favor of having Park and Central avenues 
receive parkway treatment.” 
PARK BOARD'S EVASIVE OOURSE. 
Similar sentiments were at that time so frequently ex- 
pressed that there could be no reasonable doubt as to the 
attitude of the public generally upon this question. Instead 
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