TOY OFFICIALS 247 
sion could not, and would not, develop Central avenue as 
a parkway.” 
PARK COMMISSION’S REITERATED STATEMENTS. 
About this time the false rumors, put in circulation, as to 
the attitude of the public and the current unfavorable re- 
ports as to the Park Commission became so frequent that, 
on June 28, members of the joint committee wrote the com- 
mission as follows: 
“The purpose and intent of those trying to make it ap- 
pear that the people are behind a scheme to appropriate for 
private gain another enormously valuable county road fran- 
chise at the expense of one of the great connective features 
of the park system is becoming well understood, and both 
the conditions and the facts are so clear in this instance they 
cannot long be misconstrued. 
“We have acted in confidence on your reiterated state- 
ments that you have not changed your position in desiring 
both avenues for parkways, and we will be glad either to 
confer with you, or submit further data regarding the 
subject.” 
On July 1, 1902, there was a conference between the New- 
ark Board of Works and the Park Commission at the latter’s 
office regarding the Park avenue transfer by the city of 
Newark. Commissioners Eugene Vanderpoel, Robert F. 
Ballantine, and William A. Brewer were appointed a com- 
mittee on parkways. Commissioner Garrison, of the New- 
ark board, favored the transfer. 
On July 4, I went over the parkway situation quite fully 
with Commissioner F. M. Shepard. He assured me that 
“the commission had not changed its position as to the 
avenues” and suggested that I should “see Mr. Brewer.” 
The day following I wrote Cyrus Peck as president: 
“The proceedings in the East Orange City Council and 
the freeholders, and the way the deal to confiscate the ave- 
nue Was carried threugh, have accentuated and materially 
