8 



rows, and the New Jersey shore, the undulating surface of the ground, 

 the fine growth of timber covering a large portion of it, the absence 

 of any considerable improvements to be paid for, has, for many years, 

 been contemplated by our citizens as a favorite place for a park. 



Another very important consideration was, that the distributing 

 reservoir was established there, upon a piece of land of about four- 

 teen acres, owned by the city. While this would add to the attrac- 

 tions of a park, the park, by surrounding, would protect the reservoir 

 from encroachments, which might, at a future time, prove a serious 

 detriment. 



The county has also recently purchased land near the reservoir, 

 for a court-house. 



But this place, however suitable in other respects, is not central, 

 in reference to the whole population of the consolidated city of 

 Brooklyn. That population now extends for a distance of about 

 eight miles along the East river and the Bay of New York, namely, 

 from Greenpoint, on the East river, to the northerly line of New 

 Utrecht and is destined to extend still further, as is believed, in both 

 of those directions, keeping pace with the northward movement of 

 the population of New York, and at the same time rapidly occupying 

 the cheaper, but equally attractive situations lying along the eastern 

 shore of the bay, towards Eort Hamilton. 



The progress of population eastward has been quite as remark- 

 able, and seems to justify the current opinion that in a few more 

 years of such increase, not only a large portion of Kings county, now 

 lying beyond the city limits, but a considerable part of Queens, will 

 be merged in the city. 



A glance at the annexed map will illustrate these statements, and 

 show that a park at Prospect Hill could not fairly be called a Cen- 

 tral Park ; but though very accessible to the inhabitants of the West- 

 ern district, so called, is more distant from, and less accessible to 

 those of the Eastern district. 



The Commissioners, in view of these facts, of the incalculable 

 importance of protecting from encroachment the great receiving res- 

 ervoir at Ridgewood ; in view, also, of the diversified surface of the 

 land there, of its fine natural forest, of the noble views of the sur- 

 rounding country, the Bay and Ocean, presented from its heights, and 

 the comparative cheapness of the land, determined to recommend that 

 another large city park be laid out there. 



This receiving reservoir, lying in a tract of land of about fifty 

 acres, owned by the city, now has the Cemetery of the Evergreens 

 on the southwest, and the Cypress Hills Cemetery on the northeast. 

 These cemeteries are now at a distance from the reservoir, but the 

 population of $ie cities of the dead increases, only less rapidly than 

 that of the abodes of the living. 



The reservoir certainly should never be allowed to come in con- 

 tact with these cemeteries. 



Ridgewood is near the termini of three city railroads, communi- 

 cating with six ferries on the East river. The population of the city 

 is rapidly spreading in that direction. 



A portion of the land recommended for a park lies beyond the 



