151 



purpose of a park, and we reported on the minimum area that we 

 could, thinking to make the burthen of taxation as light as possible, 

 and still accomplish the objects for which the park was intended. 



Chairman Ryan. — Apart from the question of cost you would have 

 preferred a larger area than you recommended, would you ? 



A. My opinion is the area that we recommended answers all the 

 purposes; it protects the watersheds of all of the rivers, protects the 

 watershed of the Hudson, furnishes a very large park for the people 

 of the State of New York and the people of the United States to go, 

 and I think that the park that we recommended covers all the ground 

 that is necessary. 



Q. How did you suppose the State was to acquire title to the lands 

 if it did not already own ? 



A. We recommended it all by purchase and by exchange. 



Q. And in no other way ? 



A. We didn't think for the present it was best to suggest any other 

 way; suggest any other way might defeat the park. 



Q. Tou expressed yourself as opposed to the idea of condemnation ? 



A. For the present, yes. 



Q. What does the commission mean by this, part of this report, page 

 15: Only two methods have ever been suggested; one that the State 

 should condemn and take the land necessary to form the park by the 

 exercise of its right of eminent domain; the other that the State 

 should acquire the land by purchase. The first method, after consid- 

 eration, was looked upon by the commission as of doubtful policy and 

 at present impracticable. It was evident that to urge a plan for the 

 condemnation of private lands would arouse- much hostility, and, 

 doubtless, defeat the entire park scheme. The other plan, that by 

 purchase, could easily be carried out, provided that the present own- 

 ers of the lands were willing to sell them, and, provided, also, if the 

 lands could be bought, that the State would provide the necessary pur- 

 chase-money, two rather important provisos. Some of these lands were 

 for sale ; others, it was understood, were not in the market, or were held 

 at exceedingly high prices. The sum required for the purchase of 

 park lands, as fixed by the appraisers, was then, of course, merely a 

 matter of conjecture, as no definite estimate of their value could at 

 once be obtained." Then, on page 21 : "Having put aside the plan 

 for acquiring land for the park by condemnation, the only method 

 left for the State to acquire the private reserve lands is by purchase — 

 a method that has two great impediments; one, the high price at 

 which those lands are held, the other, that they are not now for sale. 

 If it be delegated to this commission, or to any other power appointed 



