DEPARTMENT OF PARKS. 39 



THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS. 



During the year past seven million, five hundred and sixty 

 thousand ($7,560,000) dollars have been raised by the issue of 

 County bonds for the purpose of purchasing land required for 

 parks and parkways. Of this amount there has been expended 

 up to the 31st of December, four million and fifty-eight thou- 

 sand four hundred and ninety dollars and five cents-($4,058, 490.05). 



The idea of utilizing the credit of the County for this purpose 

 did not originate with me. It was conceived by the administra- 

 tion in control of the City's affairs in 1892. On May 3d of that 

 year a bill passed by the Legislature received the approval of the 

 Governor. Under its provisions the Commissioner of Parks of 

 the City of Brooklyn was constituted a commissioner to select and 

 locate such grounds in the County of Kings, or adjacent thereto, 

 as might in his opinion be proper and desirable to be set apart 

 for a public park or parks. 



When it became evident that the city and county govern- 

 ments were soon to be consolidated, the idea of utilizing the 

 credit of the County for the purchase of park lands was called 

 to my attention, and by me presented to" the Mayor for his 

 consideration. The Mayor approving of it, he appointed as an 

 Advisory Committee to assist me in the selection of the parks, 

 Messrs. Andrew D. Baird, John B. Woodward, H. B. Scharmann, 

 Theodore E. Dreier, W. W. Kenyon, Jacob W. Erregger and 

 Walter Parfitt. 



This committee of gentlemen promptly met, discussed the ques- 

 tion at length, decided that it was most advisable to carry the sug- 

 gestion of purchasing additional parks into effect, and the services of 

 Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of Prospect Park and nearly 

 all the other large parks in the country, were secured to assist in the 

 selection. Public meetings were called by me ; the first was held 

 on the evening of December 3, 1894, and the second meeting was 

 held on the evening of December 17, 1894. At these meetings 

 over one hundred plots were offered, most of which was visited 

 by the Committee and by Mr. Olmsted. Mr. Olmsted reported 

 his selections to the Committee, and on March 2, 1895, the 



