10 



improvements now in progress, will not only prevent the withdrawal 

 from taxation of the lands taken for parks from being felt, but will 

 prevent the payment of the interest upon the debt created, and the 

 gradual extinguishment of the debt itself from becoming burdensome. 

 While it behooves our citizens to avoid creating oppressive 

 burdens, something must be conceded to the taste and spirit of the 

 age — an age unequalled in activity, enterprise, intelligence and re- 

 finement, something to the peculiarity of our geographical situation 

 contiguous to the metropolis of the western world, and something to 

 the wants of future millions, who seem destined to draw largely to 

 this point of the resources of every nation on the earth. 



The intense activity and the destructive excitement of business 

 life as here conducted, imperatively demands these public places for 

 exercise and recreation. If they tend to abate this excitement and 

 to divert our people somewhat from the mere struggle for wealth, 

 their moral and physical effects will compensate largely for the pe- 

 cuniary cost. 



As already intimated, the fullest opportunity has been afforded 

 to our fellow citizens to express their wishes and opinions in regard 

 to this matter. Some earnestly advocated the adoption of a plan for 

 a grand drive or carriage road, to extend from Fort Hamilton to 

 Green Point, connecting a chain of five parks, somewhat smaller 

 than the three city parks recommended ; three of which were pro- 

 posed to be located where such large parks are recommended by the 

 Commissioners. The Commissioners concluded that the pleasure of 

 a great drive, though accessible to the more opulent, would be en- 

 tirely inaccessible to the masses of our people ; that these need 

 parks to which they can go on foot or by the cheap railroad lines, 

 where health and pleasure shall be freely offered to all classes. 



Again, the Commissioners heartily approve and recommend the 

 plan for widening and ornamenting Atlantic Avenue referred to, and 

 trust that it will be sanctioned by the Legislature. That will con- 

 nect the two great parks at Mount Prospect and Ridgewood by an 

 avenue unequalled for beauty in this country, at a moderate expense, 

 and prove beneficial, as we believe, to the property on the line of 

 improvement. For the purposes of a drive, that avenue will fur- 

 nish all needful accommodation. 



All which is respectfully submitted, 



J. GREENWOOD, 

 THOMAS G. TALMAGE, 

 L. B. WYMAN, 

 THOS. H. RODMAN, 

 JESSE C. SMITH, 

 SAMUEL S. POWELL, 

 JOHN A. CROSS, 

 ABRM. J. BERRY, 

 DANL. MAUJER, 

 J. CARSON BREVOORT, 

 N. B. MORSE, 

 WM. H. PECK. 

 Brooklyn, February 3, 1S60. 



