278 FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 
the section between Park and Central avenues only, was 
submitted, and land options authorized, on May 18 fol- 
lowing. During 1898-9 the crossing of the Delaware, Lack- 
awanna and Western Railroad tracks and of Main street 
were, for many months, undetermined problems. 
The expense of the costly stone bridge for elevating the 
railroad over the parkway was borne by the commission. 
As a suitable subway under Main street and the trolley 
tracks there, as favored by Commissioner Shepard, was esti- 
mated to cost $93,271, the grade crossing at Main street 
was finally determined upon. By these matters, together 
with the complications over condemnation proceedings in 
acquiring some of the land for the parkway, and the con- 
troversy between the commission and the city authorities 
over the drainage, this shortest and smallest of all the ac- 
quirements now in the control of the Park Commission, has 
been proportionately the most expensive, and the time in 
making the improvements the longest drawn out. This, 
notwithstanding, deeds for much of the land were given to 
the commission. The larger owners, whose lands were lo- 
cated on the line of, and mostly on both sides of the park- 
way, and their frontage there were respectively as follows: 
Frederick M. Shepard, 2,361 feet; Rockwell estate, 531 
feet ; Randall estate 454 feet; David 8. Walton, 1,462 feet. 
The contest over the drainage matter is yet unsettled, 
although the commission on June 18, 1901, paid $11,000 
toward the expense of drainage for the short portion of the 
parkway north of Main street. The contract for the first 
construction, amounting to $24,018, was not let until No- 
vember 13, 1900, and for the section between Park avenue 
and William street not until the autumn of 1903. 
Owing to the uncompleted condition of this parkway, its 
short length, and the fact that within this small distance 
it crosses one double trolley trunk line at Main street, and 
that, since Central avenue has been given over to the trol= 
ley, the southern terminus is directly on another double 
track railroad there, the parkway is but little used. It is 
thus a constant reminder of the landseape arehitect’s re- 
