70 REPORT OF THE 



sirable that you should, when considering the matter, be aware 

 of the principles and reasons that controlled us in the perform- 

 ance of our duties. In the first place, it was decided to recom- 

 mend the taking of all land under water alongside the parkway. 

 The land in question will cost nearly or quite half the expense 

 of acquiring all the property embraced in our plan ; but we feel 

 that unless the land under water is to be taken the entire project 

 might better be abandoned. What is the main element of attract- 

 iveness to the long popular Shore Road ? It is the view. The 

 buildings and monuments of New York ; over and beyond Gov- 

 ernor's Island the graceful outlines of the Bridge ; the suggestive 

 distances up the Hudson ; the Palisades, the cities, and the long 

 reach of the Jersey shore ; the wooded hills of Staten Island ; 

 the broad expanse of the lower bay, and the Navesink Highlands 

 beyond ; the ocean ; the ever-varying scenes of activity on the 

 water ; pleasure craft of all sorts ; local, national, and international 

 contests of oar and sail ; great ships carrying forth the products 

 of our entire land, or returning laden from foreign ports; pro- 

 cessions of stately steamships ; mighty navies flying the stars and 

 stripes or the flags of friendly nations — these make up a superb 

 panorama far excelling the outlook from any park or point of 

 observation contiguous to any great city in the world. No one 

 would dare suggest destroying or marring the Riverside Drive of 

 New York ; yet here is a parkway with prospects incomparably 

 more magnificent than those of the Riverside Drive, but which 

 will inevitably be destroyed if this wide strip of land under water 

 remains the property of private owners. What could they do 

 with it, except use it for oil works, warehouses, grain elevators, 

 sugar refineries, and other factories such as line the rest of the 

 water front of Brooklyn ? We do not propose to prevent access 

 to navigable water to that part of the city lying back of the park- 

 way, but, obedient to the statute, we have designated " upon the 

 plan the location of such piers, wharves, or docks " as will accom- 

 modate the neighborhood. They will not interfere with the view 

 from the parkway, and, in time, they will produce considerable 

 revenue for the city. 



Since the land at present under water is to be acquired, if our 

 plan is approved, it seems most natural to use this land, as far as 

 practicable, for gaining suitable width for the parkway. The 



i prise we have in hand is not merely a driveway, or a road 

 for equestrians, or a path for bicyclists, or a promenade and 



made. It is to comprehend all these; and it will have ample 

 spaces where people may assemble for rest and recreation, shel- 

 ters, b<mt houses, bath houses, and other indispensable buildings 

 for public comfort. In fact, here is to be a parkway or park 

 embracing nearly as many acres as Prospect Park. We are ad- 



